GOV/MIL Video: Introduction to Military Flamethrowers with Charlie Hobson - Forgotten Weapons

[Housecarl]

Introduction to Military Flamethrowers with Charlie Hobson - Forgotten Weapons
https://www.full30.com/video/b4decaa2753b31eee655a82c9184b3a7

Description

http://www.flamethrowerexpert.com

You can find Charlie Hobson's book, "US Portable Flamethrowers" here: http://amzn.to/1SP9yc5

Flamethrowers are a significant piece of military weapons history which are very widely misunderstood, as flamethrowers have never been the subject of nearly as much collector interest as other types of small arms. The US military removed its flamethrowers from inventory in 1985, and all other major national militaries have done the same. In the US, the lack of general interest led to most of the surplussed weapons being destroyed as scrap, and few survive in private collections. At the same time (and for the same reason) a great deal of the information on these weapons was also discarded and lost.

One of the people who has done a tremendous amount of work to recover practical information on historical military flamethrowers as well as restore, service, and operate them is Charlie Hobson. He has worked extensively with the US military museum system as well as the entertainment industry (if you have seen a movie of TV show using a real flamethrower, is was almost certainly done under his supervision).

Today I am discussing the basic of flamethrowers with Charlie. The goal is to provide a good baseline foundation so we can go on to look at a couple specific historical flamethrowers and understand them in context. So sit back, relax, and enjoy a chat with a man who is truly passionate about this underappreciated aspect of military history!

Category: Firearms Education ċ Uploaded: 05/03/2016

 

[night driver]

THAT discussion was WELL worth the time.

 

[FaithfulSkeptic]

So where does the military go to get the first model built? A fire extinguisher company.

 

[FaithfulSkeptic]

This looks somewhat formidable.

 

[Housecarl]

So where does the military go to get the first model built? A fire extinguisher company.

Yeah, that got me as well as being "classic" government thinking....

 

[Roscoe's Daddy]

My father's limited commentary regarding his service with the USMC on Iwo Jima included; The preliminary bombardment was worthless and did absolutely nothing. The the only weapon that was worth a damn was the flamethrower.

 

[Housecarl]

Bonus: Flamethrower Safety Drill and First Shots
Forgotten Weapons
https://www.full30.com/video/cd4f16b4627b6f36a11448332d38dc7f

Description

http://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeapons http://www.flamethrowerexpert.com

Figured I'd post this since we got it all on video anyway - this is my final safety briefing/walkthrough with an M2 Flamethrower made in 1944, followed by my first short firings of it.

The gun was only partially filled with fuel, which is why the firing duration is so short.

Category: Firearms Education ċ Uploaded: 05/04/2016

 

[Housecarl]

US M2/M2A1 Flamethrower
Forgotten Weapons
https://www.full30.com/video/bd5da082d1216b637c5fcc96287d176a

Description

http://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeapons

After a dismal first attempt at designing a flamethrower (the M1) in 1941, the US Chemical Corps along with several universities and industrial partners put in a lot of research to develop a more usable and effective flamethrower. The result was the M2, which went into production in early 1944. It would prove to be an exceptionally effective weapon in the island-hopping campaign towards the end of the war.

The M2 was arguably the best flamethrower fielded by any military during the war, with a number of excellent design features. These included:
A constant-pressure regulator to ensure that the range stayed the same from the first to the last shot of a tank of fuel An on/off main valve easily accessible to the operator A supremely waterproof and reliable pyrotechnic cartridge ignition system An auto-shutoff valve which sealed at the nozzle, preventing dribble (and cutting off fuel flow should the operator lose control of the weapon)
The M2 would see service into the Vietnam War even as its successor the M9 was being issued. It was a truly outstanding design, and remains viable to this day.

Thanks to Charlie Hobson for showing us the unit and teaching me to fire it, and also thanks to Adaptive Firearms for letting us use their range facilities!

http://adaptivefirearms.com http://www.flamethrowerexpert.com

You can find Charlie Hobson's book, "US Portable Flamethrowers" here: http://amzn.to/1SP9yc5

Category: Firearm Reviews ċ Uploaded: 05/10/2016

 

[Illini Warrior]

I don't think the lifecycle of the flamethrower is completely dead and finished .... the US will be going back into Asia again - in a BIG way ... more jungle and more bunker & hill fortifications just like Korea .... no more warfare limitations - someone will be whistling up for some flamethrowers ....

 

[Housecarl]

Japanese Type 100 Flamethrower
Forgotten Weapons
https://www.full30.com/video/a6fcb62ca6410214fb09fd3673105d39

Description

http://www.patreon.com/ForgottenWeapons

The Japanese Type 93 and its slightly-improved sister the Type 100 were the standard flame weapons of the Imperial Japanese Army for its fighting in China and the Pacific. They are a smaller and handier design than the American weapons, and less user-friendly. The Type 100 uses a rotating valve to fire, paper incendiary cartridges for ignition, and is not equipped with a pressure regulator. This means that as the fuel is consumed, the range and pressure steadily drop. This is a significant difference from the American M2, but in conjunction with properly planned tactics it could be quite effective.

The example in this video was taken brand new from the Tokyo Arsenal by a Coast Guard occupation officer in 1945 or 46 and sent back to New York complete with its case and all its accessories. It remains today the only known functioning example of the Type 100.

Thanks to Charlie Hobson for showing us the unit and demonstrating it firing, and also thanks to Adaptive Firearms for letting us use their range facilities!

http://adaptivefirearms.com http://www.flamethrowerexpert.com

You can find Charlie Hobson's book, "US Portable Flamethrowers" here: http://amzn.to/1SP9yc5

Category: Firearm Reviews ċ Uploaded: 05/28/2016