CB2001
Master Member
Well, if you've been paying some attention over at the costume forum, you'd know that I'm currently working on a not so screen accurate R.J. MacReady costume. For those unfamiliar with John Carpenter's The Thing, I definitely recommend you check it out. But one of the most important tools used throughout the film are flamethrowers, which are useful in combating a creature that can't even die through normal means.
This post is here to serve as a bit of a placeholder and build thread for the flamethrower prop I will be constructing. I'll be posting some pictures here and possibly even do a video of the build (I don't know if I could submit it to the RPF's YouTube channel, but still, I'll be shooting it).
I should point out that despite my attempts at trying to be as screen-accurate, I may not be able to do so due to the limited amount of money I'm investing into the costume and prop together. And since my dad is insisting on helping out, my wanting for screen accuracy may be difficult due to his belief that "no one's going to notice" mentality (despite the fact I keep telling him that we're most likely to run into members of the RPF at MegaCon).
Enough about me, now it's time for some reference material and info.
Now, the flamethrower is an item that carries over from the original novella. Many have asked why a research outpost would have flamethrowers for. The answer is really simple: back in the time the novella was created by John W. Campbell Jr., flamethrowers were not only used to help melt ice and make it hard to create patches of runways for plans, they were also used to de-ice wings of cargo plans (back when they were made of metal). Below are several pictures of the flamethrower used in the film (NOTE: There is a second one featured briefly in one scene, but I'm focusing on the one used primarily in multiple scenes).
Now, according to the Internet Movie Firearm Database, the flamethrower is listed as a M2A1-7 Flamethrower, as pictured here.
As you can see with the picture, this is only partly correct. After comparing the flamethrower, the pack appears to belong to the M2A1-7, but the thrower pictured on the site was not the same one seen in the film. After searching around more, I came across this picture below.
This flamethrower unit is called the M9 Flamethrower. As you can see, the pack is different from the M2A1-7, but the thrower's gun is the same one used with the packs in the film. Apparently, the production swapped the guns for the M2A1-7 for the ones for the M9, which (in my personal opinion) looks better than the too sleek design of the M2A1-7. The M9 itself was used primarily during the Vietnam War.
Additional Edit: After looking around, I came across a website that had information about Vietnam Era Flamethrowers. Basically, the army actually used a M2A1-7 with the M9 thrower gun during the Vietnam War (and having to seen a picture of the pack and thrower gun, it matches what is seen in the film). It could very well be possible that the production found a surplus of these particular packs with thrower gun combo.
So, in closing the M2A1-7 (which is a WWII flamethrower) pack is paired with the M9 (Vietnam War flamethrower) gun to create the flamethrower used in Carpenter's film.
This will be the pack I will attempt to assemble. So far, I have purchased an A.L.I.C.E. frame and will be purchasing and using PVC to create the pack and gun (my dad already has a hose in mind to use for the thrower). It will be assembled in a way where I can attach and detach the "tanks", so being able to use the A.L.I.C.E. frame for other purposes.
If anyone else wishes to make a flamethrower prop (of unique and similar design), Indy Mogul's Backyard FX did a video tutorial on how to make one.
If anyone else has any information to contribute about this particular prop weapon, please feel free to include it. This post will serve as both a resource and as a build thread. Thank you very much for your time, thus far.
This post is here to serve as a bit of a placeholder and build thread for the flamethrower prop I will be constructing. I'll be posting some pictures here and possibly even do a video of the build (I don't know if I could submit it to the RPF's YouTube channel, but still, I'll be shooting it).
I should point out that despite my attempts at trying to be as screen-accurate, I may not be able to do so due to the limited amount of money I'm investing into the costume and prop together. And since my dad is insisting on helping out, my wanting for screen accuracy may be difficult due to his belief that "no one's going to notice" mentality (despite the fact I keep telling him that we're most likely to run into members of the RPF at MegaCon).
Enough about me, now it's time for some reference material and info.
Now, the flamethrower is an item that carries over from the original novella. Many have asked why a research outpost would have flamethrowers for. The answer is really simple: back in the time the novella was created by John W. Campbell Jr., flamethrowers were not only used to help melt ice and make it hard to create patches of runways for plans, they were also used to de-ice wings of cargo plans (back when they were made of metal). Below are several pictures of the flamethrower used in the film (NOTE: There is a second one featured briefly in one scene, but I'm focusing on the one used primarily in multiple scenes).
Now, according to the Internet Movie Firearm Database, the flamethrower is listed as a M2A1-7 Flamethrower, as pictured here.
As you can see with the picture, this is only partly correct. After comparing the flamethrower, the pack appears to belong to the M2A1-7, but the thrower pictured on the site was not the same one seen in the film. After searching around more, I came across this picture below.
This flamethrower unit is called the M9 Flamethrower. As you can see, the pack is different from the M2A1-7, but the thrower's gun is the same one used with the packs in the film. Apparently, the production swapped the guns for the M2A1-7 for the ones for the M9, which (in my personal opinion) looks better than the too sleek design of the M2A1-7. The M9 itself was used primarily during the Vietnam War.
Additional Edit: After looking around, I came across a website that had information about Vietnam Era Flamethrowers. Basically, the army actually used a M2A1-7 with the M9 thrower gun during the Vietnam War (and having to seen a picture of the pack and thrower gun, it matches what is seen in the film). It could very well be possible that the production found a surplus of these particular packs with thrower gun combo.
So, in closing the M2A1-7 (which is a WWII flamethrower) pack is paired with the M9 (Vietnam War flamethrower) gun to create the flamethrower used in Carpenter's film.
This will be the pack I will attempt to assemble. So far, I have purchased an A.L.I.C.E. frame and will be purchasing and using PVC to create the pack and gun (my dad already has a hose in mind to use for the thrower). It will be assembled in a way where I can attach and detach the "tanks", so being able to use the A.L.I.C.E. frame for other purposes.
If anyone else wishes to make a flamethrower prop (of unique and similar design), Indy Mogul's Backyard FX did a video tutorial on how to make one.
If anyone else has any information to contribute about this particular prop weapon, please feel free to include it. This post will serve as both a resource and as a build thread. Thank you very much for your time, thus far.
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