Flare Container Mk 1 Mod 0

Use: The Flare Container Mk 1 Mod 0 is an electrically operated jettisionable container for carrying six aircraft parachute flares of the Mark 6 type only, which may be released one at a time by electrical impulses from a 24-volt battery. The container may be sus-pended from any standard single or double-hook bomb rack.

Construction: It is necessary to cock the mechanism manually before the container can be loaded or unloaded. The container holds six flares, three on each side of the ver-tical panel, one above the other. The dividing panel assembly supports the flares by me-tal arms or chocks. The flare are loaded with the fuze end aft, and the end of the lany-ard is secured to the container. The energy for the operation of the container is stored in torsional springs and released by a solenoid. By wiring in series, several containers can be operated to secure and uninterhupted release of a series of more than six flares.

Operation: When the solenoid is energized, the spring-loaded plunger, which is linked mechanically to the release rack, retracts completely, thereby effecting the release of one flare. The soleniod plunger will remain retracted so long as the current is on. To re-lease another flare, the circuit must be broken long enough to allow the spring-loaded plunger to return to the normal position before applying he next impulse. The maximum rate of release is about 10 flares per second, which is the highest rate practicable in order to prevent interference between the individual flares.

The cocking lever should always be in the "safety" position when on the ground, and only switched over to the "operational" position before the plane takes off. Correctly loa-ded flares are a fire hazard, since they are always armed.

Remarks: When the container is used in a bomb bay, it is intended that it be used without the nose and tail fairings. If desirable, the spring doors may also be removed.

Figure 181. Flare Container Mk 1 Mod 0