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German M39 Egg grenade

O

ozziammo

Well-Known Member
With so many pictures of the WWII German M39 egg grenades on the internet, which is the correct way that the wings should sit, either wings up (pointing toward the cap) or wings down (pointing toward the body)?
Regards Ozzi.
 
I also have seen both variants.
As far as I know the 'wings up' Version seems to have been the more common variant.
And it is also shown in most of the training manuals like that.

Eihandgranate39_Ausbildung_03.jpg (© lexpev.nl )

But after all it is only an aid to tighten the screw and for easier pulling.
Best Regards
 
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I've been told by collectors with much more knowledge than myself ( initials J.A.) that the correct position is wings down.
 
It depends, I have myself seen more original fuzes with wings up, rather than wings down. My knowledge is from more than 100 fuzes.
 
Certainly I don't know how the soldiers actually carried their grenades during WW II,
but apparently it was meant this way from the developers.

Eihandgranate39_nA_Juni1942_Schnitt_klein.JPG

From: Waffentafel 44 (Juni 1942)
(also seen in: Karl R. Pawlas "Waffenrevue" No. 4 Page 600)

Best Regards
 
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Tmine35 is correct. Both ways were used. There are different shapes of the wings. There are the short, straight ones and the slightly longer curved ones. I have only seen the straight ones pointing up, but I have seen the curved ones both ways. The curved ones follow the shape of the egg body when pointing down and they protrude less that way, so maybe that is the intended way for that style of wings.
 
Thank you all, depending on how I feel (up or down) on the day of assembly will determine which way they go. LOL.
Regards Ozzi.
 
three versions are known, first without wings, second with wings down, third with wings up, all three were found, mostly the wings down version......
best regards jens
 
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