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Type 74 flamethrower
Flamethrower From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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The Type 74 is a Chinese flamethrower.
Design
The Type 74 is the Chinese copy of the Soviet LPO-50 flamethrower[1].
Despite looking superficially similar to the LPO-50, there are major differences for the Type 74. The main difference being the fact that the Type 74 only possess two fuel canisters to the LPO-50's three, with the canister's volume being slightly increased to compensate for the loss of the third.[2]
The reduction of canisters lead to a reduced weight from 23 to 20 kg, but it also lead to a reduction from 3 to 2 uses before having to reload.[2]
Nevertheless, China claims that the Type 74 has technical improvements that offset the ammunition supply, with the main reason being its effectiveness against bunkers said to be doubled. Or, in other words, the Type 74 has a stronger ignition cartridge allowing for more fuel to be expelled in less time.[2]
This results in significant recoil, requiring the Type 74 to be used in the prone position.[2] As the Type 74 now has two canisters, consequently, the number of ignition charges is also reduced to two.[2]
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Adoption
The Type 74 flamethrower is still currently in-use by the People's Liberation Army Ground Force, making China the last remaining major military where the conventional flamethrower is still in-service.
The Type 74 was used in conflicts as recently as 2015 during the height of the Xinjiang conflict.[3]
According to reports from the People's Liberation Army Daily, special forces, likely from the People's Armed Police, tracked down ETIM militants to a nearby cave.[3]
Officers initially used non-lethal tear gas and stun grenades to flush them out.[3] When that failed, they opted for a Type 74 flamethrower, which succeeded. The resulting militants were then shot.[3]
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