Description
The flare head consists of a cylindrical tinned plate container, with two cannelures near the base. Inserted in the container is a metal canister, which houses the illuminating candle and attached parachute assembly. A ballistic cap is fitted to the forward end of the container, to which it is secured with adhesive tape. A base socket is secured to the other end of the container by indenting the cannelures. The base socket screws into the shell ring of the rocket motor and contains the thermal ejector. This latter consists of a steel base plate, in the center of which is a metal septum of accurately machined thickness. The lower end of a length of safety fuse (primary delay), cut to burn approximately 22 seconds, makes contact with 2 1/2 grains of lead dinitro resorcinate (LDNR), which is stemmed into the septum recess. The upper end of the safety fuse extends into a magazine containing about 40 grains of G.12 gunpowder (primary ejection charge). Protruding from the base end of the canister is a short length of safety fuse (secondary delay) cut to burn for 3 seconds. The lower end of this secondary delay is in close proximity to the primary ejection charge, and its upper end projects into a magazine containing about 40 grains of G.12 gunpowder (secondary ejection charge).
The different flare heads vary only in the contents ejector employed, as follows: Flare Head No. 1 Mk I uses Ejector, Contents, No. 4 Mk I (with 22-sec. delay); Flare Head No. 1 Mk II uses Ejector, .Contents, No. 4 Mk II (with 18-sec. delay); Flare Head No. 2 Mk I uses Ejector, Contents, No. 5 Mk I (with 9-sec. delay); and Flare Head No. 3 Mk I uses Ejector, Contents, No. 8 Mk I.
Functioning
No information about functioning.
See Also
Source(s)
OP 1665, British Explosive Ordnance (1946)
