| Flame thrower tank M67 | |
| Origin: | United States |
| Type: | Medium flame tank |
| Is Vehicle: | yes |
| Service: | 1955–1974 |
| Used By: | United States |
| Wars: | Vietnam War |
| Designer: | Chemical Corps |
| Design Date: | 1954 |
| Manufacturer: | Detroit Arsenal |
| Production Date: | 1955-1956 |
| Number: | 109 |
| Weight: | 48 metric tons |
| Length: | 22 ft 7 in (6.871 m) 26 ft 6 in (8.138 m) (with gun forward) |
| Width: | 11 ft 11 in (3.632 m) |
| Height: | 10 ft 1 in (3.089 m) |
| Crew: | 3 |
| Armour: | 178 mm maximum |
| Primary Armament: | M7-6 tank flamethrower |
| Secondary Armament: | 1 × .50 in (12.7 mm) M2 MG 1 × .30 cal (7.62 mm) M1919A4 MG |
| Engine: | Continental AV-1790-5B V12, air-cooled carburetor petrol engine |
| Engine Power: | 810 hp (604 kW) |
| Transmission: | General Motors CD-850, 2 ranges forward, 1 reverse |
| Fuel Capacity: | 757 litres (M67) 1268 litres (M67A1) 1457 litres (M67A2) |
| Suspension: | Torsion bar suspension |
| Clearance: | 1 ft 4 in (0.42 m) |
| Vehicle Range: | 115 km (71,5 miles) |
| Speed: | 48 km/h (30 mph) |
The flame thrower tank M67 (also known as M67 "Zippo",[1] nicknamed after a popular brand of cigarette lighter) is an American flame tank that was briefly used by the U.S. Army, and later by the U.S. Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. It was the last flamethrower tank used in American military service.
Drawing on the experiences of crews of M4 Sherman tanks that were converted into flamethrower tanks and used during World War II, the U.S. Army Chemical Corps began work on a successor tank that was designed for the battlefields of the Cold War. Work on the design took place between 1952 and 1954, utilizing a modified M48 tank chassis, at the initiative of the US Marine Corps. Production commenced in 1955 and ran for either a single year or four, depending on some estimates. A total of 109 M67 tanks were produced for the Marine Corps and US Army.
The M67 was primarily used for mop-up style operations, and like all flamethrower tanks, it was intended to be used primarily against infantry. The "Zippo" featured no main cannon; the M48's 90mm gun was replaced with the tank's flamethrower. While firing in quick bursts, the M67's firing was described as appearing as "rods of flames".[2] The natural fear of being burned alive gave an added shock factor to the M67.[3]
The M67 remained in service until 1974, when it was retired from use without a replacement. The modern-day United States military has no flamethrower tanks in service.