FUZING

COLOR

OVERALL LENGTH

MAX. BODY DIAMETER

TAIL DIAMETER

BURNING TIME

PARACHUTE DIAMETER

CANDLE POWER

DESCRIPTION:

Training Flare - Body compresses a front body portion containing a flare candle and a pull percussion igniter, and a rear body portion containing an 11 ft. cotton parachute which is connected with the candle unit. The front and rear body portions are connec-ted by a diaphragm which closes one end of the front body and supports the flare candle and igniter. Two suspension bolts on the diaphragm provide an anchorage for the parachute. The opposite end of the front body is closed by a millboard disc held in place by a fusible closing disc. In addition to the igniter plug, the igniter comprises an igniter body which houses a striker mechanism, and into which the igniter plug is screw-ed. The igniter body is held in place in the central tube by a retained plate.

A.S. Flare - Indentical except for delay fuze below igniter, giving about 5 seconds delay befor burning starts.

FUNCTIONING:

When the flare is released, the long static cord, the free end of which has been at-tached to the rear crutch holder of the carrier or to the eyebolt on the lid of the laun-ching chute, is withdrawn from the elastic loop and pulls the retaining pin out of the loop on one of the flaps, thus releasing all flaps. The flare falls, with the parachute being drawn out of the body because of the connection between the short static cord and the long cord attached to the plane. Tautening of the auxiliary static cord breaks the thin braided cord, separating the flare from the cord attached to the plane. After the chute has opened, the body of the flare continues, momentarily, to fall freely until the suspension rope is fully tensioned. The jerk as the suspension rope tightens causes the securing wire to bend and the clutch to be pulled out, thus spring-loaded and re-leasing the striker. The striker, when released, moves downwards and fires the percus-sion cap. This flash ignites the gunpowder in the training flare sending a flash down the center tube by the primed cambric tube, igniting the burster charge passes through the holes in the apertured washer and ignites the primed cambric washer and the priming composition at the bottom of the flare candle. The priming composition ignites the flare composition, being assisted by the six portions of igniter composition which ensure a substantially even ignition of the flare composition. The fusible closing disc at the nose of the flare melts and permits the candle to burn freely.

SIMILAR FLARES:

4 in. Training, Mk I - Has a silk parachute; a safety pin held by a split pin, instead of a securing wire; and the flash from the gunpowder is conveyed to the burster charge by a length of instantaneous fuze instead of by a primed cambric tube as in the Mk IV flare.

4 in. Training, Mk III - Silk parachute, but a stronger one than is used in the Mk I flare.

4 in. Training, Mk VII - Slightly different cotton parachute than the Mk IV flare.

4 in. Training, Mk VIII - Igniter fitted with a copper shear wire which passes through holes near the top of the igniter body and in the clutch. The shear wire is fitted to as-sist assembly during manufacture. Shear wire is broken by the jerk which bends the se-curing wire and pulls out the clutch. Similar parachute to the Mk VII.

4 in. A.S. Flare - Same changes as 4 in. Training, Mk VIII.

REMARKS:

These flares are used primarily for training purposes, and after being dropped from an aircraft, are supported by their parachutes even if they are not ignited. The flares can also be used to assist in making an emergency landing during night flying.

For external view, see page 116.