Dark Tracer

[LANCS]

Hi

What would the abreviation KDNP mean when refering to Dark Tracer production.

Also would any one know what the abbreviation CIA mean, not sure what part of SAA production this relates to as it was a building name at Kynoch K2.

Many thanks

Mark

 

[TonyE]

CIA is the Chief Inspector of Armaments so the building marked CIA would be where the government inspectors worked and accepted batches of ammunition for service.

I don't know the meaning of KDNP but given that it is in the context of dark ignition tracer I suspect it is the "dark" part of the tracer priming mixture and th "K" probably stands for Kynoch.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Snufkin]

KDNP could well stand for the potassium (K) salt of dinitrophenol (DNP).



Tom.

 

[LANCS]

CIA is the Chief Inspector of Armaments so the building marked CIA would be where the government inspectors worked and accepted batches of ammunition for service.

I don't know the meaning of KDNP but given that it is in the context of dark ignition tracer I suspect it is the "dark" part of the tracer priming mixture and th "K" probably stands for Kynoch.

Regards
TonyE

Checking a bit further and it was a laboratory that was later extended and equiped with a vacuum pump when Dark Tracer production started along with new buildings in the Flame Tracer Dept.

They were tested at Holcombe Ranges not at the onsite range.

 

[TonyE]

KDNP could well stand for the potassium (K) salt of dinitrophenol (DNP).
Tom.

I think you are correct. Spotter has found a 2011 Patent for lead free priming compositions in which the lead styphnate of a modern non-corrosive primer is replaced with the potassium salt KDNP and mixed with various other compounds. Given that we did not start experimenting with lead styphnate primers in the UK until the very end of the war it is probable that Kynoch were looking at utilising it as a component of the primer for dark Ignition tracer mixes.

Regards
TonyE

 

[Snufkin]

...Given that we did not start experimenting with lead styphenate primers in the UK until the very end of the war...
Regards
TonyE

Tony,

ASA mixture, or Azide/Styphnate/Aluminium [specifically Lead Azide(67.9%)/Lead Styphnate(29.1%)/Al powder(3%)], was used in No.6 detonators for the No.36 grenade as early as 1940. Do you know why it took so long to start using lead styphnate in primers?



Tom.

 

[TonyE]

Sorry Tom, i don't know.

They may well have started experimenting with lead styphnate priming compositions a little earlier, but all normal service British small arms ammo during WW2 was loaded with the old corrosive chlorate primers.

Two batches of experimental lead styphnate primed ammo was made in 1945, one of Ball Mark 7 by Radway Green headstamped "RG 45 7 L.S." and another of Ball Mark 8z by Kynoch headstamped "K45 8Z L.S."

The first British service ammo to be loaded with non-corrosive primers was 7.62x51 from 1953 onwards.

Regards
TonyE