1canpara Posted December 31, 2018 Share #1 Posted December 31, 2018 So, as I transition my collection into AAF and USN aviation helmets and gear, I have been trying to find decent oxygen masks at reasonable prices. I just picked up this one but dont know much about them. Its marked USN and from what I can find on them, it seems to be an early model. Can anyone share some info with me, is this a rare model? What model/style flight helmet is it best displayed with? Thanks guys! Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBookGuy Posted December 31, 2018 Share #2 Posted December 31, 2018 hello, mine not a great competence about this. Anyway an early 'C' model by the MSA (Mine Safety and Appliances) maker, an unique pattern to the USN. It worked out of a very different oxy. system concept - the complicated re-breather system - than the later demand-type masks like the 'D' type (again by MSA) and A-14 (by Ohio Chemical Co.). Mask itself was left inside the cockpit and not carried by its wearer. Rather similar in appearance to the mentioned D pattern still by MSA, however this latter could be carried on the person outside the cockpit (although still more cumbersome than the A-14, and inferior to it). Mostly used by Helldiver and Dauntless crews until (I believe) about springtime 1943, and best displayed together a classic M-450 style helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted December 31, 2018 Share #3 Posted December 31, 2018 Rick, Your Navy contract MSA (Mine Safety Appliance Co.) "type C" mask is early, but not rare. Quite a large number made it to the post-war surplus market. Unlike later designs used by the Navy in WW2, it was not issued as personal equipment, but was considered part of the equipment to be carried in the plane. The long rubber hose was attached to a re-breather unit that was installed at the pilot and crew stations in the aircraft and was fed from the central oxygen supply. The wearer's exhaled air was sent through a chemical filter and mixed with the pure oxygen, extending the possible duration of high altitude flight beyond the capacity of what was carried in the oxygen tanks alone. Seen below, the mask and spare filter cannisters for the re-breather unit can be seen in the radioman's compartment on a TBF-1 Avenger torpedo bomber. The top of the unit, and its carrying handle, is at the bottom of the photo: Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1canpara Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share #4 Posted December 31, 2018 Thanks guys! I have a nice grouping (flight helmet and crusher cap) from an Avenger pilot so Ill display it with that helmet! Thanks again, Im finding that oxygen masks arent hard to come by but they can be expensive! (This one was reasonable I thought at $100 ???) Cheers, Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted December 31, 2018 Share #5 Posted December 31, 2018 Seen below, the "type C" mask is on the top right. On the top left is its successor, the MSA "type D" mask (mentioned by Franco), which was part of a demand oxygen system that used a more conventional regulator and WAS issued as personal equipment. Unfortunately, very few examples have survived. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1canpara Posted December 31, 2018 Author Share #6 Posted December 31, 2018 Thanks Paul! ....and you have some very nice pieces there! Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBookGuy Posted December 31, 2018 Share #7 Posted December 31, 2018 As usual, a greatly exhaustive post by Paul and photos of his items in quite impressive condition/quality. Thanx very much. btw. here it's 9.28 PM so I exploit now, to wish all the Forum a great merry 2019. Time to go (at least) for a very small party here within family and relatives, 6-7 people and nothing more.... "CIAO A TUTTI !!!" :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted January 1, 2019 Share #8 Posted January 1, 2019 The "C" mask (on the left), and the "D" mask ( on the right) for direct comparison, as worn in an altitude chamber during flight training. Note the instructor, inside the chamber with the students in the first photo, wears a nasal A-7A mask so the students can hear his instructions clearly. The "D" mask's hose is connected to its regulator (rectangular black box) and spare filter cannisters for the "C" mask apparatus are seen stored on a shelf below it. A second instructor, outside the chamber, controls the pressure and monitors the occupants wellbeing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 1, 2019 Share #9 Posted January 1, 2019 To add to the party, here is an image looking at trainees through the round port. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 1, 2019 Share #10 Posted January 1, 2019 Rebreather unit, regulator and Type-D mask Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1canpara Posted January 1, 2019 Author Share #11 Posted January 1, 2019 Great photos of these in use! Thanks for adding them! Rick Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navybean Posted January 2, 2019 Share #12 Posted January 2, 2019 Nice mask Rick will display well with a M450 flight helmet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1canpara Posted January 3, 2019 Author Share #13 Posted January 3, 2019 Thanks Mike! Now I just have to find a M450 helmet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navybean Posted January 3, 2019 Share #14 Posted January 3, 2019 I might have a extra let me know if you want me to dig. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted January 3, 2019 Share #15 Posted January 3, 2019 Thanks Paul and Dustin for this great photos. Mostly are from training. Maybe some one have a combat photo with Type C mask? Im sure about one from National Archives but any more? Cheers, Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 3, 2019 Share #16 Posted January 3, 2019 Jerry, as Paul mentioned since it was part of the aircraft I think it is tough to find images of it in the combat theater but am sure there are a few here and there. Additionally, I think it was phased from servcie pretty quick due to new wartime requirements opting for the regulated demand systems which certainly there was phasing out time period but happened quite rapidly. We see the use of the new Type-D systems in use by at least as early as June 1943 in the forward areas like in this image here. With the masks now issued as personal equipment we can see masks being carried by may individuals. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 3, 2019 Share #17 Posted January 3, 2019 On a pictorial stand point, I have observed the use of the AAF Type A-10 and other nasal type demand systems used by aviation avtiivies in these early days progressing past the re-breather Type-C. The Type-D can be seen in actually quite a few images whihc ofetn may be mistaken for the Type A-14, It seems it reached its peak use through 1943. Starting in early 1944, the Type A-14 had started to really become the new standard whihc images of it in use are a dime-a-dozen. Here are a few addtional images from 1943 illustrating the Type-D mask. Again, we see its use because it now being part of the indivudual equipment assembly. I would surmise that the Type-C mask was all but delegated to training purposes only very early in the war and/or second echelon aviation activities being that those forward area operating units having priority for the demand systems first. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted January 4, 2019 Share #18 Posted January 4, 2019 Sure Dustin. I know about that. Today I will try to scan this photo about I mentioned with type C mask. For sure somewhere should be more in the sames style... btw. killer photos with type D mask. I know some of it but not all! p.s it worth to mentioned also at they used a RS-83 mic added to the mask + RS-76 throat mic. Cheers, Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted January 5, 2019 Share #19 Posted January 5, 2019 Sorry guys for confusion. I was thinking about one photo from Warner book. I have't looked into this book for a long long time. I guess it is a reconstruction photo made by Scot Steele than photo from National Archives (what I did think from my memory firstly). Regards, Jerry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 5, 2019 Share #20 Posted January 5, 2019 yeah Jerry, thats one of the re-creation images. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 5, 2019 Share #21 Posted January 5, 2019 I'm still hunting but came across these interesting representations of alternate sources with the use of the AAF Type A-10 or A-10A oxygen masks used by some marine aviation units. For those of you that want to have alternate choices, this mask is a legitimate alternate. ** oops! correction, the three pilots below are actually AAF P-38 pilots of the 5th AF. They were intermixed with marine images and assumed before I read the credits on the back. The top image is of a USMC VMB squadron though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted January 5, 2019 Share #22 Posted January 5, 2019 Just to add to Dustin's last post, we do have images of the A-9 and A-10R in limited use by Navy and Marine fliers while the transition from the MSA to A-14 masks was taking place, but none of the A-10A by those two services. For that matter, photos of the A-10A in use by USAAF personnel are extremely rare. I did find the two images below, which I had forgotten about, from Naval Aviation News that shows the MSA rebreather unit with "C" mask installed in the cockpit of a TBF-1 torpedo bomber: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 5, 2019 Share #23 Posted January 5, 2019 Thanks for the clarification on the correct designations of the masks Paul. Memory isn't always the best. This mask is an A-10 (revised) ? Navy photographic squadron Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 5, 2019 Share #24 Posted January 5, 2019 . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dustin Posted January 5, 2019 Share #25 Posted January 5, 2019 Sorry for being off topic from the original post but it is just a curious subject to explore in regards to US Navy oxygen systems they used. So in post #21, those USMC crew members are actually using the A-9 then? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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