The thermochemical and combustion behaviour of pyrotechnic payloads based on magnesium, Teflon(R) and Viton(R), so-called MTV is discussed. Thermochemical and FTIR-spectroscopic analysis of magnesium/Teflon(R) combustion residues indicates the intermediate formation of a Grignard-type C-Mg-F compound in the condensed phase as part of a preignition reaction (PIR). The PIR is mainly responsible for the observed burning rate which rises exponentially with rising magnesium weight fractions from xi(Mg) similar to 0.2 to xi(Mg) similar to 0.70 and declines at xi(Mg) > similar to 0.70. A tentative mechanism for the combustion process is presented. For part III see Ref. 1.