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Illum. Grenade

Jolly Green

Well-Known Member
OK what's the deal here?
This one has been bugging me.
WAY too nice and everyone seems to be shying away from it.
Whats up with that?
I have two, both are different. One is marked, one is not.
What is sending up the red flags?
 
Were you putting a link or a photo with this? I've got nothing.
 
John, I just saw your post just now. I might be able to help you out, and if that is what you are looking for, let me know thru a PM or just say it here. I have specific information on that question. Just let me, and I'll help you out?
 
Not real sure about the paint - original or not? Looks too good - If the paint is that nice and the grenade is inert in museum quality it would normally be a sample or trainer from the factory. So why a fired fuze (as per the description)? If it's original it's the best I've seen - better than mine and I took it out of the can.
 
John, that S/A is also more realistic than the other. However I had one traded to me that was almost "MINT" condition and it was dated 1954. When I recieved it from that friend the bottom didn't come loose and it had the old style match fuse with the older spoon like the ones used by us during WWII. Somebody took the fuse out and let the fuse go and then cleaned out all of the Magneseum. I then place it into an oven set on ??? (I cannot remember the exact temperatures for each stage now) degrees after it had sat outside in temp of 79-81 degrees and around 81% humidity humid. When I did this within the oven It only took about ?? minutes and I heard a lound pop sound. I reached in with gloves and pulled both parts out and let them cool off for a while. The paint was still on and the bottom portion where the Magneseum was, it was just shiny and perfectly clean. Kinda neat.
 
Close but no cigar...................

John,

Attached is a photo showing what you should see / look for in an original Mk 1 Mod 2 of that era.

The grenade in the link you posted is not factory original related to finish, nomenclature font, size, spacing, stenciled, etc., etc.. Somebody did a good job trying to come close, however no cigar.

Stay safe,

Frank
 

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  • Mk1 Mod. 2.jpg
    Mk1 Mod. 2.jpg
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I do not believe that that is the only one of that era. Mine has black stenciling on it, not white such as yours is. Now why would that be?
 
I do not believe that that is the only one of that era. Mine has black stenciling on it, not white such as yours is. Now why would that be?

My guess (without seeing a photo of your grenade), is that you possibly have an Earlier Mk1 Illuminating? There are some differences between the models, please post a photo of your grenade markings for reference.
 

Attachments

  • Copy of US MK1 Illuminating 045.jpg
    Copy of US MK1 Illuminating 045.jpg
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I agree that the one on GB looks to be a repaint
The one I have was done with a factory powder coat paint with black nomenclature (see pics)
It's a Mod 1-0 with a match light fuze
The OD on the one on GB just isn't right
P1270011.jpgP1270010.jpg
 
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Hello Ordman,

Nice grenade, are there any dates on the body or fuze?

I believe that the finish on these bodies was an Infra-Red Baked Enamel Paint, similar to the earlier US Ammunition "Spam Cans".

Stay safe,

Frank
 
Body has hand illuminating grenade
MK 1-0
Lot No 28-C-53 with naval anchor ordnance stamp
Fuze is stamped MK 1
TVC Lot No ???
 
My old and dirty Illumination Grenade

Illumination Grenade----My Own 004.jpgIllumination Grenade----My Own 002.jpg This is the one that I have that is in terrible shape.This one has been the victim of Hoppe's No. 9 that spilled on it.Illumination Grenade----My Own 003.jpg
Illumination Grenade----My Own 001.jpg
 
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The MK 1 could also be found unpainted, OD or white depending on the year made. Somewhere around 69 to 71 all the ones made were OD. The MK 1 left the inventory around 1978. The MK 1 was a neat grenade for what it was designed to do, but it made for a lot of battle field shadows. Never saw any during VN, but when I was teaching a gernades class to the USN SEALs they pulled out a couple crates of MK II's and MK I's.

After throwing some, (and letting them cool - hot SOBs) I could put back together the MK I's, clean them up, paint them and the trade them off.

DSC01803.jpgPages from Grenades vol 1.jpgPages from TM 09-1330-200, Gernades, Hand and Rifle, Sept 1971.jpgPages from tm9-1330-200 Grenades a.jpg
 
Who can help me on a drawing of the Mk372 Mod 0 fuze used on the grenade Illuminating Mk1Mod 2, either is willing to screw of the fuze of his grenade to show the lower portion of the fuze .
The problem is: with the Grenade Ill. Mk1 Mod 1 the normal WW2 type lever Mk1 fuze is used where it looks like the lower part of the fuze housing -normally used to crimp the detonator around - has been removed to allow the thick fuze cord to be place in the larger hole that now appears.
How is this for the M372 Mod 0 fuze. How does it's lower portion look like.
Even better, does anybody have a reliable drawing of a cutaway of the Mk21 Mod 2 grenade?

Thanks in advance,
Regards, DJH
 
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The attachments shpow both Mod 1 and 2 in cutwaway so you can see the differencePages from OP 4335 SAA and Spec Weapons.jpgPages from OP 4335 SAA and Spec Weapons-2.jpg
 
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