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Navigation: Ordnance > Projectiles > United States

US Projectile, 155mm Smoke, BE, M116, M116A1, M116B1

Description

The projectile is fired from 155mm howitzers and is used for screening, spotting, or signaling.

This base ejection type projectile is a hollow steel shell containing four canisters of chemical smoke compound. The canister filler may be either hexachloroethane-zinc (HC) or a smoke mixture in colors of green, red or yellow, The canisters are stacked within the projectile and each has a perforated central tube so that in the stack a flash tube is continuous through the contents. The front canister is cone-shaped to conform to the curvature of the projectile case. An expelling charge of black powder is contained in the nose of the projectile under the fuze cavity The fuze cavity is fitted with a lifting ring plug for shipment and handling. A baffle plate with a central hole near the flash tube separates the expelling charge from the first smoke canister. A rotating band with a protective grommet for shipment and handling encircles the projectile near the base. The base is closed with a metal closure disk and threaded plug.

The expelling charge in Model M116B1 (0.34 lb of black powder) is contained in a polyethylene cup instead of m a cloth bag as in M116 (0.29 lb of black powder), Also, the copper closure disk used in Model M116 has been replaced with a steel disk in the newer model.

Newer models are light green with black markings with three C's indicating color. Older projectiles were gray with yellow markings.

Functioning

When the weapon is fired, the burning propelling charge generates rapidly expanding gases to propel the projectile through the barrel with the velocity required to reach the target. The rotating band engages the barrel rifling to impart spin to the projectile, The rotating band also forms a seal to prevent leakage of gas pressure past the projectile. Functioning of the fuze ignites the expelling charge. The expelling charge flashes through the central tube to ignite the smoke canisters, blow off the base, and expel the canisters. An effective smoke cloud is produced within 30 seconds, and maximum smoke emission occurs in about one minute.