Type 98 grenade explained

The was a fragmentation hand grenade deployed by the Imperial Japanese Army during World War II. The explosive charge contained 3oz of picric acid (a cheaper and more powerful but less safe explosive than TNT).

History

In 2015, Type 98s were documented to have been found in the Democratic Republic of Congo.[1]

Design

The weapon operated identically to the Chinese versions of the German Model 24 stick grenade, which had been encountered in the Second Sino-Japanese War. It was based on these grenades, except that a pull ring was attached to the igniting cord, and the actual fuse delay itself was reduced to four to five seconds (varying from grenade to grenade).[2]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Flow of WWII weapons after the war. 15 January 2018.
  2. http://www.lexpev.nl/grenades/middleeastasia/japan/type98.html Type 98 (A&B) Grenades