Raf Fighter Aircraft - Parachute Flares

[mhaselden]

Time for another esoteric question. I have seen a reference to a "parachute flare chute" installed in a US-built aircraft for the RAF. I know that RAF fighters were fitted with signal flares to show the "colour of the day" but I would have called that a signal flare not a parachute flare. Also, the installation looks rather large to be just for signalling purposes. I'd greatly appreciate answers to the following 3 questions:

1. Were parachute flare capabilities standard on RAF single-engined fighters?

2. If (1) is "yes", then what they were used for?

3. What does a "parachute flare chute" look like in terms of size, shape and location within the airframe?

Any leads would be most appreciated.

Kind regards,

Mark

Edited February 10, 2010 by mhaselden

[Super Aereo]

Both Hurricane and Spitfire had flare chutes behind the cockpit. The only occasion I remember reading of their use (of their proper use at least, since a Malta-based Hurricane apparently used the chute to deliver money and equipment to an agent in Sicily), was of a pilot who dropped the flare to illuminate a field at night prior to an emergency landing.

[Work In Progress]

I thought the main purpose was supposed to be the firing of 'colours of the day' to enable recognition of friendly forces by surface-based defence forces.

[pigsty]

Both Hurricane and Spitfire had flare chutes behind the cockpit. The only occasion I remember reading of their use (of their proper use at least, since a Malta-based Hurricane apparently used the chute to deliver money and equipment to an agent in Sicily), was of a pilot who dropped the flare to illuminate a field at night prior to an emergency landing.

Aha. Then we have two possibilities.

1 One "chute" is redundant - it's a chute for dropping flares through, rather than anything to do with flares that hang from parachutes; or

2 They were genuinely parachute flares - only those would stay up long enough to make them useable for illuminating a landing field.

I tend to 2 myself - not much use firing off the day's signal if it's on the deck twenty seconds later - but no doubt someone will put us out of our misery.

[Work In Progress]

Aha. Then we have two possibilities.

1 One "chute" is redundant - it's a chute for dropping flares through, rather than anything to do with flares that hang from parachutes; or

2 They were genuinely parachute flares - only those would stay up long enough to make them useable for illuminating a landing field.

I tend to 2 myself - not much use firing off the day's signal if it's on the deck twenty seconds later - but no doubt someone will put us out of our misery.

Actually, plenty of purpose. The scenario is: you approach a 'friendly' convoy or heavily-defended port, they all train their AA guns on you; you fire off the appropriate colour and they refrain from shooting you down. 20 seconds is plenty for that purpose.

[Super Aereo]

I think this post on another forum may clarify some of the questions: http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=73978

[Work In Progress]

I think this post on another forum may clarify some of the questions: http://forum.keypublishing.co.uk/showthread.php?t=73978

I learned a lot from that! Well found.

[mhaselden]

Guys,

Thanks for the inputs. The attached link is the image from LIFE which prompted my question. The flare chute is visible through the open hatch in the rear of the fuselage.

Buffalo Flare Chute

What's not clear to me is how the flares would exit the fuselage.

Having seen the size of this item, it's no surprise RAAF personnel removed it as a weight-saving measure as they sought to improve the Buffalo's performance in late Dec 41.

[Super Aereo]

A small spring loaded trap door, I presume.

[mhaselden]

A small spring loaded trap door, I presume.

That's my presumption also. There's certainly no large visible aperture in the lower rear fuselage (and it would increase drag and risk of dirt entering the rear fuselage. It seems other RAF fighters had a spring-loaded door so a similar installation on the Buffalo makes sense.

[Quin2]

Colors of the day were usually fired from a hand-held pistol like projector with a bore of aprox 40mm, usually thru a special fitting in the side of the cockpit. Many aircraft of the late 20s, 30s & 40s also carried a set of flares (usually 3) which were used to illuminate unlighted airfields for night landings. Depending on the a/c, the illumination flares were fired downward or horizontally and depending on the altitude they were fire at, could give up to 5 minutes of light.

[mhaselden]

Colors of the day were usually fired from a hand-held pistol like projector with a bore of aprox 40mm, usually thru a special fitting in the side of the cockpit. Many aircraft of the late 20s, 30s & 40s also carried a set of flares (usually 3) which were used to illuminate unlighted airfields for night landings. Depending on the a/c, the illumination flares were fired downward or horizontally and depending on the altitude they were fire at, could give up to 5 minutes of light.

Thanks, Quin. So do you think the installation in the Buffalo is more likely to be the illumination flare installation?

[Test Graham]

There is a reference in Bloody Shambles vol 2 to these tubes: being used by Hurricanes in Burma to drop 1lb explosive charges when strafing enemy airfields.

[Edgar]

[mhaselden]

Thanks Edgar - that's really cleared the whole thing up. I appreciate all the answers to this esoteric question - this is why I love Britmodeller!!!

Cheers,

Mark

[Edgar]

That was in the Spitfire; the tubes were later used for dinghies, etc., in the ASR Mk.II. The "colours of the day" were loaded into a revolving cylinder (rather like that in a Colt 45,) and fired, also by Bowden cable, through a hole in the aft fuselage. Everyone knows about the "orifice" on the spine, but, originally, the device was fitted to fire down, and was located just in front of the tailwheel (I bet that was popular with farmers, if it was fired over standing crops.) It only lasted from June, 1940 to April, 1941, before it was moved.

Edgar