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lightningdivision
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lightningdivision

Any one collecting WWII jerrycans on this forum?

I've got 96 of them now,most of them are British and American.And all of them are different manufacturers.

Will post some pictures later.

 

Stijn

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I collect them as well. Last count was 91 different makers and dates. Mostly US but some German and British as well.

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I found some in french farms. Many of them in bad condition. I have a classic one and a totally red with 'Oil' mark on it. I never seen it after and I don't have information on it (perhaps civilian reuse after war). So I'm really curious to see your collection.

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I have maybe five or six of them. A mixture of steel and plastic. Mostly dated in the 70's and 80's but I have one dated 1944.

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lightningdivision

Great to read that!!!No idea about the red one either.The Frenchman Philippe Leger has some fantastic books on Jerrycans.

This is his first book,about German,British and American cans: http://www.amazon.com/Jerrycan-Years-Still-French-Edition/dp/2840482444

This is his second book,just about the German can,its just a fantastic book: http://www.amazon.in/Wehrmacht-Kanister-20-Liter-Invention/dp/2840483556

 

Pics will follow...

Stijn

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I wonder if there are a lot more of them in Europe than in the US. In Europe I would guess they were often left right where they were emptied.

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lightningdivision

Its easy to find the British cans,same for Germans.But the early Americans are very hard and expensive.The US Navy cans are found often.

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General Apathy

I wonder if there are a lot more of them in Europe than in the US. In Europe I would guess they were often left right where they were emptied.

post-344-0-85685300-1438530367.jpg

 

I live close to Utah beach in Normandy ( American sector ) but this is how I see finding Jerrycans here.

 

British around 8 out of every 10 found ( 1943 most common date )

 

American 2 out of every 30 found ( and one of these two generally post WWII, U.S. Bases were still in France post WWII.

 

German 0 or 1 out of every 100

 

Enjoy the article from the wartime Star & Stripes.

 

Lewis

 

.

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lightningdivision

Found one USN can right here in the village I live in.An other one is Mons for tanks in town,and a couple more on the markets here,to my surprise.
80% found here in the area is that damn BMB dated 1944,some W&W or RTMP.Most of the US cans are post war,sold for the price of a WWII one.
The German cans are to expensive here,so I buy most of them in Germany on antique markets.

Thanks for the article Ken!!I also had the full tour in Your house a couple of years ago when I was there with Lloyd and Glen for that mini tour of the 90th division.We slept in the field next to Your house!!

Stijn

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General Apathy

 

Thanks for the article Ken!!I also had the full tour in Your house a couple of years ago when I was there with Lloyd and Glen for that mini tour of the 90th division.We slept in the field next to Your house!!

 

Stijn

Hi Stijn, aha yes I remember it well, y'all raided my wood store and took logs for your campfire ???

 

I think I have about thirty photo's of that visit in a file on my home computer, sadly can't access them from this iPad.

 

See you again in Normandy sometime

 

Lewis

 

.

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I live close to Utah beach in Normandy ( American sector ) but this is how I see finding Jerrycans here.

 

British around 8 out of every 10 found ( 1943 most common date )

 

American 2 out of every 30 found ( and one of these two generally post WWII, U.S. Bases were still in France post WWII.

 

German 0 or 1 out of every 100

 

Lewis.

 

I confirm these stats for East of France. Most of Jerrycan are UK ones. US are rare and german really rare.

 

The article remember me a story my gran-gran mother told me. She was bar tender in Vosges during the WW2. One day she exchanged bottles of 'Mirabelle' A local "eau de vie" (a really strong alcohol) for a truck (i guess a little one) of sugar. So she traded for the sugar AND the truck !

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General Apathy

 

post-344-0-13741000-1438987524.jpg

 

Normandy finds Jerrycan. . . . . . . . .

 

Here's an American can I found here in Normandy about two years ago, it's quite a rarity as in eight years I have never found another one with the cap actually stamped McCord ( M-1 helmet manufacturers ).

 

The can is a 1943 Monarch and it has this unusual cap, in a letter dated August 1st 1945 McCord wrote out a statement to the Detroit Ordnance District of all the products they produced during WWII, this style of cap is mentioned as ' special ' cam type gasoline can closure - 69.000 produced.

 

Sadly post war it was painted over with a light shade of green and used to store lacquer, the lacquer has made it impossible to open the cap.

 

Lewis

 

.

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General Apathy

 

post-344-0-13741000-1438987524.jpg

 

Normandy finds Jerrycan. . . . . . . . .

 

Here's an American can I found here in Normandy about two years ago, it's quite a rarity as in eight years I have never found another one with the cap actually stamped McCord ( M-1 helmet manufacturers ).

 

The can is a 1943 Monarch and it has this unusual cap, in a letter dated August 1st 1945 McCord wrote out a statement to the Detroit Ordnance District of all the products they produced during WWII, this style of cap is mentioned as ' special ' cam type gasoline can closure - 69.000 produced.

 

Sadly post war it was painted over with a light shade of green and used to store lacquer, the lacquer has made it impossible to open the cap.

 

Lewis

 

.

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On my Jerry can shelf of course. Plus scattered around throughout my collection. Some on vehicles. Oh, and I misstated the number of cans that I have. 110 is more correct (that I could see) plus about 20 more in my "extra" stuff. All WW2.

 

 

 

 

 

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Robin your collection never ceases to amaze me! I wish I had over 100 jerrycans, I'm yet to own one! I've seen the all over but they're usually post war, rusted out, or much more than I want to spend. Maybe one day I'll get a few, they look great in any display.

 

-Steven

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I like them too but they take up a lot of space, I have a few ammo cans in my collection.

 

I saw a nice WWII Jerry can at the swap meet for $20 in excellent condition

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General Apathy

McCord made radiators long before they made helmets and jerry cans.

post-344-0-89432900-1439026509.jpg

 

Thanks Robin for more info on the pre-war McCord company.

 

here is the the page from the McCord file showing the ' special ' cam closure they produced and the quantities of several other items they made for the military during WWII

 

Lewis

 

.

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General Apathy

 

 

I confirm these stats for East of France. Most of Jerrycan are UK ones. US are rare and german really rare.

 

post-344-0-08617800-1439029506.jpg

 

Hi Maza, pleased to see that our thoughts on finds here are roughly the same, as you also state German ones are hard to find and this is one of the hardest to find being SS marked.

 

Lewis

 

.

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