Military signaling smokes

The following Italian Military Pyrotechnic smoke compns used in colored smoke signal devices for air-to-air liaison were described by J. Goldenson C.E. Danner in Chem Engrg News 26, 1976-78 (1948) ... 

Smoke shells and rockets are used to produce smoke clouds for military signaling and, in daylight fireworks, for ornamental effects. The shell case or rocket head is filled with a fine powder of the desired color, which powdered material need not necessarily be one which will tolerate heat, and this is dispersed in the form of a colored cloud by the explosion of a small bag of gunpowder placed as near to its center as may be. Artificial vermilion (red), ultramarine (blue), Paris green, chrome yellow, chalk, and ivory black are among the materials which have been used, but almost any material which has a bright color when powdered and which does not cake together may be employed. 

Smoke, Military. See under Pyrotechnics in Vol 8, P507-L to P508-R (Colored and White Smoke, Screening Smoke, Signal Smokes)... 

Uses To produce yellow-colored smoke for military signaling from shells, rockets, or pots. In mixture with indigo for producing green-colored smoke. 

Indicates a screening and signaling smoke munition manufactured prior to 1960. Markings include the military agent symbol and the general descriptive word "SMOKE."... 

The Signal, Smoke and Illumination, Marine AN-Mk 13 Mod 0 (formerly Signal, Distress. Day and Night AN-Mk 13 ModO) leads to the well-known commercial railroad fusee which is also a military item under the designation of M72, Railroad Warning Fusee red 20 min. This is the most popular size (about 16 in. overall with spike and cap). Shorter and longer ones of 5—30 minutes B, T. exist. The 30-min flare as well as yellow and green flares of this type are commer al items. 

Smoke-Generating Devices. Smoke generators are used by the military for daytime obscuration and signaling. For field use where portable stable systems ate requited, pyrotechnic devices are often employed. The primary composition since the 1940s has been HC smoke, which generates a cloud of zinc chloride, ZnCl, smoke by a series of reactions between hexachloroethane, C2Clg(HC), zinc oxide, and aluminum (3) (eq. 4—6). The zinc regenerated in... 

Refs 1) R.P. Teele HJK. Hammond, Development of a Laboratory Test for Evaluation of the Effectiveness of Smoke Signals , NBS Rept 4742 (1956) 2) Anon, Military Chemis-... 

The pyrotechnic generation of smoke is almost exclusively a military device for screening and signaling. While first encountered on a significant scale in WWI, its importance was not realized until early in WW1I when the bulk of the presently known data were collected. In the last 30 years studies of smoke have continued at a reduced rate... 

TM 9-1370-200(1966) (Does not give burning rates of pyrotechnic compns, but lists on Table 1 of Appendix burning times of various pyrotechnic items, such as flares, illumination signals, tracers, smoke signals, simulators, fusee warning RR and starter fire ) 4) AnonJ Military Pyrotechnics Series. Part 1. Theory and Application ,... 

Pyrotechnic Devices. Items used for both military and nonmilitary purposes, such as producing bright lights for illumination, colored lights, or smoke for signalling purposes. These items are consumed in the process (Ref 40a, p 118 Ref 43, p A384-R)... 

Fireworks are a part of die field of civilian pyrotechnics (Greek pyr, fire techne, art) the rest of the field is railway fusees and torpedoes. Military pyrotechnics includes lights for signals and illumination, noise makers for training, heat sources, smokes, and some minor rocket effects. Many of the same formulas and devices are used in both fields with the military devices more sturdily built... 

Chemical smoke Generated by chemical means for military purposes (concealment, signaling, etc,). 

In addition to their value as entertainment, pyrotechnics have military applications as signaling, training, and combat devices. Burning naphthalene and anthracene produce black smoke that can be used to screen off an... 

In addition to phosphorus-based obscurant smokes for self-protection there are also colored smoke compositions for signaling purposes, often in a military context. It can be produced by smoke grenades, or by various other pyrotechnical devices. 

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