Tuesday, June 17, 2008

Incendiaries

Incendiary devices are used to start arson fires and as anti-personnel devices.

Molotov Cocktail
This is the simplest incendiary device, used first by civilians in Eastern Europe against Soviet invaders (the Soviet foreign minister was named Molotov). It consists of a glass bottle 1/4 filled with combustible liquid fuel and a fuel-soaked rag stuffed into the bottle's mouth as a fuse. Adding about 1/4, by volume, of liquid soap will make the fuel sticky and it will cling to whatever target it is thrown at. The fuse is lit and the bottle thrown at the target. It then shatters and spreads flames in a roughly 4' radius. Don't fill the bottle too full as it might explode in your hand when lit.

"Drano" + Brake Fluid Firebomb
A type of Molotov cocktail, which doesn't require a fuse or initiator can be made by filling a glass bottle with brake fluid and placing it into a paper bag with "Drano" crystals in the bottom. When this device is thrown the bottle shatters allowing the brake fluid and "Drano" to mix, which causes the brake fluid to burst into flames.

Time Delay Firebomb
This is essentially a Molotov cocktail with a time delay mechanism (see Improvised Initiators + Delay Mechanisms) which allows fires to be set at some time after the operative has left the scene. In this case the container is filled almost full with fuel. A plastic container works best for this application as it will not contain the burning fuel the way that glass might. The effectiveness of this firebomb can be increased by inserting a small, waterproofed pipe-bomb into the top of the container and setting the delay to initiate this bomb. When the pipe-bomb explodes it will send jets of flame in all directions, causing a very large fire.

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