Flame Thrower (Nostromo)

"Most animals retreat from fire, yes?"
"Fire, yeah. Parker, can you rig three or four incinerator units?"
"Give me about twenty minutes, I'll do it."

―Ash, Dallas and Parker, discussing the use of Flame Throwers against the Alien (from Alien)

Flame Thrower
Production Information
Type	Flamethrower
Technical Information
Size	Length 88 cm
Ammunition	Pressurized, ultra-thickened napthal ignited by a nozzle burner
Range	30 m (effective)
Usage
Era(s)	2120s
Affiliation	USCSS Nostromo crew

The Flame Thrower, also known as the incinerator unit, was a flamethrower custom-built by Dennis Parker. Like the M240 Incinerator Unit, the Flame Thrower fired ultra-thickened napthal at an effective range of 30 meters.

In June 2122, Flame Throwers were used by the crew of the USCSS Nostromo to combat the Alien. All Flame Throwers aboard the Nostromo were destroyed when the ship's self destruct system detonated.

Overview

Dallas Arthur firing a Flame Thrower.

Like the M240 Incinerator Unit used by the United States Colonial Marine Corps, the Flame Thrower fired pressurized, ultra-thickened napthal ignited by the Flame Thrower's nozzle burner at an effective range of 30 meters. The Flame Thrower had maximum burst of 20 seconds. The weapon was 88 centimeters long and weighed 2.7 kilograms, the same length and weight as the M240 with a full reservoir.

"Rigging" (assembling or setting up) 3 or 4 Flame Throwers apparently took about 20 minutes.

History

"How are our weapons?"
"The weapons are fine. This one needs refueling."

―Ripley and Parker, referring to their Flame Throwers

Parker showing the remaining crew Dallas' Flame Thrower in the mess hall.

After a Xenomorph Chestburster emerged from Gilbert Kane aboard the USCSS Nostromo in 2122, Samuel Brett was killed by the fully grown Drone when the crew went searching for the creature. Dallas Arthur concluded the creature was using the ship's ventilation ducts to move around and proposed a plan to flush it into the main airlock, at which point it could be jettisoned into space. Ash suggested that, since it worked on animals, fire might work to force the Xenomorph to retreat and Dallas ordered Dennis Parker to "rig three or four" Flame Throwers, who told him it would take "about twenty minutes". Once the Flame Throwers were ready, Dallas went into the ducts armed with one, firing the Flame Thrower occasionally, but was eventually caught by the Drone, dropping his Flame Thrower. Parker later retrieved his Flame Thrower and placed it down on the mess hall table, before picking it back up and carrying it and then leaving the resy of the crew to refuel it.

Parker before incinerating Ash.

After Ash was discovered to be a synthetic by the crew, Parker used his Flame Thrower to incinerate his remains. Parker then took the Flame Thrower with him when he and Joan Lambert went to sufficient coolant for the life support systems of the Narcissus, which the rest of the crew planned to flee the Nostromo with. Ellen Ripley stayed behind with another Flame Thrower. The Alien eventually encountered Lambert and Parker tried to fire his Flame Thrower at the Drone, but refrained from doing so for fear of catching Lambert in the flames. He instead grabbed a hook and attempted to charge the creature, but was quickly overpowered. The Xenomorph then killed Parker, before killing Lambert as well.

Ripley running to the shuttle with a Flame Thrower.

The only survivor, Ripley fled to the Narcissus, carrying a Flame Thrower and Jones in his cat box. Before reaching the Narcissus, Ripley dropped the Flame Thrower, leaving it to be destroyed along with the rest of the Flame Throwers on board the Nostromo when the ship's self destruct system detonated.

Non-canon depictions

Novelization

Main article: Alien (novel)

In the novelization of Alien, the crew corner the Alien in a food store, and Dallas fires at it with his Flame Thrower, chasing the creature into the ship's ventilation ducts.

Alien Director's Cut

Main article: Alien Director's Cut

Ripley firing the Flame Thrower in the Director's Cut.

In the Alien Director's Cut (perhaps the most famous deleted scene reinstated in the cut), as Ripley is trying to escape the Nostromo after activating the ship's self-destruct system, she discovers Dallas and Brett, the latter of whom is still alive, cocooned and being turned into Eggs in a Hive created by the Alien. Dallas begs Ripley to kill and him and she complies, using a Flame Thrower to incinerate Dallas and Brett.

Behind the scenes

A practical Flame Thrower prop created for Alien.

According to Phil Rae, Martin Bower or Bill Pearson did the deatiling on the Flame Thrower (it is believed Bower did the detailing).

The large raised section on the front of the Flame Thrower is the result of a large (compared to modern lighters) electronic gas lighter with a U2 battery (more commonly known as a D battery) being used to create the pilot light. A remote switch was used to turn on the lighter inside the Flame Thrower. Once the Flame Thrower was lit, director Ridley Scott "liked to keep it that way".

Although much of the parts used to make the Flame Thrower remain unidentified, the two rectangular pieces with two rectangular holes in them (each) located near the front of the right side of the Flame Thrower are from Hornby Railways piers kits, and can be found in at least R.654 and R.655 sets; it appears the piece in front of the two pieces is made with half of the Hornby part. Also, it is possible the the red tank and yoke attached to it are from a French Fenzy buoyancy compensator. Additionally, the strap found on some Fenzys is very similar to the one used by the Flame Thrower. The pipe on the right side of the Flame Thrower appears to be the same kind used on the Nostromo model.

At least Sigourney Weaver (Ripley) test-fired the Flame Thrower (presumably before using it on set) on the lawn at Shepperton Studios' backlot.

The use of the Flame Thrower in Alien began something of a tradition in the Alien franchise of flamethrower weaponry featuring in the films — Aliens would prominently feature the M240 Incinerator Unit, Alien Resurrection would feature the Draco Double Burner and {{{1}}}

would also feature a flamethrower. Despite not featuring flamethrowers, the prisoners in Alien3 also used fire as a weapon against the Dragon.

Trivia

• In Alien, the Flame Throwers are never actually used against the Alien; the only person who has a chance to do so is Parker, but he refrains from firing for fear of catching Lambert in the cross-fire. However, it is fired by Ripley and Dallas in the Director's Cut and novelization, receptively.
• As the weapons were custom-made by Parker, it is presumed the incinerator units were all destroyed along with the Nostromo itself.
• In the Aliens: Colonial Marines multiplayer map Nostromo, an M240 Incinerator Unit can be found on the same table where Parker lays down Dallas' Flame Thrower after recovering it from the vent where Dallas was taken by the Alien and next to the two tracking devices. This was likely done as a reference to the film.

Appearances

• Alien/novel
• The Great Movie Ride

Gallery

Ripley with the flamethrower as she heads for the escape shuttle.

Ripley puts the cocooned Dallas out of his misery.

Ripley with the Flame Thrower in a promotional image.

Publicity photo of Parker holding a Flame Thrower.

Sigourney Weaver test-firing the flamethrower on the lawn at the back lot at Shepperton Studios.

The Flame Thrower's page in the Fox Store's The Alien Legacy page. Note that some parts of the page are broken.

Ripley and Parker armed with Flame Throwers (bottom left) in an Alien puzzle.

A screen-used, non-firing Flame Thrower prop from Alien auctioned by Profiles in History.

Prop Store CEO and founder Stephen Lane holding Sigourney Weaver's Flame Thrower prop at SDCC 2013.

Sigourney Weaver's Flame Thrower original prop from Alien on display at San Diego Comic-Con 2013 at the Prop Store's booth (#3645).

Ditto.

The Prop Store setting up their SDCC 2013 booth. Weaver's Flame Thrower prop can be glimpsed in the bottom of the cabinet.

The valve of a Fenzy M3.

The Hornby piers part used on the Flame Thrower (top of the pile).

Videos

Prop Store Live Auction - Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) Flamethrower - Alien (Lot 3)

Stephen Lane Comic Con Preview Wednesday Mini Interview

See also

• Laser pistol (Nostromo) - The other weapon used by the crew of the Nostromo.
• Flamethrower (Prometheus) - The flamethrower used by the crew of the USCSS Prometheus.

External links

• Hero non-firing Flamethrower from Alien. - by Profiles in History
• ORIGINAL FLAME THROWER FROM ALIEN
• Ripley's Flamethrower - Prop Store - Ultimate Movie Collectibles