The flamethrower, a weapon that projects burning fuel, has been used since prehistoric times. The modern version was created by German scientist Richard Fiedler and was introduced into the German army in 1911. It continued to see military use throughout the 20th century but was removed from military service in 1978. Civilians also use flamethrowers for controlled burns and land management.
A flamethrower is a device capable of projecting a stream of burning fuel, often used as a weapon. Since prehistoric times, fire has been used as a weapon, valuable not only for the physical damage it inflicts but also for the fear it instills. The first flamethrowers, which shot solid fuel through a tube like a blowgun, date back to at least the 5th century BC, and the 7th-century Byzantines employed a weapon similar to the modern flamethrower that could spray a liquid fuel known as Greek fire. Greek fire was especially effective as a naval weapon, because the fuel was petroleum-based and continued to burn even in water.
German scientist Richard Fiedler is credited with creating the modern flamethrower; his Flammenwerfer was submitted to the German army in 1901 for testing. Fiedler created two models: the portable Kleinflammenwerfer, with a range of 20 yards (18.3 meters), and the Grossflammenwerfer, which was too large for a man to carry but was capable of sustaining a constant 40-second spray on a target at a distance of up to 40 yards (36.5 meters). Both flamethrowers were introduced into the German arsenal and fielded in three battalions in 1911. During World War I, early German successes with the weapon caused the design of flamethrowers by Britain and France.
Fiedler’s flamethrower consisted of three cylindrical tanks, two filled with a liquid fuel and the third with a flammable compressed gas. The gas was fed to the weapon’s ignition system from a hose. A second tube fed into the fuel tanks and the gas pressure forced the fuel through the weapon. The fuel was ignited as it sprayed out of the weapon, creating a constant stream of fire.
The flamethrower continued to see military use throughout the 20th century, with militaries around the world fielding their own variants. United States Marines used flamethrowers during World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Flamethrowers, however, have limitations, such as relatively poor range and the inability to control and direct a fire with any kind of accuracy or reliability, leading some to question their usefulness on the battlefield. The horrific nature of weaponized fire, death by fire, and disfiguring injuries forced military leaders to consider the impact of the weapon on morale and public image. In 1978, the US Department of Defense made the decision to remove the flamethrower from military service.
Civilians have also found the flamethrower useful. In particular, it is used in forestry for controlled burns to manage forest growth. Farmers could also use flamethrowers for land management and clearing fields.
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