L2 (Grenade)

History

The L2 is the British military version of the American M26 fragmentation grenade, introduced in the early 1950s. The M26 was developed in the post-WWII market to replace the wartime Mk II series, which provided reliable but unobtrusive service throughout the conflict. The M26 has a stylish design, consisting of upper and lower metal parts joined at a horizontal seam. The safety device is attached to the top in the usual way, while the sloping bottom allows the grenade to be placed on the surface.

Due to its peculiar shape - quite different from the wartime "pineapple" type - the M26 earned the nickname "lemon grenade". All British production is handled by the Royal Armouries, the main difference being the design of the fuse assembly. The L2 shell replaced the 36M shell in British service.

The M26 (and therefore the British L2 series) has improved its crushing principle by adding pre-slotted coils between the filler and outer shell layers. The filler was Composition B and weighed 5.75 ounces. Detonation is via an L25A6 fuze with a delay of up to 4.4 seconds before detonation.

The gun has a total weight of 454 grams, a diameter of 57 mm and a height of 99 mm.

The M26 operates in typical grenade fashion, with the operator managing a ring for safety. Once removed, the operator can throw the grenade in the direction of the enemy, the internal timer will expire and the grenade will explode. Once detonated, the blast shatters the casing, spreading the desired metal shards over the blast radius, maiming or killing enemy personnel in the process. This allows the M26 to be used to clear enemy elements from key locations without directly endangering allied forces.

Of course, before using it, the operator must make sure that his distance from the blast radius is acceptable.

The M26 served with the US military during the Korean War (1950-1953), although the extensive use of the previous Mk II series ensured its own existence until the 1960s. By the time of the Vietnam War (1955-1975), the M26 had stabilized in U.S. inventories and had become the standard grenade used by the U.S. military in conflicts. During the decades of the Cold War, British military personnel used the M26 extensively in their operations. Especially during the Falkland War (1982), the type was used as a standard marker, and Argentina ultimately failed to invade the neighboring Falkland Islands.

The M26 is also used by other US allies, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, Pakistan, Portugal, South Africa and South Vietnam.

The UK L2 series was eventually produced in two different operating variants "L2A1" and "L2A2". The only difference between the two brands is the latter's fuse holder, which is designed to facilitate mass production.

L3 marked training grenades (sharp bright blue) and shown as L3A1, L3A2 and L3A3 markings. The L4 is a drill grenade (dark blue body) identified by the L4A1 and L4A2 markings.

The L2 itself has been replaced by the modernized L109 series, which is nothing more than a local takeover of the Swiss HG85 from 1985. For Americans, the M26 has been replaced by the M67 series, the current US standard fragmentation grenade - Armed Forces (2013).

Specification

Base

Years in Service

1950

Origins

UK

Categories

Anti-Human Fragmentation Grenade

Manufacturer

Royal Armouries - UK

Operators

UK

Roles

Fire Support

Ability to suppress enemy elements at a distance using direct or indirect fire.

Dimensions and Weight

Overall Length

84mm

3. 31 inches

Cured weight

0.87 lbs

0.40 kg

Attractions

Not applicable

Action

Time Friction Fuses

Ignition Ignition

The design is based on timed ignition ignition.

Cartridges and Paper Feeds

Caliber*

Not applicable

Circle/Feed

Single use

POWER

Maximum efficiency. Arrived

33 feet

(10m|11m)

Rate of fire

1

Number of revolutions

VARIANTS

L2 - name of the base series L2A1 - original production model from the 1950s L2A2 - modified fuse holder for easier production L3 - practice grenade with light blue body; idle . L3A1 - training grenade; inertL3A2 - training grenade; inertL3A3 - training grenade; inertL4 - drill grenade with a dark blue body. L4A1 - grenade L4A2 - grenade