Shells, incendiary

Phosphor-athcr, m. phosphoric ether (ester of phosphoric acid, specif, ethyl phosphate), -basis, phosphorus base, -bestimmung, /. determination of phosphorus, -blei, n. lead phosphide Min.) pyromorphite. -bombe, f. phosphorus bomb. -brandgranate, /. phosphorus incendiary shell, -brei, m. phosphorus paste, -bromid, n. phosphorus bromide, specif, phosphorus pentabromide, phos-phorus(V) bromide, -bromijr, n. phosphorus tribromide, phosphorus(III) bromide, -bronze, /. phosphor bronze, -calcium, n. calcium phosphide, -chlorid, n. phosphorus chloride, specif, phosphorus pcntachloride, phosphorus(V) chloride, -chloriir, n. phosphorous chloride (phosphorus trichloride, phosphorus(III) chloride), -dampf, tn. phosphorus vapor or fume, -eisen, n. ferrophos-phorus iron phosphide, -eisensinter, m. diadochite. 

Marshall (Ref 1, Vol 3) states that the British used a mild but hot expl, Ophorite (qv), during WWI as an opening charge for incendiary shells and smoke bombs... 

Phosphorus is used in pyrotechnics, smoke bombs, incendiary shells, and safety matches. It also is used in organic syntheses, manufacture of phosphoric acid, phosphorus trichloride, phosphine, and other compounds. 

After that war, the Germans decided to improve the compositions and weapons used in incendiary warfare and especially to construct an incendiary projectile suitable for shooting from rifled, high-muzzle-velocity guns, invented in the 1860 s. After many trials, they succeeded in developing several types of incendiary shells, some of which were used later in WWI. Other countries followed the German example and also developed incendiary shells... 

The first satisfactory incendiary shells suitable for firing from modern high-muzzle-velocity, breach-loading, rifled cannon were developed by the Germans before WWl... 

It should be noted, however, that in modern warfare, the incendiary-loaded artillery shell has become of secondary importance. This is because good targets for incendiaries are nowadays seldom found within range of artillery. If such targets are found, they usually can be destroyed more readily by incendiary aircraft bombs than by artillery. Thus, the effective use of the incendiary shell is narrowed to certain specialized targets and to situations in which the air force cannot be easily utilized... 

For these reasons, many types of incendiary shells that were standard during WWl have since been discarded. Nevertheless, it is interesting, from a historical point of view, to give a short description of shells used during WWl because at... 

The consensus regarding incendiary shells was that the small caliber tracer-incendiary shell was quite effective against aircraft, but that the larger type, designed for use against ground targets, was not as successful... 

A more complicated tracer-incendiary shell was used by the British and Germans. In this shell (usually 75mm), the flash from the time fuse was transmitted through a tube (located in the center of the cylinder and extending from the top, near the fuse, almost to the bottom of the shell) to the primer. The primer ignited the incendiary composition, containing Mg, Ba(N03 )2, and binder with or without Sr(N03)2, and blew out the base of the shell. This resulted in emission of flame from the base of the shell, lasting about 15 seconds... 

The largest incendiary shell used during WWI was the German 17.5cm Minenwerferdescribed in detail in Ref 4, p 716... 

Other German Incendiary Shells. German munitions also included incendiary core fragmentation shells. These incorporated a central flash tube which ignited the incendiary filling of each fragment prior to detonation. The shell... 

Italian Incendiary Shell. Italian antiaircraft incendiary pellet projectiles, in WWlI, consisted of a 76 or 90-caliber shell loaded with a number of incendiary-filled cylindrical pellets. The pellets were ignited by a flash from a central flash tube. A delay mixture activated a secondary explosive in the base which broke the shell into flak. Composition of the incendiary filling is not given in Ref 16... 

Japanese 20mm Incendiary Shell— carried a small incendiary charge of Ba(N03)2 50, Mg 40 and A1 10%... 

Japanese Incendiary Shells of Larger Calibers were loaded with yellow phosphorous and produced large spectacular aerial bursts, but their value was probably more psychological than destructive to aircraft (Ref 9, p 55)... 

J. H. Hammond Jr, 17, 472 (1923). Incendiary shell containing a thermite charge ignited by a mixture of Ba02 and Al, fired by a concussion fuse... 

Expin Temp 300° Impact Sensitivity with 5kg wt 17cm maximum with no explns Friction Sensitivity with 60kg pressure — no explns and Power by Ballistic Mortar 64% of PA. It was used in Submarine Gun Incendiary Shells (Ref 5, p 362)... 

X-7. A pressed mixture of PETN wax. It was used as Main Charge in some Incendiary Shells and as a Booster in 13-mm 15-mm Shells (Ref5,p 379)... 

In Japan a cast mixture composed of 60% of trinitroanisole and 40% of aluminium was used for filling high explosive incendiary shells. On solidification this mixture has a density of 1.90. 

F.G. Haverlak, Examination of Unfired Explosive-Incendiary Shell Complete Rounds of German 20MM Solothum Ammunition (FMAM-518) , PATR 1478 (1944)... 

Other pyrot mixts have been used as igniters for Thermite. Where a scattering effect was desired a rapid igniter was used, such as the Brit Ophorite, consisting of 9p Mg powder and 13p K perchlorate. This was used extensively by US and Brit forces during WWI in incendiary shells and also in certain types of gas shells... 

Uses In tracer powder (P4) and in incendiary shells, also as casing of incendiary bombs.8 For pyrotechnic purposes for the production of dazzling white light and for use in colored fires, for signaling, and for illuminating landing fields, P2,3. 

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