No. 68 AT Grenade
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Grenade, Rifle No. 68 /AT | |
|---|---|
 The Mark 1 No. 68 Rifle grenade, shown with the nose facing left |
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| Type | Anti-tank rifle grenade |
| Place of origin |  United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1940 - 1945 |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1940 |
| Variants | Mk 1 to Mk VI |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 894 grams |
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| Filling | Lyddite, Pentolite or RDX/Beeswax |
| Filling weight | 156 grams |
| Detonation mechanism |
Impact |
The Grenade, Rifle No. 68 /AT was a British anti-tank rifle grenade used during World War II.
[edit] Overview
The No. 68 was an early form of shaped charge grenade, and has some claim to be the first High Explosive, Anti Tank (HEAT) device in use. The design of the warhead was simple and was capable of penetrating 2 inches (50 mm) of armour in 1940.
The grenade was armed by removing a pin in the tail that held the striker. The grenade was launched from a rifle cup. The simple fins gave it some stability in the air and provided the grenade impacted the target at the proper angle (90 degrees) the charge would be effective. Detonation occurred on impact when a striker in the tail of the grenade was thrown forward into the fuse.
[edit] References
- Ian V. Hogg - The Encyclopedia of Infantry Weapons of World War II - Arms & Armour Press - 1977 - ISBN 0-85368-281-X
[edit] External links
- The Home Guard Pocket Manual, by Capt. A. Southworth, M.B.E., p49-50: description of the No. 68 AT Grenade, use and diagram.
- A member of the Home Guard demonstrates the EY rifle with No. 68 anti-tank grenade (image) Imperial War Museum on-line collection: photograph number H 22061.
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