23 replies to this topic

[Bob Hudson]

Found this one at the swap meet last week. It's a 12-pocket, roll-up fishing kit and according to what it says in the instruction sheet, it's US Navy issue. The pouch is HBT and designed so that it can be worn as an apron so you'd have easy access to the equipment. This one has never been used and even still has the tape around the pieces. I'm not sure that the stuff has ever even been removed from the pockets. I took out a couple of pieces as well as the instructions to look at them, but decided to leave the rest as it is. Rolled up the kit is about 11 inches long. I have seen info dating these as WWII/Korean War. Does anyone have any concrete info? Thanks.

[Bob Hudson]

These survival fishing kit pieces were found in a BAR (Browning Automatic Rifle) tool pouch I picked up at a garage sale. This one apparently was from a WWII flight crew kit as the booklet has the initials of the Army Air Force Medical Corps.

[dustin]

I have been working on the research and development of fishing kits and will take some pictures to add. This is a vintage picture demonstrating the wear of the apron type fishing kit.

[dustin]

These came sealed in a tin canister marked US navy emergency fishing kit eventually replaced by the buaer spec. M-627. These are marked individual and depending on the compacitiy of the life raft or boat would determine how many M-627 kits are supplied. The problem that was accuring during the war was space problems and through trial and error they continually streamlined equipment to eliminate bulk. With a later joint Army Navy kit spec. AN-K-2 or drawing number AN-6522-1 became avialable.

[dustin]

AN-6522-1 apron

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[dustin]

These larger fishing kits were contained in large capacity rafts and boats. The buaer developed a smaller version using the components from above into the buaer spec. M-552 an odd thing is there is an M-552a fishing kit which is of the larger type and very similar to the AN-6522-1.

[dustin]

A fishing kit was designed to be incorporated with the buaer M-592 back pad kit again using components from the larger apron under spec. AN-L-2 contained in a small drawstring bag.

[dustin]

I have more pictures of the variations stored somewhere and will have to dig for them. Here are a couple of variations of the C-1 vest kits to add to the topic.

[dustin]

Another point I might add is that there were no fishing kits included in one-man life rafts as standard equipment. The M-627 would be a part of the pilots personal equipment and carried in a flight suit pocket.

[dustin]

Found this one at the swap meet last week. It's a 12-pocket, roll-up fishing kit and according to what it says in the instruction sheet, it's US Navy issue. The pouch is HBT and designed so that it can be worn as an apron so you'd have easy access to the equipment. This one has never been used and even still has the tape around the pieces. I'm not sure that the stuff has ever even been removed from the pockets. I took out a couple of pieces as well as the instructions to look at them, but decided to leave the rest as it is. Rolled up the kit is about 11 inches long. I have seen info dating these as WWII/Korean War. Does anyone have any concrete info? Thanks.

I do have a history on this fishing kit in my files but I will have to find it. As to the components that is the exact way it is suppose to look right out of the sealed container. I noticed you have the gloves in yours they are alomost always missing from these kits for some reason when you do find them.

[dustin]

A couple other fishing kits I forgot to show. They are emegency fishing kits for the
Army Air Corp B-1, B-2 and B-4 kits. The B-1 and B-2 contain a small 3"x1"x 3/4" metal tin conatining line, hooks and such. Part number 41? As I do not have the info right in front of me the paper glued on top says "fish" on the tin. The other fishing is the correct one for the B-4 kit in cradboard box of the same dimensions,
part number 43B6987.

[Sgt Brown]

There are 3-4 different versions of the apron fishing kit. Some were canned and some not. The small kit used in the USN M-592 survival pack was also duplicated by the Army as a "rest and recreation" item issued to troops and is marked "Property of Special Service Division, United States Army".

One of the things I love most about the apron kit is the instructions. If you read closely, you will find a classic military instruction, "Do not catch a shark". Now, how in the Hell is some starving raft occupant supposed to prevent a shark from taking his bait?

[dustin]

Tom are you refering to this pouch? You are correct on the Special Services kit, it shares the same components as the AN-L-2 fishing kit in the M-592 but the bag is different. The Navy kit is a single pouch white or blue draw string bag. As to the variations there are the one Bob pictured and the M-552A and the AN-6522-1. Those three are US Navy and AAF, the other variant is US Coast Guard as marked on the can. I can think of four apron types off the top of my head.

[dustin]

The following pictures come from various places like ebay and such.

This is the M-552A apron fishing kit:

[dustin]

This is the can that the large apron roll, that Bob posted, is issued in.

[dustin]

This is marked TYPE 5.

[dustin]

This is the US Coast Guard version:

[dustin]

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[dustin]

This is an example of the M-627 fishing kit:

[dustin]

This is a neat ad to add to the topic.

[Gregory]

Excellent topic. I am posting the original BuAer's drawing of 1943 where BuAer suggests to manufacture for naval aircrews such fish gigs.

Best regards

Greg

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[dustin]

Excellent topic. I am posting the original BuAer's drawing of 1943 where BuAer suggests to manufacture for naval aircrews such fish gigs.

Best regards

Greg

where did you find that! very cool! the buaer did adopt a fishing spear single prong circa 1943,your drawing must be a early prototype.I have reports from the buaer testing fishing spears the spear they adopted was incorperated into the oar handle.The oars were hollow aluminum and the spear inserted in the end and when reversed the oar acts as the shaft, a sort of javelin.the spear is listed in equipment catalogs and I believe in warners book is one version of the catalog

[Gregory]

where did you find that! very cool! the buaer did adopt a fishing spear single prong circa 1943,your drawing must be a early prototype.I have reports from the buaer testing fishing spears the spear they adopted was incorperated into the oar handle.The oars were hollow aluminum and the spear inserted in the end and when reversed the oar acts as the shaft, a sort of javelin.the spear is listed in equipment catalogs and I believe in warners book is one version of the catalog

Hi Dustin

Yes, it is very cool. As I wrote you in PM the gig was developed by BuAer early 1943 under pressure of Torpedo Squadron Nine aircrews and their survival experience.

Best regards

Greg