Description
Container is blue overall. Flare body is a natural steel color.
Each flare is packed in a blue tinned steel container which is opened by a tear off strip. Housed within the container is a split cardboard cylinder closed at one end with a cap and hinged at the other end. The cylinder contains a parachute and flare unit. The flare unit consists of a pull igniter, delay train, ignition charge and illuminating composition in a sheet steel tube. The pull igniter wire is attached to the parachute shrouds.
The flare proper houses a pull-type igniter which is activated by the initial jerk at the opening of the parachute. The striker is spring loaded. Two arms pivoted on the striker release grip the eye on the end of the striker. The flare body is formed from varnished sheet steel rolled and soldered into the form of a cylinder. The case of the flare (furthest from the parachute) is serrated and the teeth crimped over the perforated disk. Two fiber washers and a steel cap held on by tape protect the network of powder strips. The end of the central tube passes through a hole in the center of the perforated disk and is crimped over it. An aluminum casting fits into the central tube and guides some of the powder strips in the disk through grooves in its face over the strips within the ignition tube. At the top of the flare is a wooden spacer drilled centrally to accommodate the central tube. A steel closing disk rests on the spacer and is soldered to the end of the central tube. The case is crimped over this disk. A conical cap with a hole in the apex to accommodate the pull wire is fastened to the case and spacer with three wood screws. The main filling extends from the wooden spacer down to the ignition charge and is pressed into the flare case. Several coils of copper wire around the central tube prevent the filling from falling out of the base when the flare is burning in the air. The ignition charge is packed unevenly below the main filling.
Hazardous Components
A black powder ignition charge and a main filling of an illuminating composition (4 lbs, 1.8 kg) of barium chlorate 75.2 percent, gum 24.8 percent.
See Also
General Information, Japanese Navy Bombs
Source(s)
