Title: The Quirky Mk18 Mod 0: Vietnam’s Hand-Cranked Grenade Launcher

Ever heard of a grenade launcher that you crank by hand? Sounds like something out of a cartoon, right? Well, the Mk18 Mod 0 was the real deal, and it made its mark in the Vietnam War. Born from a 1962 US Navy request for a rapid-fire solution to support riverine crafts, this oddball weapon was crafted by Honeywell’s Ordnance Division. Unlike the later automatic beasts, the Mk18 relied on good ol’ elbow grease to fire its low-velocity 40×46 mm grenades, bridging the gap between the single-shot M79 and the fully automatic launchers that would soon take the stage. Talk about a blast from the past!