USE

This section includes data of flame floats, marine markers, smoke floats, seamarkers, and smoke ge-nerators dropped from aircraft.

Flame Floats and Marine Markers:

These are devices designed to give off a flame to illuminate surrounding areas of water. Generally calcium phosphide is used as the filler for flame floats. When moistened, this gives off a spontane-ously inflammable gas, phosphine.

Smoke Floats:

Smoke floats generate smoke by the combustion of a smoke composition filler. The smoke so produ-ced may be used for indicating a position, for ob-sourement, of for signalling. Although all smoke floats are designed primarily for use at sea, they differ from each other in construction and design according to the purpose for which the smoke is intended. There are three essential types of smoke floats in use, one for each of the following purpo-ses: to mark a position at sea for navigational or bombing purposes; to create a smoke screen; and to be thrown by hand from a plain or dinghy to attract attention following a forced landing.

These devices are designed to be dropped on the sea to produce a surface patch readily visible from the air in daylight for purposes of navigation or identification. Generally, aluminum powder is used as the filling, with stearic acid incorporated to form a slick.

Smoke generatores are designed to emit smoke, sometimes colored, upon ignition of their filling. Only one type of generator is discussed, since it is the only one intended to be dropped from aircraft in flight.