Aasen Bomb

Lore & Background

The Aasen bomb was developed originally in Denmark by Nils Waltersen Aasen, who it was named after, by his Det Aasenske Granatkompani. He was a Norwegian arms inventor who developed a wide range of early prototypes which would later lead to the modern hand grenade for the military use. Italy would adopt the bombs in 1912 to assist with the Italian invasion of Libya. They were also adopted for a short period at the onset of World War I by Germany and France. Other countries and leaders would also become interested in the weapon, with Russia ordering one million grenades and the Pope buying two thousand.

Reader's Guide

The bomb was made of an 80mm x 105mm piece of iron based sheet metal forming the head with a 330mm wooden handle. The bomb itself weighed 3 kg. It could be used as a torpedo, land mine, or aerial bomb based on the type of detonator installed. Italy would famously use them in early aerial bombardments; dropping them on the intended target from Italian military aircraft. The aerial bombs would make use of a highly sensitive contact exploder to minimize misfire potential. To ensure that it did not bury itself in the ground before exploding, the bomb would also release a small parachute. The parachute was also designed to neutralize issues with horizontal velocity. As the bomb fell an internal arming mechanism would either rotate around a threaded end of the handle, arming it as it fell, or burn a length of wool that acted as a safety mechanism.

Did You Know?

• The Aasen bomb was originally designed as an aerial bomb with a parachute, not adapted from a hand grenade.
• Russia ordered one million grenades, a documented order.

Origins & the Norwegian Inventor

The Aasen Bomb traces its lineage to Nils Waltersen Aasen, a Norwegian arms inventor whose work in Denmark laid the groundwork for a distinctive early-war weapon. Aasen operated through his company, Det Aasenske Granatkompani, where he developed a broad range of early prototypes. His contributions extended well beyond this single design; his body of work represented a significant step toward the modern hand grenade as a military tool. The weapon that bore his name was essentially a hand grenade reimagined with a handle and a parachute, a configuration that would see practical use in the years leading up to and during the First World War. The Italian military designation for the weapon—Granata con manico e paracadute tipo Aasen A2—captures its essential character: a grenade with a handle and parachute, of the Aasen type.

Adoption Across a Spectrum of Users

The Aasen Bomb found buyers across a surprisingly wide spectrum of military and even non-military interests. Italy was among the earliest adopters, integrating the weapon in 1912 to support its military campaign in Libya. As the First World War erupted, both Germany and France took the bomb into service, though their adoption was brief, lasting only a short period at the conflict's onset. The weapon's versatility clearly attracted broader attention: Russia placed an order for one million grenades, a staggering volume that speaks to the scale of wartime demand. Perhaps most strikingly, the Pope himself purchased two thousand of the devices, a detail that underscores how the Aasen Bomb had penetrated far beyond conventional military procurement into the sphere of religious leadership. These varied users—from a colonial campaign to great-power armies to the Vatican—paint a picture of a weapon that, for a brief window, was considered broadly applicable across different theaters and purposes.

Construction & Multi-Domain Versatility

The physical construction of the Aasen Bomb was deceptively simple yet functionally versatile. The warhead was formed from a piece of iron-based sheet metal measuring 80 millimeters in diameter and 105 millimeters in length, attached to a wooden handle that extended the overall length by 330 millimeters. The complete assembly weighed three kilograms. What distinguished the design was its adaptability: depending on which detonator was fitted, the same basic body could be deployed as a torpedo, a land mine, or an aerial bomb. This modularity made a single manufactured component useful across multiple domains of warfare. The iron sheet-metal head provided the structural housing for the explosive charge, while the wooden handle served both as a grip for manual handling and as part of the internal arming mechanism. The combination of a relatively compact iron body with a long wooden shaft gave the weapon a distinctive silhouette that set it apart from the more rounded grenades that would later dominate infantry arsenals.

Aerial Bombardment & the Parachute Safety System

Italy's use of the Aasen Bomb in early aerial bombardments represents one of the weapon's most notable applications. Italian military aircraft dropped the devices onto designated targets, employing a highly sensitive contact exploder specifically chosen to minimize the risk of misfire during the drop. A critical engineering challenge in this role was preventing the bomb from burying itself in soft ground before detonating. To solve this, the Aasen Bomb released a small parachute during its descent, which served a dual purpose: it slowed the fall to reduce the chance of the device sinking into the earth, and it neutralized horizontal velocity that could have carried the bomb off-target. During the fall, an internal arming mechanism activated—either by rotating around a threaded end of the handle or by burning through a length of wool that functioned as a safety delay. This wool-burn system ensured the device could not detonate prematurely in the aircraft or in a handler's grip, adding a crucial layer of operational safety.