pzgr40
Well-Known Member
Cutaway model of an Italian flare cartridge, made by LBC (Leon Beaux & Company, Milan) in september 1955 (9.55).
The cartridge case is aluminium made, 25 mm in calibre and 81 mm long. In the base of the shellcase a cartboard plug is placed which acts as the powder chamber and a stiffener for the base of the shellcase. The powder used is rifle powder. A cartboard disc with a small hole in the middel closes the powder room.
The projectile consist of a cartboard container, placed in an aluminium base flange. In this base flange a brass tube is placed housing a black powder pyrotechnic delay. Around this brass tube a pressed cartboard plug is placed housing the ejection charge for the flare. The flare is placd in a thin green cartboard container. At the base of the flare composition a 2 mm thick layer of black powder is placed, meant to ignite the flare. On top of the flare a cartboard disc with a brass lug is glued in place, connected to a 0,5 mtr long string. This string is tied to the center of a second cartboard disc above it which also has the suspension lines of the parachute connected to the disc. The suspension lines are folded and placed in a red cartboard tube, the parachute is packed in white paper and wrapped around the red cartboard tube. The projectile is closed with a bakelite cap.
Upon firing the pyrotechnic delay of the projectile is ignited through the small hole in the disc above the powder charge. When the pyrotechnic delay expires, the expulsion charge ejects the flare and the parachute, pushing the bakelite cap off. The parachute opens and the flare drifts slowly down, illuminating the battlefield.
Complete cartridge length : 182 mm
Projectile length : 152 mm
Projectile diameter : 25 mm
Regards, DJH
The cartridge case is aluminium made, 25 mm in calibre and 81 mm long. In the base of the shellcase a cartboard plug is placed which acts as the powder chamber and a stiffener for the base of the shellcase. The powder used is rifle powder. A cartboard disc with a small hole in the middel closes the powder room.
The projectile consist of a cartboard container, placed in an aluminium base flange. In this base flange a brass tube is placed housing a black powder pyrotechnic delay. Around this brass tube a pressed cartboard plug is placed housing the ejection charge for the flare. The flare is placd in a thin green cartboard container. At the base of the flare composition a 2 mm thick layer of black powder is placed, meant to ignite the flare. On top of the flare a cartboard disc with a brass lug is glued in place, connected to a 0,5 mtr long string. This string is tied to the center of a second cartboard disc above it which also has the suspension lines of the parachute connected to the disc. The suspension lines are folded and placed in a red cartboard tube, the parachute is packed in white paper and wrapped around the red cartboard tube. The projectile is closed with a bakelite cap.
Upon firing the pyrotechnic delay of the projectile is ignited through the small hole in the disc above the powder charge. When the pyrotechnic delay expires, the expulsion charge ejects the flare and the parachute, pushing the bakelite cap off. The parachute opens and the flare drifts slowly down, illuminating the battlefield.
Complete cartridge length : 182 mm
Projectile length : 152 mm
Projectile diameter : 25 mm
Regards, DJH
