German DM 34 Hand Thrower

[MissingSomething]

I happened to find a fired one of these...

HAFLA DM 34

The Hafla DM 34 (Flammpatrone) is a German single-shot throw-away weapon designed to propel an incendiary smoke charge to a range of about 80 metres. The Hafla DM 34 has a calibre of 35 mm and fires a built-in charge containing red phosphorus, the charge igniting after travelling between 70 and 80 metres raining burning particles over an area 10 metres wide and 15 metres long.

http://www.probertencyclopaedia.com/cgi-bin/res.pl?keyword=Hafla+DM+34&offset=0

DM34 Incendiary Hand-Thrower
This is a Halfa DM34 Incendiary Thrower sourced from Germany and issued to SOG teams as a trial. Pictures of this can be seen in Frank Greco's book Running Recon and it was called a "mini-flamethrower by those you used it and according to Ed Wolcoff wasn't considered that reliable. It was a 1-shot 40mm White Phosphorus grenade launcher and the tube is made of card board with a plastic trigger assembly.

http://www.modernforces.com/weapon_handthrower.htm




Anyone have any more info???

 

[V40]

double tap.

 

[V40]

SOG bought these through their CISO Ben "Conrad" Baker from West Germany during the Vietnam war. It states in Jane' 1975 book of Infantry Weapons that it throws a "Mass" of Phosphorous at the target; a tank. It produced a 1200 degrees C and the flame and smoke lasts for one to two minutes and covers an area of 15 meters X 5 meters. I believe at one time I was told that it fired a rocket with the phosphorus inside then when it something harder than air it would explode throwing phosphorus all over. Cancel that belief.

SOG tried them out but they had problems with the high temperature and high humidity ranges one would find in the South or even in Cambodia and laos. This was probably the reason why so many faild to fire. The Temperature of the phosphorus reached around to 1200 degrees C. The smoke and flame lasts for one to two minutes and covers an area of 15 x 5 meters.

Jane's also states that it is a "Mass" of phosphorus that comes from the weapon itself and is suppose to be good against tanks.

That is all I know about it. By the way, you mentioned two fabulous books about SOG. Good job!

Anybody else know about this weapon that was used in Vietnam?

V40

 

[blu97]

Here A drawing, I dont know anything about the use in Vietnam but it was in use by the Dutch marines. Intresting to see that yours was made in Belgium.

 

[V40]

Yep, they were used in Vietnam and you can take that to the bank! Here are pictures of mine: