Soviet ROKS-2 Flamethrower

[Dimas]

Here is the pictures of flamethrower ROKS 2
I've sold it about 7 years ago to the friend Thomas, the owner of the ostfront.com. It's a nice and extremelly rare item

[Dimas]

Another flamethrower pictures

[Dimas]

And the last flamethrower ROKS 2 pictures

[Adrian Stevenson]

Ultra rare bit of kit!

Thanks for showing it.

Cheers, Ade.

[Paul D]

Very rare in this condition Dim thanks for showing

[Bill Grist]

Dimas, Now I like that Flame thrower...BILL

[Tandiscum]

Dear Dimas,
Interior views of a ROKS unit that I never expected to see: thanks for going to the trouble of dismantling the receiver, and supplying so many close-up pictures.
A)- Could this be a ROKS-3 unit, as it lacks the twin fuel containers, joined by a steel bridge covering the rear and top of the containers,that resulted in the "Knapsack" look of the ROKS-2?Incidentally, were the perforations in the steel bridge purely to allow a certain cooling air-flow during hot weather (Presumably the steel plate only covered the rear and top of the cylinders, so that the unit was open on the side facing the back of the solder?)
B)- I believe ten ignition cartridges were used.-Correct? Was the Cylinder and Shield indexed to the next position, between shots, by manually turning it, unlike the automatic rotation used on the Japanese 93 & 100 units, as well as the English "Ack-Pack". Perhaps the Russians wished to reduce the rate of burst firing to conserve fuel! Anyone know how Firing Cylinder was held in an indexed position, as I have never seen anything resembling a spring locator. Perhaps there was a raised projection on Platform at end of Firing Rod housing, on to which notches in the Cylinder Shield were forced by the Shield being spring loaded towards said Platform.
C)-Am I correct in thinking that the "Safety Plunger", which moved in a slot on the left hand side of the receiver, only locked the cartridge firing rod, so that unlit fuel could still be released by pulling the split trigger when the "Safety Plunger" had deactivated the Firing Rod. (The Firing Rod would not move, as it was held forwards by the engaged "Safety", so its hook could not be caught by the trigger sear.
D)-Two triggers-It seems that the longer one was used when a "Wet" or unignited shot was needed, though I would have thought that , as an Ignited shot was most common, it would have been more comfortable to use the long trigger for this?
E)-Finally, I saw recently a Russian illustration that looked like an aerial flamethrower, shackled beneath an aircraft, with a downwardly projecting nozzle. I wonder if even Dimas knows about this.

Thanks, again, Dimas, and to any other expert who may be able to answer some, all of my queries.

[Tandiscum]

Addenda to above posting. E)- Thinking about this, I think it was a titanium tetrachloride smoke laying tank, to be mounted below the wing of an aircraft.
B)-Ten cartridges for ROKS-3, but I have seen 2/ 3 suggested for ROKS-2 .Is this feasible, as there were many more bursts of fire typically specified for this flamethrower? Also, there is a picture of a ROKS provided with what looks like an improvised metal cage in front of the muzzle, possibly to hold fuel soaked rag? Anyone any info. Thanks, experts! Tandiscum.

[Dimas]

A) The steel perforation plate was not useful for the flamethrover, due of just a compressed air used for pressing the fuel. And the fuel will not ingnite/explode if the tank damaged. Soviets doesen't use it on the flamethrowers
B)The cartridges for ignition was used blanks for Nagant revolver 1895, and there was a indexed position, placed by hand and fixed with some kind of metall ball inside, unfortunately I forgot to make a picture of that device. Also the primitive ignition system was a piece of oiled cloth, around of barrel.
C) The safety plunger is correct- safe only the ignition cartridge
D) Cold shot can be made without turning the cylynder to the shot position

[Tandiscum]

Dear Dimas,
Thanks for most informative reply, despite your heavy-workload.
A) I had always assumed that the "Primitive" igniter was a device made by troops when unable to get cartridges! There is an excellent view of it in a photograph of a smiling soldier, looking very Mongolian. (I cannot find picture again!) It looks as if the igniter is fixed to the side of the chamber, and revolves with it? Correct?
B)-The split cylindrical flame-shield is missing from this photograph, and your weapon. Did it get lost often, and was it used to turn the cylinder?
C)-The cylinder has grooves on the rim, and possibly small holes through it, as the "Primitive" lighter also has small holes. Are these to let air reach the flame, as there are no holes in the flame shield?
D) Was the cylinder reloaded with cartridges on the weapon, or could it be removed for pre-loading? What prevented the cartridges falling out-it can't have been the flame shield, as this was often missing?
E) Your picture show a second, longer trigger pivoted to the short main trigger-Could "Cold" shots be produced by pulling this long trigger, as well as by not moving the cylinder to bring an unfired cartridge into position?
F) Lastly, I was led to believe that the unit with twin vertical fuel tanks, joined by a plate with mysterious holes having rounded edges (Ventilate back of soldier?; inserting branches with leaves for camouflage ?, edges rounded to prevent branches entering the holes when passing though thick bushes or forest? as the ROKS-2, wheras the single fuel tank, with vertical air tank, was the ROKS-3 model. As our resident expert on all things Russian, is this incorrect?
Finally, no more questions, as you breathe a sigh of relief.
Thanks, again for all your ready assistance.
Tandiscum.