Military Plane Drops a Smokescreen to Hide Ships in 1923 Footage

Did you know that the term "smokescreen" is not only a term used to describe a trick to hide someone's real intentions? It was actually the name of a tactic used to obscure the movement of military units.

In this 1923 video, you can watch a plane dropping a curtain of titanium tetrachloride to hide ships, which is a yellow, non-flammable, and corrosive liquid which hydrolyzed when it comes into contact with damp air. The resulting dense white smoke actually consists of droplets of hydrochloric acid and titanium oxychloride, which is pretty unpleasant to breathe in and requires goggles and a respirator to be worn when in close proximity with the smoke.

These vertical curtains were especially favored in World War II. In the eerie video, it can be seen that the curtain looked almost completely solid like an iceberg and would probably prevent both sides from seeing whatever is going on in the battlefield. Practicality aside, it truly is a sight to see, so you might want to tune in.