Flamethrower, Portable, No 2 facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Flamethrower, Portable, No 2 |
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A soldier of the King's Own Scottish Borderers demonstrates the Lifebuoy flamethrower, Denmead, Hampshire, 29 April 1944.
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| Type | Flamethrower |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Service history | |
| Used by | British Army, Canadian Forces |
| Wars | Second World War |
| Production history | |
| Produced | 1943–1944 |
| No. built | 7,000 |
| Specifications | |
| Mass | 64 lb (29 kg) |
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| Action | cordite igniter |
| Rate of fire | 10 igniters only |
| Maximum firing range | 120 ft |
The Flamethrower, Portable, No 2 was a special weapon used by soldiers during the Second World War. It was also known as the Lifebuoy because its fuel tank looked like a life preserver, or the Ack Pack. This British-designed flamethrower was carried by infantry soldiers, meaning foot soldiers.
What is the Lifebuoy Flamethrower?
This flamethrower was very similar to a German design from 1917 called the Wechselapparat. The first version, called the Mark 1, was mainly used for training soldiers. The improved Mark 2 version was the one actually used in battles.
Between 1943 and 1944, over 7,000 of these flamethrowers were made. They were ready for use during Operation Overlord, which was the big Allied invasion of Normandy.
How it Worked
The Ack Pack was a special harness that soldiers wore on their backs. It held a fuel container shaped like a doughnut. This container could hold 4 Imperial gallons (about 18 litres) of fuel.
Right in the middle of the "doughnut" was a round tank. This tank held nitrogen gas, which was under very high pressure (2,000 pounds per square inch or 140 Bar). This high-pressure gas acted as a propellant, meaning it pushed the burning fuel out. It could spray the flaming fuel up to 120 feet (about 36 metres) away!
A hose connected the fuel tank to the nozzle. The nozzle had two pistol grips, which helped the soldier hold and aim the spray. The back grip had the trigger to fire the flamethrower.
Ignition System
Some versions of the nozzle had a special cylinder with 10 ignition cartridges. These cartridges could be fired one at a time. Each cartridge gave the soldier 10 bursts of flame, usually lasting about one second each.
Soldiers could also spray fuel without lighting it first. This allowed them to cover a target area with fuel. Then, they would fire an ignited burst to light up everything at once.
The flamethrower was quite heavy for a soldier to carry. It weighed about 64 lb (29 kg).
Gallery
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The Lifebuoy man-portable flamethrower being demonstrated to men of 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers, Denmead, Hampshire, 29 April 1944.
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A Flamethrower Portable, No 2 in the Israel Defense Forces History Museum, Tel Aviv, Israel (September 2015)
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A Life Buoy flamethrower in action. August 1944.
See also
- List of flamethrowers
