'Never Miss' Molotovs?

[Tom Terror]

Originally posted by RichardTheFirst:
Hey Coscinu:
Wasn't Molotov one of your generals?

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Molotov was the soviet minister of foreign affairs.

So Molotov cocktail very likely translates into (deadly) cocktail for molotov.

TomT

[Larry Holt]

Molotovs were used in the Spanish Civil War before WWII so I am not sure if the Finns used them first. Perhaps the Finns had them prior to the Spanish war but I am not sure.

Molotovs that are manufactured as weapons (as opposed to those that soldiers just make in the field) have non flamable igniters, that is chemicals that burn when mixed or exposed to air. Thus there is no need to show a flame or find a match (it could be raining out) to use them.

[Tommy]

Originally posted by James Coscinu:

... Molotovs are not napalm or thermite, they are basicly high-temperature burning liquid in a broken bottle...

I beleive that most of the Molotovs had a "thickener" added, such as wax (parafin) or soap. This made it a "napalm; gelled gasoline" that would stick & burn longer.
Check out:

Winter War "Molotov" page

Note the reference to adding tar to make smoke to suppress the target.

Tommy

[Tommy]

Oh, one more thing. I just had 5 squads of Soviet SMG's surround a Mk IV. They threw all 10 of their molotovs at it - without a kill. The tank bugged out backwards in retreat.

Yah, I know, the sights on the bottles must have been bent causing the poor aim. Or maybe they had to empty the Vodka first to recycle the bottles.

Tommy