Ronson system
Encyclopedia
The Ronson system was a flamethrower developed in World War II and used by the United States Marine Corps
during World War II
.
The Ronson was developed by the British Petroleum Warfare Department in 1940. Having insufficient range it was passed over but taken up by the Canadians for further work. From there it came to the attention of the US. The Ronson was developed in time sufficiently to be used for production of the Wasp flamethrower variant of the Universal Carrier
.
The US used an M4 Sherman
tank
adapted with a Mark 1 flamethrower
, this was a development of the Ronson by the US Navy. These tanks were used in the Battle of Iwo Jima
and during Operation Overlord
.
The Mark I was also used on the LVT(4)
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps is a branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for providing power projection from the sea, using the mobility of the United States Navy to deliver combined-arms task forces rapidly. It is one of seven uniformed services of the United States...
during 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...
.
The Ronson was developed by the British Petroleum Warfare Department in 1940. Having insufficient range it was passed over but taken up by the Canadians for further work. From there it came to the attention of the US. The Ronson was developed in time sufficiently to be used for production of the Wasp flamethrower variant of the Universal Carrier
Universal Carrier
The Universal Carrier, also known as the Bren Gun Carrier is a common name describing a family of light armoured tracked vehicles built by Vickers-Armstrong. Produced between 1934 and 1960, the vehicle was used widely by British Commonwealth forces during the Second World War...
.
The US used an M4 Sherman
M4 Sherman
The M4 Sherman, formally Medium Tank, M4, was the primary tank used by the United States during World War II. Thousands were also distributed to the Allies, including the British Commonwealth and Soviet armies, via lend-lease...
tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
adapted with a Mark 1 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...
, this was a development of the Ronson by the US Navy. These tanks were used in the Battle of Iwo Jima
Battle of Iwo Jima
The Battle of Iwo Jima , or Operation Detachment, was a major battle in which the United States fought for and captured the island of Iwo Jima from the Empire of Japan. The U.S...
and during Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord
Operation Overlord was the code name for the Battle of Normandy, the operation that launched the invasion of German-occupied western Europe during World War II by Allied forces. The operation commenced on 6 June 1944 with the Normandy landings...
.
The Mark I was also used on the LVT(4)