2 replies to this topic

[aquataur]

Hi,

does any of you folks have additional information on a device called "aerolite". This is probably a mature effect, but sounds promising.

Weingart (and similarly the Westech Manual) describe this as follows:

AEROLITES: "These are made by placing a comet star at the bottom of a short gun with a blowing charge but no match. Over the star is placed 2 inches of candle composition and over this 1 inch of bengal fire." [WEINGART, p. 129, reprint 2001 by Survival Press]

It is not clear to me what this device is supposed to look like resp. behave like. How is it supposed to be ignited?
Any help is welcome.

Thanks,

-aquataur

[pyromaniac303]

It is not clear to me what this device is supposed to look like resp. behave like. How is it supposed to be ignited?

By the sound of it, you ignite the bengal comp near the muzzle of the gun, it burns like a red flare and then when it reaches the candle comp, behaves like a multishot candle (passes fire down the side of the star, to the lift, then fires the comet).

A similar device can be made by substituting fountain comp for the delay comp in a multishot candle.

[aquataur]

Ah, I think I am starting to see the light .

The bengal fire inside a mortar tube will produce a bright light, which together with the smoke it emits will project a column of light towards the sky like a strong flashlight in fog. After a while a big glittering coment will ascend into this column. Pretty dramatic.

The Westech manual speaks of "coloured fire" rather than bengal. They suggest using their proprietary colour compositions (preferrably blue), which they predominantly use for lancework if my memory serves me right. This will not make much of a difference for timing.

One must clearly appreciate though that the suggested construction of this device comes from times long bygone.
Such a device will look most spectacular if fired in volleys, for which the ascending of the comets would need to happen in synchronism or it will not look good. One would be better off using two separate mortars, one for the bengal and one for the comet. All the comets are fired electrically simultaneously.

Taking into account that you can bridge quite a few seconds with this effect and build up a lot of tension this extra effort may be justified.

Thanks for your inspiration.

-aquataur