Lets get gasmask Cannisters sorted!

[Matt Starr]

I've been confused since on a thread about gasmask the other day someone said that post war cannisters have flat stamped down sides to the spring catches and wartime do not

Illustrated here on this nice Cannister belonging to Patrick



but Patricks is fine of-course, so where did this flat sided catch idea come from??

Matt

[MP44_tom]

As far as I'm concerned its quite simple:

A post war gas mask cannister is stamped with a Vers Nr (versorgungs nummer, which has the same function as a Nato Stock Number) and is dated. (I have a 1957 model)

War time flat sided latches are also dated (All mine are frn 44)

HTH
Tom
www.mp44.nl

[MP44_tom]

example



Tom
www.mp44.nl

[afrika]

Matt, don't believe the hype !!!

I'm with Tom on this one. Late war canisters sometimes have flat pressed sides to the latches. The cans I own that do are all frn44 as well. Post war will have a NSN- NATO Stock Number- on it with "12" as part of the number series, I think the second set of numbers which is the designation for made in West Germany. They will also sometimes have a canvas covering to the outside. NOTE- post war cans sometimes have "standard" latches as well!!!


Steve

[Bernhard]

Hi guys,
I think that they started around 1943 with the pressed latches.
For comparison I took some pics of some of my cannisters,

Cheers

Bernhard

[Bernhard]

Here from left to right starting with a 1940 dated can you can see them till `44.
Most are from the "frn" maker.

[Bernhard]

Size comparison between a 1937 pre war can and a 1941 can.
These latches are very good quality , because two or three years ago I
found one complete gasmask in the ground and with a little "persuation"
it still functioned.

[afrika]

Case dismissed, I'd say!

[Matt Starr]

Cheers lads!