WW1 French F1 Grenade Demilled

The experience of close combat and assaults in the confined space of WW1 trenches prooved that the large dangerosity range of the classical grenades was about equally endangering the launcher and the target. Since the goal was mainly to knock out or frighten the defenders, the concept of the offensive grenade was proposed, in opposition to the other type, named defensive grenades.

The grenade OF1 (offensive n°1) that appears in 1915 corresponds to that specification, with a reduced action range. It is composed of two stamped iron hemispheres crimped together and tin welded. The igniting plug was screwed inside the upper hemisphere, whose complex forming needed that part to be stamped in a higher quality thin plate, while the lower cap could be made in a more common grade thin plate.

This grenade will follow the same igniting plugs technological evolution as the F1 one, the latest WW1 evolution giving it the famous Billant Modèle 1916 B plug. The explosive charge also progressed all along the war, from the initial cheddite to the Schneiderite, and finally the NTMX, allowing each time to reduce the total weight.

source http://www.passioncompassion1418.com/decouvertes/english_grenades_fr.html