1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:04,080 Speaker 1: Hi, everybody. Chuck here on a Saturday with my Saturday Selects. 2 00:00:04,080 --> 00:00:07,280 Speaker 1: Pick from June three, two ten. I think I picked 3 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:10,080 Speaker 1: this one because I just got done watching What's Upon 4 00:00:10,119 --> 00:00:13,200 Speaker 1: a Time in Hollywood once again. Here is our episode 5 00:00:13,800 --> 00:00:17,159 Speaker 1: how Flamethrowers Work. Have you seen that movie? You know 6 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:19,720 Speaker 1: what I'm talking about. If you haven't, I hope they 7 00:00:19,720 --> 00:00:22,480 Speaker 1: didn't spoil it for you. So learn all about flamethrowers 8 00:00:22,600 --> 00:00:28,800 Speaker 1: right now. Welcome to Stuff you Should Know, a production 9 00:00:28,840 --> 00:00:37,280 Speaker 1: of My Heart Radios How Stuff Works. Hey, and welcome 10 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:40,960 Speaker 1: to the podcast. I'm Josh Clark. There's Charles W. Chuck 11 00:00:41,040 --> 00:00:45,240 Speaker 1: Bryant that makes this Stuff you should Know, right, Chuck? Yeah, yeah, 12 00:00:45,560 --> 00:00:47,320 Speaker 1: Terry just I love it when like we get last 13 00:00:47,320 --> 00:00:50,440 Speaker 1: second instructions. Yeah, and they don't make any sense. Save 14 00:00:50,479 --> 00:00:52,920 Speaker 1: it for the show, guys, right, or show that picture 15 00:00:53,000 --> 00:00:57,279 Speaker 1: on the podcast the audio podcast. Oh goodness, how are 16 00:00:57,320 --> 00:01:02,080 Speaker 1: you sir? I'm fine by all rights Friday, but it's 17 00:01:02,200 --> 00:01:06,240 Speaker 1: actually Thursday, but it's almost Memorial Day. Yeah, and we're 18 00:01:06,240 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: not Are you coming in tomorrow at all? No? I'm 19 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:14,880 Speaker 1: not comfortable saying either way. Well, that'll be surprised. I 20 00:01:14,880 --> 00:01:17,040 Speaker 1: don't want to get in trouble. Well, I'm not. I'm 21 00:01:17,080 --> 00:01:19,520 Speaker 1: still scared of the man. I know you're not, but 22 00:01:19,600 --> 00:01:21,360 Speaker 1: you're all like, hey, look at me. I'm forty. I 23 00:01:21,440 --> 00:01:26,080 Speaker 1: make my own decisions, not forty. So Chuck, you're George 24 00:01:26,080 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: Carlin fan, right, Yeah, the late George Carlin. Just the 25 00:01:29,880 --> 00:01:32,280 Speaker 1: late Alright, we always had the bummer, don't you. The 26 00:01:32,400 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 1: late George Carlin could be like George Carlin. He's the 27 00:01:35,280 --> 00:01:40,399 Speaker 1: greatest stand up comedian ever. When the very the worm 28 00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:47,080 Speaker 1: food George Carlin, Yeah, the dearly departed. Yes, I like him. Why, 29 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:49,840 Speaker 1: I have an obscure stand up bit that I'll bet 30 00:01:49,920 --> 00:01:53,840 Speaker 1: you haven't heard of that is apropope of our topic today. 31 00:01:53,880 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 1: So George Carlin um had a bit about flamethrowers. I 32 00:01:58,240 --> 00:02:00,360 Speaker 1: never heard that one. He said that the very presence 33 00:02:00,400 --> 00:02:05,040 Speaker 1: of flamethrowers, and I'm paraphrasing, the very presence of flamethrowers 34 00:02:05,120 --> 00:02:09,720 Speaker 1: means that at some point sometime someone said to himself, 35 00:02:10,040 --> 00:02:12,240 Speaker 1: you know, there's a bunch of people over there that 36 00:02:12,280 --> 00:02:15,120 Speaker 1: I'd like to set on fire, but they're too far 37 00:02:15,160 --> 00:02:17,720 Speaker 1: away from me to get the job done. I wish 38 00:02:17,720 --> 00:02:20,880 Speaker 1: there was something that I could use to throw flames 39 00:02:20,960 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 1: on them, and as a result, we now have the flamethrower, 40 00:02:25,800 --> 00:02:27,640 Speaker 1: which is kind of crazy when you think about it 41 00:02:27,680 --> 00:02:30,200 Speaker 1: that way. It is pretty interesting, it is, And when 42 00:02:30,240 --> 00:02:34,120 Speaker 1: you start to really look into flamethrowers, you realize just 43 00:02:34,360 --> 00:02:38,160 Speaker 1: how horrific the acts that humans inflict on other humans 44 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:42,440 Speaker 1: can be. Yeah, it's pretty it's pretty awful stuff. Actually, yeah, 45 00:02:42,480 --> 00:02:44,919 Speaker 1: when you I mean actually all kinds of modern weaponry. 46 00:02:44,919 --> 00:02:47,000 Speaker 1: And know, my brother in lawson the Marines, he told 47 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,320 Speaker 1: me about this. I think it's called a flachette, some 48 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:55,240 Speaker 1: sort of bomb that like explodes above people and sends 49 00:02:55,919 --> 00:02:59,600 Speaker 1: thousands of like razor blades shooting out. Yeah. I think 50 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:03,320 Speaker 1: it's mainly of used for clearing like jungle, but um, yeah, 51 00:03:03,520 --> 00:03:06,800 Speaker 1: I can't remember jungle of enemy combatants exactly. Yeah, so 52 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,639 Speaker 1: some sick I thought that up were like what one 53 00:03:09,680 --> 00:03:13,040 Speaker 1: step away from the alien weapons in District nine where 54 00:03:13,080 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 1: people just blow up in an almost cartoonish fashion. Yeah, 55 00:03:16,840 --> 00:03:22,120 Speaker 1: it's coming the atomizer or something they'll call it. Yeah. Um. 56 00:03:22,320 --> 00:03:25,720 Speaker 1: What's what's odd is that that person, that first person 57 00:03:25,760 --> 00:03:30,560 Speaker 1: that George carlin Um envisions actually lived a lot longer 58 00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:33,080 Speaker 1: ago than you would think. I was shocked. I was 59 00:03:33,280 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: well a century BC, fifth century b C. Man, Right, 60 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:40,920 Speaker 1: it wasn't well, it was a flamethrower. It was a 61 00:03:41,000 --> 00:03:45,440 Speaker 1: very crude, vulgar if you will, flamethrower. It was a 62 00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:47,680 Speaker 1: long tube sort of like a blowgun, and they filled 63 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:53,880 Speaker 1: it with solid stuff like hot coal and sulfur. And yeah, 64 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: ideally you don't suck in that would be bad. No, 65 00:03:56,160 --> 00:03:58,000 Speaker 1: I was thinking that too, Like you have to suck 66 00:03:58,000 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 1: in the breath before you put the tube deer and 67 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:01,880 Speaker 1: out through us. You're in big trouble. Oh, that's the 68 00:04:01,920 --> 00:04:04,800 Speaker 1: case with any blow blowgun, right, sure, Yeah, did you 69 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:06,960 Speaker 1: ever make those when your kid? No? I never did. 70 00:04:07,440 --> 00:04:11,320 Speaker 1: That's too busy burning stuff. You could have done both apparently. 71 00:04:12,080 --> 00:04:15,360 Speaker 1: So yeah, they would shoot I guess, um hot coal 72 00:04:15,680 --> 00:04:19,640 Speaker 1: or sulfur out at their enemy combatant instead of a 73 00:04:19,640 --> 00:04:23,800 Speaker 1: flame per se, Yeah, which I guess Ultimately it would 74 00:04:24,000 --> 00:04:25,960 Speaker 1: bounce off of their arm and they'd be like, ah, 75 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:30,440 Speaker 1: that burns, and then they just tussle and leg wrestling, right, 76 00:04:30,480 --> 00:04:33,960 Speaker 1: and shake hands afterwards and go eat a bore. That's 77 00:04:34,120 --> 00:04:37,080 Speaker 1: that's how that went to enter BC with Josh. But 78 00:04:37,560 --> 00:04:41,320 Speaker 1: leave it to the Greeks, who were one of the brainiest, 79 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:45,880 Speaker 1: most um thieving cultures of all time. They probably got 80 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:49,240 Speaker 1: this idea from the Chemites. Frankly, but there's this stuff 81 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:54,000 Speaker 1: called um Greek fire, And actually I can't say that 82 00:04:54,040 --> 00:04:55,880 Speaker 1: the Greeks came up with it. It's called Greek fire, 83 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:59,560 Speaker 1: but the Byzantines that what we know is turks um. 84 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:05,080 Speaker 1: We're uh, we're most notorious for using this stuff. Yeah, 85 00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:07,480 Speaker 1: and that they think they're not sure because it was 86 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:09,920 Speaker 1: a long time ago. It was a mixture of liquid 87 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:15,560 Speaker 1: petrol and sulfur and like stuff like quicklime. Petrol's British 88 00:05:15,560 --> 00:05:20,039 Speaker 1: for gas, Yeah, and UM. They would pump it out 89 00:05:20,120 --> 00:05:23,840 Speaker 1: actually from a reservoir through little narrow tubes and like 90 00:05:24,240 --> 00:05:27,640 Speaker 1: anything that goes from a big reservoir type system to 91 00:05:27,720 --> 00:05:30,080 Speaker 1: a small, thin one, it would create pressure to shoot 92 00:05:30,120 --> 00:05:33,359 Speaker 1: it out and then some unlucky guy would be the 93 00:05:33,440 --> 00:05:35,880 Speaker 1: lighter at the end of it, and that would be 94 00:05:35,920 --> 00:05:38,200 Speaker 1: like a real flamethrower, like dozens of feet. Yeah, as 95 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:40,800 Speaker 1: we're gonna learn, anybody whose job it was to deal 96 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:44,920 Speaker 1: with any aspect of flamethrowing UM was the unlucky guy. Yeah. 97 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:49,000 Speaker 1: One of the more dangerous weapons you can use, UM, 98 00:05:49,080 --> 00:05:53,240 Speaker 1: but it was very effective. Number One, since it's oil based. Uh, 99 00:05:53,640 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 1: it could this, this Greek fire could be used in 100 00:05:56,160 --> 00:05:58,839 Speaker 1: naval battles because it would still burn even when it 101 00:05:58,880 --> 00:06:02,680 Speaker 1: contacted the water. Um. And so the Byzantines mounted it 102 00:06:02,720 --> 00:06:06,120 Speaker 1: on their ships. These flamethrowers um on their ships and 103 00:06:06,240 --> 00:06:10,880 Speaker 1: on the city walls around Constantinople and basically just repelled 104 00:06:10,920 --> 00:06:13,400 Speaker 1: people out of fear as much as you know, burning 105 00:06:13,440 --> 00:06:16,840 Speaker 1: them alive. Yeah, they were. Their enemies were really freaked out. 106 00:06:16,880 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: I imagine when they first saw like fire shooting at them. Yes, 107 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:23,560 Speaker 1: freaked out and intrigued, especially in the case of the Chinese. 108 00:06:23,920 --> 00:06:27,800 Speaker 1: See what the Byzantines had was a single action pump. 109 00:06:28,200 --> 00:06:31,360 Speaker 1: You just did the foot pump with literally did you 110 00:06:31,440 --> 00:06:35,760 Speaker 1: see that? Do you see that? Jerry? Them following your command? Um, 111 00:06:36,040 --> 00:06:40,680 Speaker 1: the the Byzantines had a single action bellows pump where 112 00:06:40,680 --> 00:06:44,000 Speaker 1: when you pressed down on the down stroke, it would 113 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:47,359 Speaker 1: push the liquid out. Right. Yes, you get like a 114 00:06:47,440 --> 00:06:50,000 Speaker 1: burst of fire. And that's it right, because on the 115 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:52,760 Speaker 1: up stroke nothing was happening except with the bellows were 116 00:06:52,800 --> 00:06:56,520 Speaker 1: filling back up with air to press down compressed right. Um. 117 00:06:56,600 --> 00:06:59,279 Speaker 1: The Chinese said, hey, that's that's really funny because we 118 00:06:59,320 --> 00:07:03,360 Speaker 1: have a double simbelows to where you are compressing air 119 00:07:03,680 --> 00:07:06,560 Speaker 1: um on the upstroke and the downstroke. So instead of 120 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: your stupid little short bursts of Greek fire, we have 121 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:13,960 Speaker 1: one long burst that just cuts you in half. Lead 122 00:07:14,040 --> 00:07:17,640 Speaker 1: to the Chinese get all better, the wheelbarrow, the kite, 123 00:07:17,760 --> 00:07:24,440 Speaker 1: the hang glider, the flamethrower, gunpowder and actually gunpowder um 124 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:28,800 Speaker 1: equaled the demise of flamethrowers for about a thousand years, right, Yeah, 125 00:07:28,800 --> 00:07:31,400 Speaker 1: as soon as gunpowder came along, they were like, yeah, 126 00:07:31,440 --> 00:07:34,160 Speaker 1: we're just chumps with fire when we can actually shoot 127 00:07:34,200 --> 00:07:37,000 Speaker 1: a gun, That's that's the way of the future, right 128 00:07:37,120 --> 00:07:39,960 Speaker 1: And it was, But so is the flamethrower, as it 129 00:07:39,960 --> 00:07:42,880 Speaker 1: turns out, yeah, because it lay dormant for about a 130 00:07:42,960 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: thousand years. And then in World War One, actually right 131 00:07:46,600 --> 00:07:50,600 Speaker 1: before World War One, the Germans, a very warlike state 132 00:07:50,640 --> 00:07:54,480 Speaker 1: at the time, were um, they said, you know what, 133 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:58,160 Speaker 1: exactly can we and our arsenal that is just totally 134 00:07:58,240 --> 00:08:02,280 Speaker 1: scary and wildly to instructive. Yes, let's look back through 135 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,920 Speaker 1: the annals of of you know, historic weaponry and find something. 136 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:09,160 Speaker 1: And they look through and they said the flamethrower. Yeah. 137 00:08:09,320 --> 00:08:12,960 Speaker 1: Richard Fielder is an engineer in nineteen o one. They 138 00:08:12,960 --> 00:08:15,920 Speaker 1: credit him with inventing it, but he clearly was using 139 00:08:16,280 --> 00:08:19,520 Speaker 1: old technology as the initial idea. At least. It's a 140 00:08:19,520 --> 00:08:22,760 Speaker 1: clever design, though, isn't it. Yeah, because this from this 141 00:08:22,840 --> 00:08:27,320 Speaker 1: original design. Um, there have been you know, some polishing 142 00:08:27,880 --> 00:08:31,480 Speaker 1: moments for the flamethrower over the years, but from that, 143 00:08:31,680 --> 00:08:35,200 Speaker 1: from that modern era that the design has remained relatively 144 00:08:35,240 --> 00:08:37,360 Speaker 1: the same. Right, it's like a three tank design. Yeah. 145 00:08:37,360 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: The flamin furf is what it's called nice the Germans. 146 00:08:41,360 --> 00:08:47,400 Speaker 1: That's what the German uh, and it was, um, well 147 00:08:47,480 --> 00:08:49,120 Speaker 1: let's yeah, let's go ahead and explain how it works 148 00:08:49,120 --> 00:08:52,719 Speaker 1: with thanks, all right, And this is the handheld flamethrower, 149 00:08:52,760 --> 00:08:55,360 Speaker 1: which is the one that's I guess was most readily 150 00:08:55,440 --> 00:08:57,520 Speaker 1: used in combat. Yeah, and it's the one you see 151 00:08:57,559 --> 00:08:59,600 Speaker 1: like a guy's wearing these tanks on his back and 152 00:08:59,640 --> 00:09:03,160 Speaker 1: he's got the rifle. Is just right. So you got 153 00:09:03,160 --> 00:09:07,119 Speaker 1: two outer tanks and those are filled with the flammable 154 00:09:07,240 --> 00:09:11,400 Speaker 1: fuel oil based petrol if you will, like Greek fire 155 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,920 Speaker 1: and um, then there's a center smaller tank which holds 156 00:09:14,960 --> 00:09:19,360 Speaker 1: a compressed gas like butane and uh it was. It 157 00:09:19,360 --> 00:09:21,840 Speaker 1: would feed the gas through a pressure regulator connected to 158 00:09:21,840 --> 00:09:24,720 Speaker 1: the tubes, right, and you can take it from here. Well, 159 00:09:24,840 --> 00:09:27,079 Speaker 1: the this is why I think it's very clever. The 160 00:09:27,400 --> 00:09:31,000 Speaker 1: butuane served a dual purpose. One that was compressed, so 161 00:09:31,160 --> 00:09:34,559 Speaker 1: when you open the valve, it would push the liquid 162 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:37,320 Speaker 1: fuel out of the tanks into the tube and into 163 00:09:37,600 --> 00:09:41,400 Speaker 1: ultimately in the reservoir and the gun the pressure regulator. Right, 164 00:09:41,520 --> 00:09:43,880 Speaker 1: that is what they would but switch on. There is 165 00:09:43,920 --> 00:09:48,079 Speaker 1: another tube that came directly out of the third tank 166 00:09:48,120 --> 00:09:52,079 Speaker 1: that held the compressed gas like butane, and this tube 167 00:09:52,080 --> 00:09:56,199 Speaker 1: went directly to the ignition valve right right, so it 168 00:09:56,240 --> 00:09:58,880 Speaker 1: served as the igniter later on. Right that it was 169 00:09:58,960 --> 00:10:02,040 Speaker 1: because it was the but that was actually burning when 170 00:10:02,120 --> 00:10:05,000 Speaker 1: you um. When you open the ignition valve, the butu 171 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:07,480 Speaker 1: tane flows to the end, mixes with air the end 172 00:10:07,520 --> 00:10:11,400 Speaker 1: of the rifle. Um and then there's like there's two triggers. 173 00:10:11,400 --> 00:10:14,960 Speaker 1: There's the fuel released trigger right, yes, and then there's 174 00:10:15,000 --> 00:10:17,679 Speaker 1: the ignition trigger. And the ignition trigger is basically you're 175 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: operating a battery that operates a spark plug sends the current, 176 00:10:21,160 --> 00:10:23,679 Speaker 1: generates heat right nights the but tane. Now you have 177 00:10:24,200 --> 00:10:26,240 Speaker 1: that little blue flame on the end. Yeah, that's what 178 00:10:26,280 --> 00:10:29,520 Speaker 1: you've seen in movies like if you see them around that, yeah, exactly. 179 00:10:29,559 --> 00:10:31,640 Speaker 1: You see the little like three inch flame coming out 180 00:10:31,640 --> 00:10:34,080 Speaker 1: in the end, right, that's actually but tane burning. The 181 00:10:34,120 --> 00:10:37,480 Speaker 1: fuel hasn't been released, the hell fire has not been 182 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,959 Speaker 1: opened yet or released yet. That's when you squeeze what's 183 00:10:40,960 --> 00:10:45,400 Speaker 1: the fuel released trigger and then well, yeah, then that 184 00:10:45,480 --> 00:10:48,120 Speaker 1: pulls back a little valve plug because you obviously want 185 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:49,920 Speaker 1: it plugged or else you're going to have a big 186 00:10:49,960 --> 00:10:52,960 Speaker 1: mess on your hands. You'll be on fire very quickly. 187 00:10:53,400 --> 00:10:55,560 Speaker 1: So when you pull the fuel release trigger, it pulls 188 00:10:55,600 --> 00:10:59,319 Speaker 1: the little valve plug back, and then all the fuel 189 00:10:59,360 --> 00:11:02,560 Speaker 1: supply suddenly rushes through to the tip of the gun 190 00:11:02,679 --> 00:11:26,360 Speaker 1: where the flame is in. Boom, there you go. In 191 00:11:26,679 --> 00:11:33,480 Speaker 1: nineteen forty two, the Army Chemical Warfare Service, I think 192 00:11:33,559 --> 00:11:35,720 Speaker 1: is what it was called. UM, they came up with 193 00:11:35,720 --> 00:11:40,599 Speaker 1: a little something called napalm, which is ultimately a gasoline 194 00:11:40,720 --> 00:11:44,479 Speaker 1: or petrol in the case of Chuck and our British friends, UM, 195 00:11:44,520 --> 00:11:50,480 Speaker 1: a gasoline thickening agent. So with a slightly thickened gas 196 00:11:51,080 --> 00:11:53,880 Speaker 1: you have a longer range. It carries further because it 197 00:11:53,920 --> 00:11:58,280 Speaker 1: has more mass or girth or whatever. There's less there's 198 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:02,120 Speaker 1: less friction from the ground comeing up right um, and uh, 199 00:12:02,400 --> 00:12:07,439 Speaker 1: it also can be concentrated more easily right right. So 200 00:12:07,800 --> 00:12:10,400 Speaker 1: basically that was one of those real big polishing moments. 201 00:12:10,440 --> 00:12:13,720 Speaker 1: It went from just gas which sprays too thick gas 202 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:18,719 Speaker 1: which sticks burns. It evaporates much less quickly, so it 203 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,480 Speaker 1: will burn forever and it's really difficult to put out. 204 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:25,000 Speaker 1: And if you get covered in it, you're entirely in trouble. Yes, 205 00:12:25,040 --> 00:12:27,320 Speaker 1: you're out of luck. And they would mount these on 206 00:12:28,640 --> 00:12:31,120 Speaker 1: well p t boats for one. Have you ever seen 207 00:12:31,160 --> 00:12:33,760 Speaker 1: the videos of those things like cruising down the river 208 00:12:33,800 --> 00:12:37,440 Speaker 1: shooting napalm into the forest. Well, I see there's a 209 00:12:37,480 --> 00:12:39,800 Speaker 1: picture of it in the article. I've never seen video 210 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:43,160 Speaker 1: of It's pretty wicked. Yeah. And they called them, they 211 00:12:43,240 --> 00:12:49,000 Speaker 1: called them zippo flamethrowers, right, because the ignition um system 212 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,840 Speaker 1: failed so frequently. It's just like on a gas grill, 213 00:12:52,120 --> 00:12:53,720 Speaker 1: what they have to light it with a zippo? With 214 00:12:53,760 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 1: a zippo, you're kidding? And that's the other unlucky dude, 215 00:12:56,320 --> 00:12:59,040 Speaker 1: I guess. Yeah, he'd be like, don't get too close 216 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:01,599 Speaker 1: to it with his hand, right, And so flamethrowers. It 217 00:13:01,720 --> 00:13:04,440 Speaker 1: wasn't just some guy you know where. It would be 218 00:13:04,480 --> 00:13:07,080 Speaker 1: like a bunch of infantry guys and then some guy 219 00:13:07,080 --> 00:13:10,440 Speaker 1: on the end happened to grab the flamethrower that morning 220 00:13:10,440 --> 00:13:12,880 Speaker 1: when they went out, and it's just you know, they 221 00:13:12,880 --> 00:13:15,640 Speaker 1: were part of a tactical strategy. Yeah, what would happen 222 00:13:15,800 --> 00:13:19,679 Speaker 1: was rifleman would lay down cover fire. Let's say you 223 00:13:19,760 --> 00:13:21,480 Speaker 1: come to the mouth of a cave and there's a 224 00:13:21,480 --> 00:13:24,280 Speaker 1: bunch of enemy combatants in there and they're shooting you, 225 00:13:24,360 --> 00:13:27,240 Speaker 1: and they have snipers and you're in big trouble. All 226 00:13:27,280 --> 00:13:29,920 Speaker 1: your your rifleman lay down fire on this cave so 227 00:13:29,960 --> 00:13:33,400 Speaker 1: those guys can't move, cover fire to allow your flamethrower 228 00:13:33,440 --> 00:13:37,480 Speaker 1: man to get close. He was highly susceptible at this 229 00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 1: point because of what he's wearing on his back. Yes, 230 00:13:39,960 --> 00:13:41,959 Speaker 1: all it takes is one good shot to one of 231 00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:44,559 Speaker 1: those tanks and that guy's gone, or a bad shot, 232 00:13:44,679 --> 00:13:47,080 Speaker 1: just a shot. Sure, yeah, if you come in contact 233 00:13:47,120 --> 00:13:49,920 Speaker 1: with it with the bullet um. But so the flamethrower 234 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:55,440 Speaker 1: guy gets close basically cooks everybody, burns everyone to death 235 00:13:55,520 --> 00:13:59,480 Speaker 1: in that cave, right, that's his job. And then after 236 00:13:59,520 --> 00:14:04,480 Speaker 1: that the munitions guys come in and explode the cave 237 00:14:04,600 --> 00:14:08,160 Speaker 1: so it can never be used again. And that's Sianora 238 00:14:08,280 --> 00:14:11,760 Speaker 1: for the cave dwellers. Yes, uh, you know, speaking of 239 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:14,800 Speaker 1: a quick death, I've always heard when I was a kid, 240 00:14:14,840 --> 00:14:16,800 Speaker 1: you know that. You know, if you were a flamethrower 241 00:14:16,840 --> 00:14:21,800 Speaker 1: in war, your average lifespan is like thirty seconds in combat. Well, 242 00:14:21,840 --> 00:14:24,280 Speaker 1: I always heard that, and I'd scoured the internets and 243 00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:27,680 Speaker 1: I could not find anything to verify that, but um, 244 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:29,400 Speaker 1: that's what I always heard. I thought that was an 245 00:14:29,400 --> 00:14:32,880 Speaker 1: interesting tidbit. I did read that most people who were 246 00:14:32,960 --> 00:14:37,200 Speaker 1: flamethrower operators didn't survive. I would imagine it's pretty dangerous 247 00:14:37,200 --> 00:14:40,120 Speaker 1: thing to be toting around. Yeah, and they also had assistance, 248 00:14:40,120 --> 00:14:42,400 Speaker 1: because the assistance would open and close the valves on 249 00:14:42,440 --> 00:14:44,280 Speaker 1: the pack form. That was the whole job. It was 250 00:14:44,280 --> 00:14:46,960 Speaker 1: always a two man team, so both of them would 251 00:14:47,080 --> 00:14:50,080 Speaker 1: usually not make it. I would if I was the assistant, 252 00:14:50,120 --> 00:14:52,720 Speaker 1: I would turn on his little valve and then run 253 00:14:52,760 --> 00:14:55,280 Speaker 1: for cover and then run up and turn it off again, right, 254 00:14:55,360 --> 00:14:58,320 Speaker 1: And I'd probably pretty unpopular with the flamethrower guy. Probably 255 00:14:58,560 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 1: then the flamethrower guy was well like because if you 256 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:04,120 Speaker 1: can take out an entire gun nest of people, Yeah. 257 00:15:04,320 --> 00:15:07,160 Speaker 1: Then you know everybody's going to applaud you and clap, 258 00:15:07,200 --> 00:15:10,120 Speaker 1: and you know, probably not get too close though, because 259 00:15:10,160 --> 00:15:13,160 Speaker 1: you're going to die eventually. Yeah, I'd rather be a sniper. 260 00:15:13,200 --> 00:15:15,120 Speaker 1: I think that'd be. Like I play Call of Duty. 261 00:15:15,360 --> 00:15:16,680 Speaker 1: I got a p S three now, But I tell 262 00:15:16,720 --> 00:15:19,360 Speaker 1: you that no, wow, Chuck, it was given to me 263 00:15:19,480 --> 00:15:22,120 Speaker 1: by my step step step dad, now father in law. 264 00:15:22,320 --> 00:15:25,320 Speaker 1: You did tell me my stepfather in law. And so 265 00:15:25,920 --> 00:15:27,760 Speaker 1: I got just a couple of games. I'm not like 266 00:15:27,800 --> 00:15:30,600 Speaker 1: a huge gamer at all, Like I think a Nintendo, 267 00:15:31,160 --> 00:15:33,680 Speaker 1: like the first Nintendo was the last thing I actually owned. 268 00:15:34,240 --> 00:15:36,840 Speaker 1: But um, I play Call of Duty now. I like 269 00:15:36,960 --> 00:15:39,480 Speaker 1: a shooter games too. It's pretty fun. But you choose 270 00:15:39,480 --> 00:15:41,720 Speaker 1: to be a sniper on that. Well, now there are 271 00:15:41,720 --> 00:15:43,720 Speaker 1: just certain levels where you can be a sniper. Like 272 00:15:43,720 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: you'll pick up a sniper gun if you want. And 273 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:47,480 Speaker 1: I was usually kind of just hang back and pick 274 00:15:47,520 --> 00:15:51,440 Speaker 1: guys off, especially guys with flamethrowers. Here we go again 275 00:15:51,640 --> 00:15:54,960 Speaker 1: to liberal peacenicks like us when it comes to like 276 00:15:54,960 --> 00:15:57,040 Speaker 1: this war stuff, we just get all giddy. Well it 277 00:15:57,160 --> 00:15:59,760 Speaker 1: is this one. For some reason, I was reading a 278 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,280 Speaker 1: message about a flamethrower operator in World War two, who 279 00:16:03,360 --> 00:16:07,000 Speaker 1: you know, UM received the Medal of Honor for UM 280 00:16:07,560 --> 00:16:10,080 Speaker 1: invading a Japanese they think they're called pillbox. It was 281 00:16:10,120 --> 00:16:12,360 Speaker 1: a little gun nest and burning them all and burning 282 00:16:12,400 --> 00:16:14,880 Speaker 1: them all alive, and like the the guy wrote UM 283 00:16:14,920 --> 00:16:18,200 Speaker 1: that there were some muffled screams and then silence. It's like, 284 00:16:18,520 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: you know, being burned alive is pretty much everybody's worst death, 285 00:16:22,280 --> 00:16:24,240 Speaker 1: I would think. So it's up there. Well we had 286 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:26,440 Speaker 1: worst way to die, that's right up there. And I think, 287 00:16:26,800 --> 00:16:30,240 Speaker 1: if I remember correctly, burning to death is consistently the 288 00:16:30,360 --> 00:16:33,560 Speaker 1: number one and like informal polls, right, imagine it is 289 00:16:33,560 --> 00:16:36,680 Speaker 1: pretty painful and it happened a lot in World War 290 00:16:37,280 --> 00:16:41,560 Speaker 1: One to Vietnam. Yeah, I imagined Korea. This is a 291 00:16:41,560 --> 00:16:48,160 Speaker 1: horrible weapon, absolutely, but you can find uh, civilian applications 292 00:16:48,160 --> 00:16:50,160 Speaker 1: for can't you. Yeah, Well, before we move on to that, 293 00:16:50,200 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 1: we also need to say that they were on tanks 294 00:16:51,760 --> 00:16:54,000 Speaker 1: as well, so it wasn't just boats. They used them 295 00:16:54,040 --> 00:16:57,200 Speaker 1: on tanks, and uh, the design was basically the same. 296 00:16:57,400 --> 00:16:59,000 Speaker 1: You just had a lot more fuel and you had 297 00:16:59,040 --> 00:17:02,600 Speaker 1: like piston rotary pumps to get a lot more length 298 00:17:02,880 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 1: on your shot. And yeah, the backpack mounted ones had 299 00:17:09,359 --> 00:17:14,120 Speaker 1: a range of about fifty yards, right, Uh, that's that's 300 00:17:14,119 --> 00:17:16,240 Speaker 1: a long way though. Yeah, let's have a football field. 301 00:17:16,240 --> 00:17:18,440 Speaker 1: You don't have to get that close. Sure, Yeah, I 302 00:17:18,480 --> 00:17:21,879 Speaker 1: wonder the first enemy that was like, he's got a flamethrower, 303 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:25,680 Speaker 1: but we're way too far away. They were within like 304 00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:54,840 Speaker 1: forty five exactly. Civilian applications, Um, forced forced fire fighters 305 00:17:55,920 --> 00:17:58,719 Speaker 1: forest firefighters? Is that how you say it? I don't know. 306 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:03,080 Speaker 1: They actually use these when they do like the prescribed burning, 307 00:18:03,600 --> 00:18:06,439 Speaker 1: like sometimes they'll burn, well, not just the firefighters, they 308 00:18:06,480 --> 00:18:09,960 Speaker 1: do prescribe burns anyway, and then sometimes the firefighters do that, 309 00:18:09,960 --> 00:18:12,160 Speaker 1: they'll like burn a section to cut it off right there, 310 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:15,359 Speaker 1: and they that's what they do it with flamethrowers, which 311 00:18:15,359 --> 00:18:17,000 Speaker 1: actually kind of made me want to go get a 312 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,359 Speaker 1: job with the forestry Service so you could burn things 313 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,479 Speaker 1: on purpose well with the flamethrower. Yeah. Did you hear 314 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:27,439 Speaker 1: about this car thing in South Africa? Theft deterrent system 315 00:18:27,480 --> 00:18:30,240 Speaker 1: that burned you know? Yeah, I don't think it's still around. 316 00:18:30,240 --> 00:18:33,920 Speaker 1: This is like twelve years ago, and um, a South 317 00:18:33,960 --> 00:18:37,800 Speaker 1: African man invented it was called the blaster and basically 318 00:18:37,800 --> 00:18:40,720 Speaker 1: it would shoot a man high fireball, that is what 319 00:18:40,760 --> 00:18:43,840 Speaker 1: they called it. What at you if you tried to 320 00:18:43,920 --> 00:18:47,959 Speaker 1: break into the car for a mere ran which is 321 00:18:48,160 --> 00:18:53,000 Speaker 1: uh and this and that was like six or fifty 322 00:18:53,000 --> 00:18:57,320 Speaker 1: bucks and um, it would squirt liquefied gas from a 323 00:18:57,359 --> 00:19:01,240 Speaker 1: bottle in the trunk through two nozzles located on the 324 00:19:01,240 --> 00:19:05,000 Speaker 1: front door. And the rub is you couldn't turn one 325 00:19:05,000 --> 00:19:07,320 Speaker 1: on and turn one off. So if a guy was 326 00:19:07,359 --> 00:19:10,040 Speaker 1: breaking into like the driver's side door, it would still 327 00:19:10,040 --> 00:19:13,280 Speaker 1: shoot fire out of the passenger side to whomever might 328 00:19:13,320 --> 00:19:16,160 Speaker 1: be walking by unluckily on that side. I'd say, yeah, 329 00:19:16,320 --> 00:19:19,960 Speaker 1: that's that's an invention that wasn't fully thought through. I 330 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:22,200 Speaker 1: would think so. But apparently he sold a bunch of 331 00:19:22,280 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 1: him at the time and he said it's non lethal, 332 00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 1: but it would definitely blind a person, is what he said, 333 00:19:29,040 --> 00:19:31,520 Speaker 1: and keep them from stealing your car. Yeah, because they 334 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:35,520 Speaker 1: can't see cars any longer. That's terrible. Yeah, way to 335 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:39,720 Speaker 1: go South Africa. Um. Lastly, chuck fire breathers their form 336 00:19:39,840 --> 00:19:45,600 Speaker 1: of They follow the basic principles of flamethrowing by drinking kerosene. Yeah, 337 00:19:45,680 --> 00:19:48,600 Speaker 1: there you go. If you want to learn about fire breathers, 338 00:19:48,640 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: we have an article on them if you want to 339 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:53,600 Speaker 1: learn more about flame throwers, and before you send us 340 00:19:53,640 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 1: a listener mail, we are aware of flamethrower exhaust systems. 341 00:19:57,320 --> 00:20:02,160 Speaker 1: We've both seen Greece before. Um, you can type any 342 00:20:02,200 --> 00:20:05,439 Speaker 1: word you want to into the handy search bar how 343 00:20:05,480 --> 00:20:08,760 Speaker 1: stuff works dot Com. It'll yield something interesting. I guarantee 344 00:20:08,760 --> 00:20:14,880 Speaker 1: you that. Uh so, chuck listener man, I'm gonna call this. 345 00:20:15,680 --> 00:20:19,639 Speaker 1: I love this dude. And his name is Guy and 346 00:20:19,720 --> 00:20:23,240 Speaker 1: not as in hey guy, his real name is Guy. 347 00:20:23,680 --> 00:20:26,280 Speaker 1: Guy from San Francisco says, guys, just listen to the 348 00:20:26,359 --> 00:20:29,080 Speaker 1: Art Theft podcast. And by the way, we do know 349 00:20:29,119 --> 00:20:33,120 Speaker 1: about the Paris heist that just went down. Pretty cool, 350 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,440 Speaker 1: uh very intriguing for future monetary and sent of neither 351 00:20:38,040 --> 00:20:40,359 Speaker 1: here nor there. However, I have a little bit a 352 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:42,200 Speaker 1: little habit that I thought I might like to share 353 00:20:42,560 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: that loosely pertains. I have never stolen art knowingly. However, 354 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:51,160 Speaker 1: I do frequently and I'm subjected to I travel frequently, 355 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:55,520 Speaker 1: and I'm subjected to much distasteful art guilty of being 356 00:20:55,600 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 1: a budget traveler. So there's the rub. But to amuse myself, 357 00:20:58,800 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: I like to take the horrible art off the wall, 358 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:03,840 Speaker 1: take it out of the glass and frame and add 359 00:21:03,920 --> 00:21:07,919 Speaker 1: the ever so slightest detail. This guy is wonderful. He 360 00:21:08,000 --> 00:21:10,239 Speaker 1: does this in hotels. A chicken in the corner by 361 00:21:10,280 --> 00:21:12,680 Speaker 1: the barn, a seagull flying over the crest of a wave, 362 00:21:13,200 --> 00:21:15,760 Speaker 1: a beer bottle and fishing pole by the babbling brook. 363 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:20,919 Speaker 1: I do it in every hotel, motel, hotel, hostel, bungalow, 364 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:22,760 Speaker 1: you name it. I will stay there and I will 365 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,400 Speaker 1: change the art they have. Art and hostels. Now, yeah, 366 00:21:25,600 --> 00:21:28,080 Speaker 1: probably not. It makes me chuckle to think that maybe 367 00:21:28,080 --> 00:21:29,879 Speaker 1: one day someone will be staring at an awful hotel 368 00:21:29,920 --> 00:21:33,000 Speaker 1: painting and look closely and notice one of the gallant 369 00:21:33,040 --> 00:21:36,000 Speaker 1: cowboys has a tin of skull by his left boot heel. 370 00:21:36,840 --> 00:21:39,720 Speaker 1: So if you stay in cheap hotels, keep your eyes out. 371 00:21:39,880 --> 00:21:41,960 Speaker 1: People you may have stayed where a guy from San 372 00:21:42,000 --> 00:21:45,640 Speaker 1: Francisco has stayed. Just don't turn on the black light. 373 00:21:45,920 --> 00:21:49,520 Speaker 1: That's all I have to say. That's awesome. That is awesome, man. 374 00:21:50,119 --> 00:21:54,400 Speaker 1: I love to hear people doing cool stuff. Vandalism, yeah, 375 00:21:54,440 --> 00:22:00,360 Speaker 1: but it's it's vandalism with like an eye towards it's fundalism. Well, 376 00:22:00,400 --> 00:22:03,560 Speaker 1: if you're a starving artist who shows your work at 377 00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:06,640 Speaker 1: the Airport Hilton conference Room. We want to hear from you. 378 00:22:07,160 --> 00:22:10,880 Speaker 1: Just send us an email to Stuff podcast at how 379 00:22:10,960 --> 00:22:16,200 Speaker 1: stuff works dot com. Stuff you Should Know is a 380 00:22:16,200 --> 00:22:19,320 Speaker 1: production of iHeart Radio's How Stuff Works. For more podcasts 381 00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:22,240 Speaker 1: for my heart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, 382 00:22:22,280 --> 00:22:23,960 Speaker 1: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.