M1 flamethrower

M1A1 Flamethrower
M1A1 flamethrower being used against a Japanese bunker, March 1944.
Type	Flamethrower
Place of origin	United States
Service history
In service	1941–1945
Used by	United States Republic of China Philippine Commonwealth Philippines Vietcong
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designer	US Army Chemical Warfare Service
Designed	1940–41
Manufacturer	State Factories
No. built	13,886 (1,000 M1 & 12,886 M1A1)
Variants	E1, E1R1, M1, M1A1
Specifications
Mass	70 lb (31.8 kg)
Crew	2
Rate of fire	~half a gallon a second
Effective firing range	65.5 ft (20 m)
Maximum firing range	141 feet (43 m)
Feed system	5 shots 1 (4.7 gal) Napalm infused gasoline tank (fuel) 1 Nitrogen tank (propellant)
Sights	None

The M1 and M1A1 were portable flamethrowers developed by the United States during World War II. The M1 weighed 72 lb, had a range of 15 meters, and had a fuel tank capacity of five gallons. The improved M1A1 weighed less, at 65 lb, had a much longer range of 45 meters, had the same fuel tank capacity, and fired thickened fuel (napalm).

Development of the weapon began in July 1940. The first prototype had the designation of E1. The prototype was further refined into the E1R1 model, which resulted in the adopted M1 model in August 1941. These man-portable weapons saw little use in Europe. They were more common in the Pacific, where they were used extensively when attacking pillboxes and fortifications. The M1's unreliability and lack of developed tactics resulted in the failure of the first flamethrower attack on a Japanese fortification in December 1942. The M1 was gradually replaced by the M1A1 in 1943. The M1A1 was replaced by the M2 flamethrower later during the war.