Introduction

This chapter includes the 4-in., 4.5-in., and 5.5-in. reconnaissance flares, the 7-in. hooded flare, the 4.5-in. photoflash bomb, and the 1.7-in. aircraft illuminator.

Reconnaissance flares are used as an aid in night reconnaissance, as an aid to night bombing, and to assist in emergency forced landings. The general construction of these flares is the same, consisting of a flare body, a flare candle, and a parachute which sup-ports the candle after the flare has functioned. These flares can be stowed inside the aircraft and dropped from a launching chute, or they may be fitted to a bomb or flare carrier. However, they are most commonly carried in Cluster Projectiles.

The hooded flare has the conventional flare body and parachute, and also a special flare candle to which an asbestos shield is attached. This shield, which is folded when contained in the flare body and opens on ejection, deflects the intense glare from the burning candle downward. This protects the vision of the personnel of the dropping plane, and allows much better observation.

Photoflash bombs are used to provide illumination for night photography. They contain a flash composition, which explodes with a loud  report and a vivid white flash to provide the intense, instantaneous illumination necessary for night photography.

Aircraft illuminations are small flares which contain illuminating stars, but no parachu-te. They have a short, three-second period of illumination, and are used by intercepting aircraft for illuminating attacking enemy planes at night.