The Flamethrower (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781472809025)

Fire is one of humanity's most rudimentary tools, but also one of its oldest killers. This focus of this book is a weapon that has literally placed the power of fire in human hands - the man-portable flamethrower. From its very first use in World War I to its deployment in Vietnam, the weapon has proven to be devastatingly effective, not least because of its huge psychological impact on enemy troops - few other weapons in history have caused such terror. Yet despite this, the man-portable flamethrower has always been vulnerable, suffering from a very particular set of limitations, all of which are explored here, as are some lesser-known capabilities such as the ability to 'bounce' a stream of flammable liquid off the interior surfaces of fortified structures. Featuring expert analysis, first-hand accounts, and a startling array of illustrations and photographs, this book is the definitive guide to an extraordinary chapter in the history of military technology.

Author: Chris McNab
ISBN-10: 1472809025
ISBN-13: 9781472809025
Publisher: Osprey Publishing (UK)
Language: English
Published: 08/18/2015
Pages: 80
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.48lbs
Size: 9.70h x 7.20w x 0.30d

About the Author
Chris McNab is an author and editor specializing in military history and military technology. To date he has published more than 40 books, including A History of the World in 100 Weapons, Deadly Force, and Tools of Violence. He is the contributing editor of Hitler's Armies: A History of the German War Machine 1939-45 and Armies of the Napoleonic Wars . Chris has also written extensively for major encyclopedia series, magazines and newspapers. The author lives in Llandarcy, Wales.