Aliens

Along with the Pulse Rifle this is perhaps the most recognisable and sought after of the entire Aliens armoury. Used throughout the movie by the Colonial Marines and predominantly by Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley character in the films exciting climax. Flame thrower units strike a particular chord with many fans of the Aliens movies due to the heritage of a similar weapon being the sole defence against the original creature in Ridley Scott’s 1979 masterpiece, Alien.

There were a number of different versions of this weapon made for filming, each used for particular requirements on set. Unlike the rest of the film’s arsenal, this weapon is more of a custom fabricated prop and is not based on any existent military hardware. The source for the flame unit is actually two M16’s moulded and spliced together, the handle and receiver section clearly evident to the centre. The front section is a 203 grenade launcher frame painted green (the same colour as most of the film’s weapons). This particular prop had a functioning small blue pilot flame which was powered by a gas canister inside the main housing.

This is many peoples favourite weapon from the movie as it is so distinctively different from the others featured. It is also well documented that due to Sigourney Weaver’s real life anti-firearm stance she was particularly relieved that her character despatched the alien nasties using a means other than conventional gun. The flame unit is now synonymous with the Ripley character and was featured heavily in the movie’s promotion. The indelible image of Ripley cradling Newt in one arm and the flame thrower in the other is etched into the minds of movie goers the world over. “This time its war”