By: exmpa - 2nd February 2013 at 20:19
How would the flares been deployed and how old would they be?Are the still in use or are of WW2 vintage?
Given the location, they were probably dropped from a Nimrod. They were last carried on 3rd June 1984 when Gordon Smith had one ignite in the bomb bay of XV257 shortly after takeoff from St Mawgan. An immediate embargo on carriage followed and soon afterwards they were withdrawn from service.
The 4.5″ flare had by then little operational application, Lightstrike and Velocipede procedures having been withdrawn from the tactics manual. They were only retained for SAR purposes and were very rarely used.
I cannot be sure, but I may have made the last operational drop of the 4.5″ flare on the night of 3rd Jan 1979. We dropped flares for Sea Kings from Culdrose searching for survivors from the Greek vessel Cantonad that had capsized off the channel islands. I do not recall hearing of their use subsequently.
exmpa
By: superplum - 30th January 2013 at 23:05
Definitely NOT RP3 rockets. They are 4.5″ photoflash flare casings. 100%
We have one on display.
TT
Deployed down flare chute – used until late 50’s, very sensitive, unfortunately some exploded in the aircraft chute with enough force to bring down the aircraft,
More accurately known as Flare Ground Illuminating (or “Reconnaissance”) 4.5″. I recall that they were still being taught in the 60’s and were part of a Shack bomb bay load. Usually fuzed with an M111A2* fuze.
By: roy9 - 30th January 2013 at 15:16
Thanks for the info folks.
By: TEXANTOMCAT - 30th January 2013 at 15:08
Definitely NOT RP3 rockets. They are 4.5″ photoflash flare casings. 100%
We have one on display.
TT
Deployed down flare chute – used until late 50’s, very sensitive, unfortunately some exploded in the aircraft chute with enough force to bring down the aircraft,
By: roy9 - 29th January 2013 at 22:13
How would the flares been deployed and how old would they be?Are the still in use or are of WW2 vintage?
By: roy9 - 29th January 2013 at 21:58
The one on the wood looks to have the same flat front to it as the diagram
By: P Bellamy - 29th January 2013 at 16:54
It could possibly be the remains of a 4.5″ Target Indicator Flare.
By: Peter - 29th January 2013 at 16:33
Ok could be some sort of training or dummy round?
By: roy9 - 29th January 2013 at 14:34
Only other picture i took.
By: roy9 - 29th January 2013 at 14:29
Only took a couple of snaps on my phone……..roughly a 6 mile round hike along the beach to get to them again.Have a look at “Are these aircraft parts I have found?” posted by “brataccas”
By: AlanR - 29th January 2013 at 14:14
Dummy bombs ?
By: Easyrider5258 - 29th January 2013 at 14:10
They are heavily corroded, and made, I would suggest, from steel judging from the look of the corrosion, unusual but not impossible rocket material, found around the world (Kassam Rockets in Israel) but in UK waters, ? maybe some sort of fishing / marine application.
Don’t know what they are, but don’t think they are designed to fly through the air!
.
By: Peter - 29th January 2013 at 13:54
Look like rocket parts.. can you take a picture end on?
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January 29, 2013 at 8:42 am