The US M15 white Phosphor handgrenade is officially a smoke grenade, which however is also used as an incendiary grenade and an anti-personelgrenade. The grenade body consists of a pressed steel tin, closed in top with top cover and a steel pipe for the fuze, both mounted by means of brazzing. This forms a strong connection and enshures an air tight connection, preventing oxygen from reaching the white phosphor, prematurely igniting the hand grenade.
The grenade body is painted grey and has a yellow band and a yellow tekst ‘Smoke WP’.
The handgrenade uses the M6A3 time fuze with a 4,5 seconds delay. The same fuze is also used on the Mk2 fragmentation grenade, however on the M15 with an adjusted safety spoon to fit the larger grenade body of the M15 white phosphor grenade.
If the spoon is released, the firing pin rotates in the firing cap, igniting the 4,5 seconds pyrotechnic fuze. The fuze ignites the detonator that shatters the grenade body and free the white phospor filling. The burning pieces of white phosphor are scattered over an area about 25 yards in diameter and burn for about 30 seconds.
Between June 1943 and December 1945 there were 5.828.739 M15 white phosphor grenades produced.
Complete length of grenade : 136mm
Length of grenade body : 114mm
Diameter grenade body : 64mm
Weight M15 grenade : 880 grams
Filling : 425 grams white phosphor
Regards, DJH
The grenade body is painted grey and has a yellow band and a yellow tekst ‘Smoke WP’.
The handgrenade uses the M6A3 time fuze with a 4,5 seconds delay. The same fuze is also used on the Mk2 fragmentation grenade, however on the M15 with an adjusted safety spoon to fit the larger grenade body of the M15 white phosphor grenade.
If the spoon is released, the firing pin rotates in the firing cap, igniting the 4,5 seconds pyrotechnic fuze. The fuze ignites the detonator that shatters the grenade body and free the white phospor filling. The burning pieces of white phosphor are scattered over an area about 25 yards in diameter and burn for about 30 seconds.
Between June 1943 and December 1945 there were 5.828.739 M15 white phosphor grenades produced.
Complete length of grenade : 136mm
Length of grenade body : 114mm
Diameter grenade body : 64mm
Weight M15 grenade : 880 grams
Filling : 425 grams white phosphor
Regards, DJH
