Molotov Cocktails

B.M.T. 2002

   First used by Russians against German tanks, the Molotov cocktail is now used by terrorists as a classic street fighting weapon served up around the world. They are extremely simple to make and can produce devastating results.

Production
   Fill a thin-walled bottle half full with gasoline. Gasoline produces nice effects, though burns very fast so there is need to stabilize it a bit. Styrofoam spreads the flames around and regulates the burning: break up some styrofoam (coffee cups work fine) and let it sit in the gasoline for a few days. You can also use soap flakes (not detergents) instead of styrofoam. The mixture should be slushy and almost fill the bottle. Such mixture has nearly the same properties as napalm.
   After putting the flammable liquid in the bottle, simply put a piece of cloth that is soaked in the liquid in the top of the bottle so that it fits tightly. Then wrap some of the cloth around the neck and tie it. Be sure to leave a 10-15 cm of lose cloth to light.  
   Gasoline can be subsituted by any highly flammable liquid, such as diesel fuel, kerosene, ethyl or methyl alcohol, lighter fluid, turpentine, or any mixture of the above. Flammable mixtures such as kerosene and motor oil should be mixed with a more volatile and flammable liquid, such as gasoline to insure ignition. Some actually prefer a gasoline-kerosene mixture instead of plain gasoline, and it works very well. A mixture such as grease and gasoline will stick to the surface that it strike and burn hotter and be more difficult to extinguish.  A mixture such as this must be shaken well before it is lit and thrown.

Usage
   Throwing, although not a safest method, is usually necessary. Classic technique is to light the exposed cloth and throw the bottle.  If the burning cloth does not go out, and if the bottle breaks on impact, the contents of the bottle will splatter over a large area near the site of impact and burst into flame.  
   There are better ways than the classic. The following is a much safer method: once the mixture is prepared and inside the bottle, cap it tightly using the original cap or a suitable cork. Then wash the bottle off with alcohol and wipe it clean (the alcohol wipe not only is a safety factor, but it eliminates tell-tale fingerprints in case the Molotov doesn't ignite. Use thin rubber gloves anyway). Just before you leave to strike a target, take a strip of rag or a tampax and dip it in gasoline. Wrap this "fuse" in a small plastic baggie and attach the whole thing to the neck of the capped bottle with the aid of several rubber bands. When you are ready to toss, use a lighter to ignite the baggie. Pall back your arm and fling it as soon as the tampax catches fire. This is a very safe method if followed to the letter. The bottle must break to ignite, so be sure to throw it with some force against a hard surface.
   Instead of throwing the bottle, you can lit it and leave somewhere, making a firebomb. A firecrackers stuck in the bottle cap will do better than a flaming rag, but remember to get the one with a long fuse unless you want the Molotov to explode in your hands.