Thickened fuels give up to twice the range of liquid fuels. The stream of thickened fuel is comparatively narrow. Most of the glue-like fuel clings to and burns in or on the target for as long as 6 minutes. Liquid fuels, on the other hand, are largely consumed in flight to the target. If the location of small openings in the target is known, the stream of thickened fuel can be spotted by accurate aiming so that most of the fuel enters directly into the openings. While it does not billow around corners as does liquid fuel, thickened fuel strikes the target with force enough to ricochet inside. It clings to skin and clothing while burning. It also has excellent incendiary effects. The initial flame and smoke are less from thickened fuel than from liquid fuel, but the lower visibility, greater range, and much longer burning period of thickened fuel compensate for its smaller screening effect. Liquid fuels are easier to pour when filling than are thickened fuels. 35. PREPARATION OF THICKENED FUELS. _a. Ingredients._ Thickened fuels consist of U.S. Army fuel thickener mixed with fuel. (1) _Thickener._ U.S. Army thickener is supplied in airtight cans, each containing 5-1/4 pounds of the material. (2) _Gasoline and fuel oil._ Gasoline alone is often used with thickener, but mixtures of gasoline and light fuel oil may be used satisfactorily. The light fuel oil can be either No. 1 fuel oil, No. 2 fuel oil, automotive diesel oil, or kerosene. These mixtures give more heat and do not form crusts. Except in hot climates, 75 percent or more of the mixture by weight or volume should be gasoline. (If too much light fuel oil is included, the fuel tends to separate into two layers.) In tropical theaters, a thickened blend of 50 percent gasoline and 50 percent light fuel oil has been reported to give favorable results. Storage qualities are not known, however. Another mixture which has been well recommended in field reports is 15 gallons of gasoline to 5 gallons of diesel fuel oil. Issue gasoline may be used, but locally procured gasolines which contain alcohol are not suitable. _b. Proportion of thickener to fuel._ Less thickener is recommended than formerly. A low ratio of thickener gives a thickened fuel with many of the characteristics of liquid fuel. One can of thickener to 20 U.S. gallons of gasoline, or gasoline and light fuel-oil mixture, gives good results. This is a 4.2 percent by weight mixture. Except in hot weather, a fuel mixture of less than 3 percent thickener requires such long stirring that its preparation is impractical. _c. Equipment._ An open-head 55-gallon or 42-gallon drum and an improvised wooden mixing paddle are used. Five-gallon cans may be employed to transfer the ingredients. The paddle should be approximately 5 feet long, 2 inches wide, and 1 inch thick. If a standard 55-gallon, open-head drum with an internal diameter of 27-7/16 inches is used, the improvised paddle should be marked to indicate gallons as follows: