Filling: Smoke producing composition. (Heat stable blue dye 42% mixed with potassium chlorate 33% and lactose 25%.)

CONSTRUCTION. The smoke generator has an aluminum cylindrical-shaped body divided into two sections. One section houses the smoke-producing parts and the other the pa-rachute. (See fig. 92.)

The smoke-producing section is divided into sections by 3 metal plates. These metal pla-tes are connected by 12 metal distance rods. Eight of these distance rods are equally spaced around the cicumference of the plates while the remain-ing four are spaced equal distance from and closer to the center. The smoke canister are held in two tiers, each of four canisters. The arrangement of rods ensures that the smoke canisters are firmly held. Four 1.4-in. holes are drilled in the plates for the igniting tubes.

The individual smoke canisters are aluminum cylinders lined with stiff waterproof paper. They contain four annular blocks, three of smoke composition and one of a clay-like sub-stance. The priming composition is gunpowder and each of the three smoke composition blocks has a small quantity placed in loose at the base before pressing to ensure ignition between one block and the next. Each canister emits smoke of good density for about 26 seconds.

The ignition pellets are arranged to accept flash of ejection charge and distribute it to the four ignition tubes, each of which pierce the center of two smoke canisters. A total of 14 gunpowder ignition pellets are packed in these tubes. The ejection charge consists of one-half ounce of fine mesh gunpowder. It is positioned directly below the pull igniter. Below this is the first metal ejector plate. It has a hole in the center which allows the flash to ignite ignition pellets. In the lower part of container, directly above the parachu-te, the second ejector plate is positioned. This prevents the parachute from becoming damaged or entangled in the outer container.

The parachute canopy is made of continuous filament viscose rayon. It is built up from 12 panels each 4 feet 11 inches wide by 6 feet 10 inches high. Attached to the canopy are 12 rigging lines each 13 feet long which in turn are attached to an eyeloop which is secured to the top plate of the container.

OPERATION. The transit cap is removed; then the friction igniter knob is unscrewed and pulled longitudinally. The generator is then allowed to fall clear. After a delay of 4 to 5 seconds, the igniter functions and the flash the detonator passes to the ejector charge, which on exploding forces out the contents of the container to be supported by para-chute when this opens. Pellet on ignition pass the flash to the perforated ignition tubes.

Figure 92 – Parachute Recognition Smoke Generator