The Mills Bomb existed in several notable forms beginning with the No. 5 model of 1915. This early form featured a time delay of seven seconds which proved to be too long, often having thrown grenade lobbed back at friendly positions. It was also designed for use with rifle muzzles for ranged firing. The No. 23 model was given a revised base plug for improved rifle firing. The No .36 model was the definitive grenade form that was issued with a base plate for increasingly improved rifle firing compatibility. The No. 36 was furthered into the No. 36M of 1917 which was coated in shellac for waterproofing and improved its battlefield life expectancy while the base plug was reinforced. Production was handled at British wartime facilities including the Mills Munition Factory out of Birmingham and overseas production was also noted across British interests worldwide. All told, some 70 million Mills Bombs were produced during the span of 1915 into the 1980s.
By the time of World War 2, the seven second fuse delay was standardized to four seconds which proved acceptable for combat operations thereafter. It was not until the 1970s that the Mills Bomb pineapple grenade family gave way to a more modernized L2 grenade form - a smooth-sided, oblong hand grenade developed in the United States (as the M26).
Amazingly, the Mills Bomb hand grenade saw extended use in the developing armies of the Middle East and Asia where the type can still be found in some number today.
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