Palmitic acid World War II to produce napalm. The word "napalm" is derived from the words naphthenic acid and palmitic acid. Palmitic acid was discovered by Edmond Frémy in 1840, in saponified palm oil. This remains the primary industrial route for its production, with the triglycerides (fats) in palm oil being hydrolysed by high temperature water (above ), and the resulting mixture fractionally distilled to give the pure product. Palmitic acid is naturally produced by a wide range of other plants and organisms, typically at low levels. It is naturally present in butter, cheese, milk, and meat, as well as cocoa butter,
Incendiary ammunition VI incendiary were used until production increased to sufficient levels. By 1942 the standard loading for fixed .303s was half loaded with AP and half with incendiary bullets. One fighter pilot who was shot down by incendiary ammunition while flying in the Battle of Britain describes his experience: The British Mk VI bullet was copied by the United States in simplified form, for both their .30 and .50 aircraft bullets. The British then adopted the simplified design as the Mk VII bullet. Incendiary projectiles, in particular those intended for armor penetration, are more effective if they explode after penetrating a