I have to disagree about the latch.. I have a couple of (late war) masks which also have the flat sides... one latch is marked frn 43 and the other frn 44, so I guess the latch was changed somewhere during 43.
Tom !!!
I wanted to post the same informtion - but it weas hard to explain - and all my gasmask are away in Poland - So I couldnt post pictures.. - Good Job Tom !!
Hi Tom
You are right then.Thanks for posting the picture.I have learned something new today.It is a pitty that with my wrong info I let pass some good cans with nice owner inscriptions that I thought were postwar. I also recall seeing that time of latch with flat sides on ZF41 cans.Obviously original to the period.
When do you think they changed to flat sides in 1943?I am asking that because I own a can marked frn43 and it has what I name normal latch.I would like to know that for dating accuracy.
Thanks
Ace
Originally posted by MP44_tom
Hi guys
I have to disagree about the latch.. I have a couple of (late war) masks which also have the flat sides... one latch is marked frn 43 and the other frn 44, so I guess the latch was changed somewhere during 43.
Ace, the date of 43 is just an assumption (that the correct word?)
I checked all my cannisters and the earliest one with this type of latch is dated 43 (one), I have 3 of this type dated 44
The "normal" ones I have are dated until 42, that's why my guess would be around 43...
does this make any sense ? (remember I'm dutch and sometimes it's difficult to explain something in English )
btw, both my ZF41 cans have this type of latch (ofcourse the latches are a lot smaller then the gas mask types)
Funny about that guys. I got hold of a very old book from Lumsden, "A collector's guide to third reich militaria" and it has a photo of a wartime gas cannister with the same latch as mine complete with indented sides.
Interesting, if this is a post war which its most certainly is, why then did they go back to (presumably) a pre 1943 design?
The PLS marking could be that of the maker
I always thought that the way to tell postwar ones from genuine WW2 ones was first of all looking at the latch, then the colours,then the slings and of course the markings of the Bundeswehr in the inner filter door.
Another point is given the huge numbers of cans that survived the war,why then to built new ones for the Bundeswehr?Or the ones of the Bundeswehr were those of the WW2 issue but refurberished?
Any idea?
Ace
Originally posted by bratwurstdimsum
Funny about that guys. I got hold of a very old book from Lumsden, "A collector's guide to third reich militaria" and it has a photo of a wartime gas cannister with the same latch as mine complete with indented sides.
Interesting, if this is a post war which its most certainly is, why then did they go back to (presumably) a pre 1943 design?
Regarding the PLS maker stamping, WW2 cans is stamped inside the lid on the spare glasses compartment, so the name can't determine war / prewar cans, but the position can do, ww2 cans have no such maker stampings on top of the lid.
The new BW probably aviod the use of most of the old Nazi stuff probably for political reasons, remember the fuss about the riffle and bayonets of the Wachtkompani, but same story with the ammo pouches.
Cheers Kim, would be great if you had any late war versions to have a peak at. As I have another thread where I have images of a supposed late war canister and mask that Im thinking about buying for my collection.
Hi guys
I have to disagree about the latch.. I have a couple of (late war) masks which also have the flat sides... one latch is marked frn 43 and the other frn 44, so I guess the latch was changed somewhere during 43.
anymore opinions on this ?Tom
Tom is correct, one maker in particular with the three letter code "frn" just as Tom has mentioned switched from the more typical style pull latch to one with the edge flanges sometime in 1943. I do not know if any others switched as well, but it would be interesting to know if the firm using the code "frn" is in fact the same one making this postwar can. Can anyone ID "frn", I don't have a code guide??
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