A fine creation of the
University of Chicago's
scavenger hunt WOMD-labs, in the effort to introduce children to warfare under tested, child-safe conditions.
Prototype designs differed little from the standard
flame thrower used by the
United States military.
Safety precautions, however, demanded a light-weight material without sharp edges, conforming to the OSHA standards for safe exposure, whereby construction was limited to rubber and plastics. Since generators were deemed hazardous, and CO2 cartridges impractical for extended maintenance of necessary force, the device had to use air pressure to eject a sufficiently strong stream of material, so as to minimize the chances of back firing, i.e., having the flame draw back into the barrel.
The use of plastics and rubber seals also limited us in our choice of inflammable fuels, since they were designed for H2O and would leak when used with Kerosene and, thus, homemade napalm. The final choice, due to costs, was grain alcohol.
The final product consisted of a multi-coloured casing, decorated with popular children's characters, with a pump below the barrel to pressurize the detachable 2 litre tank. The flame was removed from the barrel end by about 12 inches, and maintained its own fuel source in a separate container. Bayonet attachments were considered, but rejected. Initial product testing was succesful, terminating in the accidental explosion of a small dumpster; however, investors have been less than forthcoming, citing lack of proper documentation. If you are interested in the marketing of this product, please contact the author.