M2 flamethrower
Encyclopedia
The M2 flamethrower was an American man-portable backpack flamethrower
that was used in World War II
. It was the successor to the M1 and M1A1 flamethrowers
. Although its actual "burn time" was around 47 seconds and the flame was only effective out to around 20 metres , it was still a functional weapon that had many uses in the war. However, with the later arrival of tank
s and, especially, flamethrower tanks
, the need for infantrymen to expose themselves to fire became unnecessary, as tanks offered greater protection and greater firepower.
Though some M2s were sold off, the majority were scrapped when they were declared "obsolete."
The WWII models had hexagonal gas caps and hourglass frames. They were also called the M2-2, M2 for the tank groups and -2 for the wand type.
M2A1-2
M2A1-2 is the variation of the M2 modified during the Korean war period. These had straight sided backpack frames, vented gas caps, a cylinder sized regulator and a safety valve. These are much more common today than WWII models.
M2A1-7 was a flamethrower
used by the American troops during the Vietnam War
.
It is the updated version of the M2A1-2 unit used during The Korean War.
It has four controls:
M9A1-7
US M9A1-7. This is the most common model used in Vietnam and is much lighter and easier to use. Tanks are commonly found, but most wands were destroyed by the military.
Some U.S. Army
flamethrowers have a front handgrip with the same shape as the rear handgrip. In these models the igniter controls are on the front handgrip, arranged in the same way as the rear handgrip controls. The M2 was replaced by the M9A1-7 flamethrower which was used in Vietnam. The M9A1-7 was replaced by the M202A1 FLASH
.
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
that was used in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. It was the successor to the M1 and M1A1 flamethrowers
M1A1 Flamethrower
The M1 and M1A1 were portable flamethrowers developed by the United States of America during World War II. M1 weighed 72 lb, had a range of 15 meters, and had a fuel tank capacity of 5 gallons...
. Although its actual "burn time" was around 47 seconds and the flame was only effective out to around 20 metres , it was still a functional weapon that had many uses in the war. However, with the later arrival of tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
s and, especially, flamethrower tanks
Flame tank
A flame tank is a type of tank equipped with a flamethrower, most commonly used to supplement combined arms attacks against fortifications, confined spaces, or other obstacles...
, the need for infantrymen to expose themselves to fire became unnecessary, as tanks offered greater protection and greater firepower.
Though some M2s were sold off, the majority were scrapped when they were declared "obsolete."
Variants of the M2
M2-2The WWII models had hexagonal gas caps and hourglass frames. They were also called the M2-2, M2 for the tank groups and -2 for the wand type.
M2A1-2
M2A1-2 is the variation of the M2 modified during the Korean war period. These had straight sided backpack frames, vented gas caps, a cylinder sized regulator and a safety valve. These are much more common today than WWII models.
M2A1-7 was a flamethrower
Flamethrower
A flamethrower is a mechanical device designed to project a long controllable stream of fire.Some flamethrowers project a stream of ignited flammable liquid; some project a long gas flame. Most military flamethrowers use liquids, but commercial flamethrowers tend to use high-pressure propane and...
used by the American troops during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
It is the updated version of the M2A1-2 unit used during The Korean War.
It has four controls:
- Back of the rear grip: firing safety catch.
- Front of the rear grip: firing trigger.
- On top of the front part: igniter safety catch
- Under the front part: igniter trigger.
M9A1-7
US M9A1-7. This is the most common model used in Vietnam and is much lighter and easier to use. Tanks are commonly found, but most wands were destroyed by the military.
Some U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
flamethrowers have a front handgrip with the same shape as the rear handgrip. In these models the igniter controls are on the front handgrip, arranged in the same way as the rear handgrip controls. The M2 was replaced by the M9A1-7 flamethrower which was used in Vietnam. The M9A1-7 was replaced by the M202A1 FLASH
M202A1 FLASH
The M202 FLASH is an American rocket launcher, designed to replace the World War II-vintage flamethrowers that remained the military's standard incendiary devices well into the 1960s...
.