Flamethrower

A flamethrower shoots a jet of fire.

It uses fuel to make a stream. This stream can hit a wall. Then the fire can bounce around.

Some people carry it on their back. Others put it on a tank. It can also be on a boat.

People use it to burn things. It helps clear land or farm crops. It must be used very carefully.

Fire can be very strong. It is a powerful tool.

A flamethrower is a tool that shoots a stream of fire.

It is used to burn things from a distance. Most military flamethrowers use liquid fuel. This is often oil or diesel.

Many soldiers carry these tools on their backs. This is called a man-portable system. The backpack has tanks for fuel and gas. A special gas called a propellant pushes the fuel out. The fuel travels through a pipe to a gun. When the soldier pulls the trigger, the liquid flows. It passes over an igniter to catch fire. An igniter is a part that starts a fire. It might use a hot wire or a small flame.

People also put flamethrowers on tanks or boats. This can help the tool reach further. In peacetime, people use them for land management. They might use them to burn crops or clear land. Commercial versions often use propane gas. These are safer because the gas burns away quickly.

A flamethrower is a tool that shoots a jet of fire.

It is a ranged device used to burn things from a distance. Most military versions use liquid fuel like heated oil or diesel. This helps the fire stay in a steady stream. In peacetime, people use different versions for land management. They might use them for sugarcane harvesting or controlled burning. Commercial tools often use propane gas instead of liquid.

Gas is safer because the flames disappear very quickly.

Many military flamethrowers are man-portable, which means a person carries them. The system has two main parts: a backpack and a gun. The backpack holds tanks for the fuel and a propellant gas. Nitrogen is often used as the propellant gas to push the fuel. The gas moves the liquid through a pipe and into the gun. When the operator pulls the trigger, a valve opens. The liquid passes over an igniter to create the flame.

People have used fire weapons for a very long time.

In ancient Greece, the Boeotians used a device during the Peloponnesian War. A Rhodian admiral named Pausistratus used a fire-bearer on his ships. This was a basket of burning material on a pole. The Byzantine Empire later used a famous substance called Greek fire. A man named Kallinikos of Heliopolis likely invented it around 673 AD. In China, a piston flamethrower was invented around 919 AD. These early tools helped shape how people fought in history.

There are many specific details about how these tools work and look.

A three-cylinder backpack helps a soldier keep their balance while walking. The gun might use an electrically heated wire to start the fire. During World War II, the British and Canadians used "Wasps." These were Universal Carriers fitted with flamethrowers. Some tanks used models like the "Badger" or the "Oke." These vehicles could reach much further than a person could. Soldiers had to be very careful because the fuel runs out fast.

Using a flamethrower can be a very hard job for an operator.

The weapon is heavy and makes it hard to move quickly. It is also very easy for enemies to see on a battlefield. This makes the operator a target for snipers. If a tank is hit, the pressure tanks might explode. This is a big risk for the people using them. However, these tools are very different from what you see in movies. Movies often use propane, which is much safer for the actors.

A flamethrower is a ranged incendiary device. It is designed to project a controllable jet of fire. These tools serve different purposes depending on their use. Most military flamethrowers use liquid fuels like heated oil or diesel. In contrast, commercial flamethrowers often use gaseous fuels like propane. Gases are safer for peacetime because they have a lower mass flow rate. This means the flames dissipate much faster and are easier to extinguish.

Beyond combat, flamethrowers help with land management. They are used for controlled burning and sugarcane harvesting.

Modern man-portable flamethrowers consist of two main elements. These are a backpack and a gun. The backpack typically contains two or three cylinders. In a two-cylinder system, one cylinder holds flammable liquid. The other holds a compressed, inert propellant gas, such as nitrogen. A three-cylinder system often places the propellant gas in a central cylinder. This design helps the soldier maintain their balance while walking.

The gas pushes the liquid fuel through a flexible pipe into the gun. The gun contains a small reservoir and a spring-loaded valve. When the operator pulls the trigger, the valve opens. The pressurized liquid flows over an igniter to create the flame.

There are different types of ignition systems used to start the fire. One simple method uses an electrically heated wire coil. Another method uses a small pilot flame fueled by pressurized gas. In some liquid-operated models, a pre-ignition line exists. This line carries gas to an ignition chamber behind the gun assembly. The gas mixes with air and is ignited through piezo ignition. This creates the flame seen in front of the gun in many documentaries.

This pre-ignition flame then ignites the liquid fuel as it passes through.

History shows that projecting fire has been used since ancient times. During the Peloponnesian War, Boeotians used devices to attack Athenian walls. An admiral named Pausistratus used a "fire-bearer" on his ships. This was a funnel-shaped container of combustible material on a pole. The pole was suspended by an iron chain from the ship's prow. This allowed the fire to be discharged safely away from his own vessel.

Later, the Byzantine Empire used "Greek fire." This substance was likely invented by Kallinikos of Heliopolis around 673 AD. Byzantine sailors used hand-held siphons called cheirosiphona to shoot bursts of this fire.

China also developed advanced fire technology during the Song dynasty. Around 919 AD, a piston flamethrower called the Pen Huo Qi was invented. It used a substance similar to naphtha or petrol. The Chinese used double-piston bellows to pump this "fierce fire oil" from a cylinder. They ignited the stream using a slow-burning gunpowder match. This was one of the first recorded uses of gunpowder in warfare. By 1044 AD, Chinese manuscripts even showed mobile flamethrowers on four-wheel push carts.

During World War II, flamethrower use increased significantly. They were used as tactical weapons against fortifications like bunkers and pillboxes. Soldiers could bounce the stream of liquid off walls to reach unseen spaces. To minimize risks, many nations mounted flamethrowers on armored vehicles. The United States and the Commonwealth were very prolific users of these vehicles. The British and Canadians used "Wasps," which were Universal Carriers fitted with flamethrowers. Starting in mid-1944, these were incorporated into infantry battalions.

Other tank-mounted versions included the "Badger" and the "Oke."

Operating a flamethrower involves many serious risks. The weight and length of the weapon impair a soldier's mobility. Because they use fuel very quickly, they only offer a few seconds of burn time. This requires the operator to be extremely precise. The weapon is also very visible on the battlefield. This makes operators primary targets for snipers and marksmen.

There is also the danger of the pressure tanks exploding. If a tank is hit by bullets or grenade shrapnel, it can rupture. This can kill the operator instantly. In movies, the range is often shown as very short. However, contemporary military versions can incinerate targets from much further away.