Unknown OLD grenade

[nachtwuenscher]

Good evening,
I just received a quite interesting item. It's about 22 cm long and 8.5cm in diameter. The fuze adapter muzzle has a diameter of ~1inch. The only markings on the body are "A" "1686" "N". It's painted in blue gray. The person I got it from told me that these grenades were thrown by a kind of catapult (fast rotating wheels) to defend port entrances. Nevertheless, I can not find any reference. Interestingly, I just spotted another specimen (with fuze) in the collection of @MatthewLawton.
Maybe you guys have some background information for me and of course for the interested fellow readers .
Thanks for your precious help,
Stefan

 

[MINENAZ16]

Hello,

It's a WW1 French HE round for trench mechanical projector called "Fronde B".

Two rounds on the projector, one HE grenade painted grey-blue (fired), one inert painted red (used as an opposite weight).

Regards

 

[nachtwuenscher]

Thanks a lot for the id and the superb pictures. Now i have some homework for the next week: deciphering the article with my long forgotten school french . doyou know whether these grenades were in use before 1900 and whether these were a success (i suppose not)? is it a special fuze or do there exist also some other compatible fuzes for the grenade?

 

[MINENAZ16]

Hello,

The article only describe the operation of the (strange) mechanical projector. I assume this device was made for the trench war after 1914. This grenade is quite rare.
This projector is part of a large number of eccentric machine made for the new static war ; for sure not very effective !
I know two different fuzes for this grenade (special, and not easy to find !)
The first use the same pull-friction device with wood top as the french grenade ball Mle 14 but the base of the fuze is different (fuze shown in picture one -less the wood plug- and in the diagram above)
You can see the second fuze (maybe improved first fuze) in the picture below.


Regards

 

[nachtwuenscher]

Thanks for showing. So I assume finding the right fuze will be nearly impossible. Nevertheless, I am glad to have this rarity in my collection.

 

[nachtwuenscher]

Just want to follow up: Eventually I got my hands on the fuze. Enjoy!