# Was It Really Possible to Destroy a T-34 Tank With Flaming Gasoline? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [March 10, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575 "2013-03-10T21:45:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 15\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ralph124c](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/8797f3/32.png) [@ralph124c](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ralph124c)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/1 "2013-03-10T21:45:15Z")
There are several video clips (YouTube) showing desperate German soldiers hurling Molotov Cocktails ( a bottle filed with gasoline and a lit rag) at attacking Russian tanks. Cold yo really destroy a tank this way? I suppose some of the burning gasoline might drip into the tank’s observation slits, but wold this be enough to “cook off” the tank’s own ammunition? In any case, was there any handheld German antitank weapon that cold destroy a T-34 tank? The T-34 had pretty formidable armor-it is hard to conceive that some burning gasoline could destroy one. ---
**Author:** ![SandyHook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/dec6dc/32.png) [@SandyHook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SandyHook)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/2 "2013-03-10T21:56:45Z")
Just a guess, but. . . I’m thinking that most of the tank could shrug off the little bit of gasoline with little trouble most of the time. There are a few things, like parts of the tread for instance, that might burn. The real damage would come from cutting of air to the crew and engine. Again, just a guess. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/3 "2013-03-10T22:52:35Z")
I’m pretty sure that there are two things with molotov cocktails that are pretty bad for a tank. One, the flaming gas gets into the engine and provides a mobility kill. In other words, the crew may be fine, but the tank is not going anywhere, and is on fire, with the attendant smoke and flame, making it a huge target for things that can actually hurt the crew, and/or for infantry to get up on it and throw grenades in hatches, down the gun barrel, etc… (tanks have lots of blind spots) Second, I don’t think WWII tanks were well gasketed on the hatches- throwing a molotov cocktail on top of the tank might well put a lot of flaming gasoline into the crew compartment, with all the attendant mayhem that might ensue. From what I can tell, they’re not very effective at all against modern IFVs- the engine compartment divert liquid away from the engine, and a lot of the anti-chemical warfare precautions also work well against molotov cocktails. ---
**Author:** ![Baron\_Greenback](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baron_greenback/32/48_2.png) [@Baron\_Greenback](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baron_Greenback)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/4 "2013-03-10T23:14:42Z")
I admit that my first thought concerning the term “Molotov Cocktail” wouldn’t be German soldiers against the T-34. You might want to google around the term “panzerfaust”, **ralph124c** , for a hand-held German anti-tank weapon. ---
**Author:** ![Fubaya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/c2a13f/32.png) [@Fubaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fubaya)\ **Post date:** [March 10, 2013, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/5 "2013-03-10T23:47:55Z")
The Finns coined the term and got a lot of use out of them during the Winter War. The Russian tanks of the time had grills on the rear deck over the engine that allowed fluids to get in and burn things up. A redesign fixed that, but it was still possible to choke out the engine, set something important on fire, or blind the crew, making them sitting ducks or forcing them to abandon the tank. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Milton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6bbea6/32.png) [@Mr.Milton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Milton)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/6 "2013-03-12T17:42:12Z")
FWIW… I know the question refers to a T-34 (Soviet) tank, but German tank crews were instructed not to abandon their tanks _unless they were on fire_. I suppose it is because most German tanks were well armored, and thus you’d be safer inside than outside unless there was fire with you there on the inside. Perhaps a Molotov Cocktail might at times have lead a T-34 tank crew to think their vehicle is on fire even when it might not actually be, and then stop and bail out. Advantage then goes to the infantry. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/7 "2013-03-12T20:38:58Z")
This is why “combined arms” is so vital. Tanks shouldn’t get too far beyond infantry protection. One example that is often cited is the Israeli counter-attack in 1973, on the Sinai front, where tanks got out in front a bit too far, and got swatted about a bit. When they regrouped and attacked with infantry support, they did a lot better. (Disclaimer: this is from old Strategy and Tactics magazines; James F. Dunnigan was a bit obsessed on the subject of combined arms.) ---
**Author:** ![lisiate](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f05b48/32.png) [@lisiate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lisiate)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/8 "2013-03-12T21:10:08Z")
Well I’d say wire-guided [anti tank missiles](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AT-3_Sagger)are a little bit more sophisticated than a fuel-filled bottle with a rag stuffed in the neck. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 9:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/9 "2013-03-12T21:46:53Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I’m pretty sure that there are two things with molotov cocktails that are pretty bad for a tank. > > One, the flaming gas gets into the engine and provides a mobility kill. In other words, the crew may be fine, but the tank is not going anywhere, and is on fire, with the attendant smoke and flame, making it a huge target for things that can actually hurt the crew, and/or for infantry to get up on it and throw grenades in hatches, down the gun barrel, etc… (tanks have lots of blind spots) > > Second, I don’t think WWII tanks were well gasketed on the hatches- throwing a molotov cocktail on top of the tank might well put a lot of flaming gasoline into the crew compartment, with all the attendant mayhem that might ensue. > > From what I can tell, they’re not very effective at all against modern IFVs- the engine compartment divert liquid away from the engine, and a lot of the anti-chemical warfare precautions also work well against molotov cocktails. I can say with certainty that modern tanks do not keep liquid out either. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 10:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/10 "2013-03-12T22:26:04Z")
Haven’t they all got NBC protective suites? I vaguely remember we discussed this in a prior thread, but I would have thought “keeping liquids out” was a pretty early step in the NBC-proofing process. ---
**Author:** ![CannyDan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cannydan/32/548_2.png) [@CannyDan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CannyDan)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/11 "2013-03-12T22:29:10Z")
My (perhaps inaccurate) memory of reading history suggests that the Hungarian rebels employed Molotov cocktails with considerable success against T-34 tanks in 1956 Budapest. “Considerable success” being instances where the tanks came within range of hand lofted bottles of gasoline, anyway. As I recall the story, when the Russians re-took the city, their tanks avoided close confrontations with groups of rebels by the simple expedient of machine gunning them. And avoided close approach to tall buildings not held by their own infantry. These tactics made Molotov cocktails considerably less effective. At least, that’s what my memory is saying. ---
**Author:** ![Loach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/loach/32/350_2.png) [@Loach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Loach)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2013, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/12 "2013-03-12T23:13:30Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Haven’t they all got NBC protective suites? I vaguely remember we discussed this in a prior thread, but I would have thought “keeping liquids out” was a pretty early step in the NBC-proofing process. I can not answer for all modern tanks but the M1 Abrams using an overpressure system to keep out contamination. But it doesn’t stop rain from dripping on your head. Been there, got wet. ---
**Author:** ![Otara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/a88e4f/32.png) [@Otara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otara)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/13 "2013-03-13T02:08:19Z")
Google on this has a book a few ranks down where it says that the T34 was specifically tested regarding its vulnerability to molotovs. Early on, it was very powerful and the infantry had very little that was effective against it, so the key word in that original post is probably the ‘desperate’ bit. Otara ---
**Author:** ![zoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zoid/32/336_2.png) [@zoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zoid)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/14 "2013-03-13T02:51:28Z")
Burning gasoline does little damage to the large pieces of hardened metal that make up a tank. When it leaks into the interior it does however do considerable damage to the soft, squishy items contained therein. To stop a tank you don’t need to stop the tank, just the people inside it. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 3:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/was-it-really-possible-to-destroy-a-t-34-tank-with-flaming-gasoline/652575/15 "2013-03-13T03:50:51Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > This is why “combined arms” is so vital. Tanks shouldn’t get too far beyond infantry protection. One example that is often cited is the Israeli counter-attack in 1973, on the Sinai front, where tanks got out in front a bit too far, and got swatted about a bit. When they regrouped and attacked with infantry support, they did a lot better. > > (Disclaimer: this is from old Strategy and Tactics magazines; James F. Dunnigan was a bit obsessed on the subject of combined arms.) If you by “swatted about a bit”, you mean cut to ribbons, you would be right. IIRC it was something like 200 tanks destroyed in a singke day and their commander got sacked and sent to the Central African Republic for his troubles. The Isrealis did eventually get the hang of it.