Description
These flares are used to provide illumination for night bombardment; also may be used to blind antiaircraft defenses.
The flare is enclosed in a metal cylindrical case with a rounded nose and tail fins. In the nose is a mechanical time fuze. The tail end is closed with a shipping cover that has a handle attached and sealed by a strip of tape. The case is equipped with two suspension lugs 14 inches apart.
Functioning
When the flare is dropped, the arming wire is pulled, allowing the vanes of the nose fuze to rotate. The hang wire is retained and pulls off the cover of the stabilizing sleeve compartment. As the flare continues to drop, the tear wire and tear wire cord pull out the stabilizing sleeve, and the cover lock cord attached to the shrouds of the stabilizing sleeve unlocks and pulls out the cover lock. When the sleeve is fully extended, the tear wire breaks, allowing the flare to fall free, stabilized in flight by its fins and stabilizing sleeve.
When the nose fuze functions, the gases of the black powder booster force the releasing cup cover out of the detachable cover, releasing the retaining pins from the groove in the flare case and freeing the detachable cover. As the detachable cover is pulled out by the stabilizing sleeve, a pull out cord pulls out the parachute. When the parachute opens, the flare stops with a jerk, breaking the pull-out cord (which allows the stabilizing sleeve assembly to fall free) and pulling the entire flare assembly out of the flare case (which then falls away). The sudden stop also pulls the friction wires through the igniters, starting the six-second delay through the center of the candle, which allows full opening of the parachute.
The shock caused by the opening of the parachute is taken by the shock absorbers, made of copper tubing in a spiral or coiled shape. They straighten out in absorbing the shock. After the parachute is opened, the delay ignites the first fire, which ignites the candle. When the first fire is ignited, the gases formed by burning force the rib retainer down, and the spring-loaded ribs jump out, opening the glass cloth shade.
See Also
Bomb, Leaflet, No. 2 Mk 1, No. 2 Mk 2 Nickle
Source(s)
OP 1664, Volume 1 - US Explosive Ordnance (1947)
USNBD - Bombs and Fuzes, Pyrotechnics (1945)
TM 9-1904, Ammunition Inspection Guide (1944)
