MAIN ARMAMENT FLAME THROWER IN MEDIUM TAN

[Music] the combat efficiency of any weapon depends on proper maintenance the mechanized flamethrower is no exception maintenance is all important you've got to know how it works above all how to keep it working functionally the most important part of this weapon is the gun itself it's a precision instrument and here it is all set up with inlet connections ready for firing these elbow brackets are the main points of support the main fuel flows through the feed manifold at the bottom and enters the gun body or vertical trunnion through these two elbows the secondary fuel flows through the main control valve and into the gun body this control valve also releases air to the main piston chamber this opens the main fuel valve against the action of a spring in this housing the gun actuating air is released through a pilot valve which opens when the fuel firing button is pressed the rest of the lines terminate at the ballistic plate the atomizer air and fuel flow through these copper tubes and out of the atomizer nozzle as an ignitable mixture of gas and air air and fuel are released simultaneously by the atomizer control valve when the igniter pedal is pressed this pedal also closes the circuit which provides current for the two spark plugs 12 000 volts ac flows through these wires flame gun nozzle replacements are simple just remove the four flange bolts then take off the long extension two sizes are provided the half inch and the three quarter inch diameter here we see what the gun looks like disassembled notice that the nozzle is in three sections notice also that the flange connection to the long extension is far enough forward to make field replacement easy back of this is a shorter section then the tapered section in this the fuel rod is reduced from two inches to three quarters of an inch this nozzle is bolted to the gun body in which the main and secondary fuels first meet the secondary fuel is fed in at a steady rate through the inlet at the top it flows around and coats the stream of thickened fuel through the sixty holes in this brass cylinder the valve for the main fuel is housed in this chamber and closes into a seat in the gun body now when gun actuating air passes through the main control valve it moves the main fuel valve to the rear this lets the fuel flow into the gun nozzle for firing when the pressure is cut off the main spring reseats the valve these elbows act as trunnions for the gun during elevation or depression rubber o-rings prevent leakage of fuel at these joints careful inspections must be made leaks in valves may cause them to react slowly in firing when air or fuel leaks are detected trace the trouble to its source check the valves and seats for abrasions or wear these can be carefully and lightly ground or replaced altogether when this is necessary with the seat for the main fuel valve change the fiber disc and nut a bad seal here and the main fuel will leak check the rubber o-rings for looseness cutting or deformity if you use spares clean and oil them before installing polish off any abrasions especially where o-rings contact metal surfaces check inlet ports and vents to be sure they're not obstructed when you reassemble the gun remember this all your work and care will be for nothing if you trap dirt inside so play it safe wash the parts in clean gasoline and dry them be sure all parts are realigned and all defective o-rings and gaskets have been replaced put back the split collar which holds the elbow in place then bolt it down use lock washers with each bolt tighten securely the only grease fittings on the gun are those on the trunnion elbows there are three on each side fill them monthly or whenever you notice difficulty in elevating the gun lubrication of other moving parts is important too for example this rotary joint which allows the turret its full 360 degree traverse see that the housing is packed with grease and that the oil level is maintained oil the pins on firing controls once a week and grease fittings when they need it gasoline and air cox get special treatment they have to be greased often to prevent leakage and to be sure they work easily special grease comes in stick form there are two kinds the small white ones for air [ __ ] the others for gasoline [ __ ] they are not interchangeable here's how to use it first insert the proper grease then replace and tighten down the screw before servicing the flame thrower for a mission there are a number of preventive maintenance measures that have to be taken remove the cover from the dummy tube check to see that both plugs will give a good spark when the ignition switch is operated the spark gap should be about 1 16 of an inch clean carbon off plugs and around electrodes if the porcelain is cracked replace the plug see that the nozzle is aligned behind the hole in the plate make sure everything is secure if there's any fuel residue in the dummy tube scrape it out otherwise it'll ignite and cause muzzle burning dried residual fuel can clog up the long extension nozzle so be sure to keep the bore clean when you've got time or after firing 15 loads of fuel give the entire unit a more thorough going over disassemble and inspect control valves this is the main control valve the atomizer control valve and the pilot valve examine the main control valve check the body for scoring see that all the openings in the bonnet are clear and the gasket is not defective check the ceiling rings on the piston for possible wear see that the valve is clean and undamaged be sure that the spring works properly the same inspection goes for the atomizer control valve and for the pilot valve then clean and lubricate before reassembling hose couplings pipe unions valves and flange joints in the whole system have to be checked make sure they're tight now one of the most important points clogged up filters or screens will slow up operation wash them in clean gasoline and dry them thoroughly before replacing if you notice breakage or damage like this replace the screen spare parts kits for first echelon maintenance are carried in the flame thrower tank these kits include gaskets o-rings bolts washers valve pistons springs regulator parts and coil vibrators also included are necessary tools and lubricants for second and third echelon work other parts and tools are necessary there are some more important points to ensure proper functioning of the unit firing troubles can frequently be traced to the main pressure regulator trouble coming from here can cause the main fuel relief valve to open like this or the safety disc will blow if this happens replace it often adjusting the regulator will be sufficient but if that doesn't work remove it and strip it check the valve and seat thoroughly they are most important sometimes you need a new gasket another source of trouble can be in the ignition adjust the atomizer air and fuel pressures until you get the proper flame if there's no ignition flame at all check these points the spark gap it may be too wide it might be coated with carbon the plugs may need replacing or one of the coils may be bad if everything's okay with the spark plugs and the gun still doesn't fire properly check the atomizer nozzle it may be clogged clean it out fuel residue given here in the dummy tube causes muzzle burning and must be cleaned out always remove the spark plugs first leaking air can be caused by loose connections or a faulty [ __ ] tighten the stem and lubricate if the leak continues replace the [ __ ] a leaky atomizer nozzle is sometimes a source of trouble in a case like this check the spring and o rings in the atomizer control valve if flow is [ __ ] in any way clean air filters and fuel strainers don't use too much lubricant on the [ __ ] or you'll clog the lines if there are leaks in the fuel lines tighten the joints as a final precaution fire a flushing load of light oil fill the main fuel containers and let the oil stand in them for 24 hours firing this will clean out the entire flame thrower system [Music] when tactical and supply conditions permit test your fire with thickened fuel have observers check ignition the stability of the rod that is how it stays together and also the range make sure your weapon is right remember it's not enough just to get into action you've got to get it there in perfect shape then it will do what it was made to do [Music] you