Re: OT- Are we getting ready to move on Iran?

From: Peter Smith (psmith6_at_SparnBlock.bigpond.net.au)
Date: 01/28/05 

Date: Fri, 28 Jan 2005 07:24:49 GMT

Peter Stickney <p-stickney@Mineshaft.local> wrote...
>
> Uhm, that's not accurate. The "Pineapple" used a chemical
> fuze as well. Rather than using the friction ignitor of
> the "Potato Masher", it was initiated by a spring-loaded
> firing pin that was held back by the "Spoon Handle". This
> was held in place by the natural action of the thrower,
> and released when the grenade is thrown. The safety pin
> holds the spoon in place.
<snip>
> At that, they had it better than the Japanese, who had to,
> after removing the safety pin, whack the initator against
> a hard object (Rock, Boot Heel, helmet or similar) to get
> it going.

Ok, it makes sense to be chemical as reliability would be much better.
Thanks for the clarification. The pineapple was pretty well tuned to 4-5
sec delay while the potato masher could often string out to 12 or more
seconds, the fuse system was more advanced in the pineapple.. That
Japanese system sounds pretty hairy!

- Peter

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