Bullets

[baldeagle]

When and how did tracer bullets come into use?

[MikeW]

Tracer was first used before WW1 but suffered from the fact that as the phosphor burnt away the bullet became lighter and the trajectory departed from that of the normal rounds that it was mixed with.

The "Woolwich Flaming Bullet" was introduced in 1914 but proved to be useless!

The Ministry of Munitions developed a bullet known as the "Sparklet" (it was made in a soda syphon factory and Sparklet was a brand name of the inserts used in the syphons) which was approved for use by the RFC in July 1916. It used a mix of 1 part magnesium to 8 parts of barium peroxide. The correct name for this tracer bullet was the SPK Mk VIIT.

This was superceded in July 1917 by the SPG VIIT and was used for many years after the war by the RAF, French, Russian, Italian and American air forces.

The above of course was the Allied effort. The Central Powers developed their own variants and the "LS" was in use by late 1916. LS stood for Leuchtspur - luminous tracing ammunition. An armour piercing tracer was introduced in early 1917, known as the PL - Panzer Leuchtspur. British tests showed this round to be almost as effective as a standard armour piercing round.

The Austo Hungarians did their own thing and introduced the FZ in 1916. FZ - Flugbahn Zeichnend. Very visible but of variable accuracy. this was replaced in 1918 by the P (Phosphor) bullet. They also had an armour piercing tracer, the SP (Spitz phosphor) just before the end of the war.

source Harry Woodman - Early Aircraft Armament


Mike

[baldeagle]

Thanks Mike. So were tracer bullets in common use in frontline fighter units? Or were they more of a special circumstance?

[Barrett]

Tracers were widely used on both sides of the lines, but frequently policy was determined by the squadron or higher-ups. In some units, pilots/crews could load their own belts/drums according to preference. Attitudes varied: some airmen felt that tracers warned the intended victim while others liked the idea of visual aiming aids when sights were rudimentary. As has been noted, as the tracing element (usually phosphorous) burned out, bullet weight changed and trajectory was affected. However, since most GW combats were conducted nearly at pistol range, trajectory shift woulda been minimal.