Type 97 grenade

The Type 97 was developed from the earlier Type 91 grenade which could also be used as a fragmentation hand grenade, but was predominantly used as munitions for the Type 10, and Type 89 grenade launchers. For this reason, it had less explosive power and a relatively longer delay time than a dedicated manual hand grenade. To address these issues, the Army Technical Bureau developed a new design in 1937. The body was painted black and the top plate red signifying an explosive charge.

The Type 97 had the same form as most fragmentation grenades of the period: a cylindrical "pineapple grooved" segmented body which dispersed sharp pieces of shrapnel when it exploded. However unlike "pin-pull" grenades of other armies, ignition of the time fuse was achieved by direct percussion of a striker.

For safe storage the firing pin was retracted in the striker body. To use, the operator would first screw the firing pin down so that it protruded from the base of the striker. Then the safety pin would be removed by pulling the cord to which it was attached; the protective cap which covered the striker was removed. A sharp blow against a hard surface, such as a rock, a tree trunk, rifle stock, the side of a boot heel, or combat helmet would overcome a creep spring and crush a thin brass cap, allowing the pin to hit the primer and initiate the delay sequence before throwing at the target.[http://www.inert-ord.net/jap02h/grenades/t97/index.html] Japanese World War II Ordnance However, in comparison with Allied hand grenades of the period, the explosive force of the Type 97 was weaker and, due to lack of an automatic ignition mechanism, the grenade in practice was found to be unreliable and even dangerous to use because of its erratic fuse.Rottman, Japanese Infantryman 1937-1945

Physically, the Type 97 was almost indistinguishable from the Type 91, except that it had no attachment on the base for a propellant canister. Paper labels with ink-stamped fill dates warned of the shorter, 4-5 second, delay.[http://www.inert-ord.net/jap02h/grenades/t97/index.html] Details of internal construction

The Type 97 hand grenade was issued as standard equipment to Japanese infantrymen in the Second Sino-Japanese War and throughout the various campaigns of World War II.Rottman, Japanese Infantryman 1937-1945 Even after the war ended the Type 97 grenade was used by independence movements across Southeast Asia against their European colonizers.

• Mills fragmentation hand grenade ("Mills bomb")
• Mk. 2 fragmentation hand grenade

{{Reflist}}

File:Type 97 grenade with carrier.JPG

• {{cite book|author=US Department of War|title=Handbook on Japanese Military Forces, TM-E 30-480 (1945)|publisher= Louisiana State University Press |year=1994|edition=reprint|isbn=0-8071-2013-8 }}
• {{cite book|author=Rottman, Gordon L. |title=Japanese Infantryman 1937-1945|publisher=Osprey Publishing |year=2005|isbn= 1-84176-818-9}}
• {{cite book|author=Departments of the Army and the Air Force| title=Japanese Explosive Ordnance, TM 9-1985-4|year=1953|id= ASIN B000H7NCDS }}

• [http://www.diggerhistory.info/images/weapons-ww2-jap/jap-type97-grenade.jpg Image of a Type 97 grenade]
• [http://www.inert-ord.net/jap02h/grenades/t97/index.html Details of internal construction]
• [https://takihomepage.web.fc2.com/grenade.htm Taki’s Imperial Japanese Army page]
• [http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/Japan/IJA/HB/HB-9.html#III US Technical Manual E 30-480]

{{Japanese WWII infantry weapons}}

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Category:Fragmentation grenades

Category:Hand grenades of Japan

Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1930s

Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1937