Life preserver storage bag

[phantomfixer]

I have a storage bag for 2 life preservers, identical to this one on Ebay..so that makes two...

I thought mine was a local manufacture item at the fab shop or maybe a depot...the canvas on mine was re-purposed as it has stenciling from it's previous life..

 

anyone else have one or pics of them in use

 

I have seen rack of life preservers stored on transport aircraft, but never in a case like this

 

there is a strap inside and a snap to secure the life preservers ...

[dustin]

Typically these bags or other like canvas storage pouches were used in large aircraft, transport and long range partol such as the Martin PBM Mariner and PB2Y Coronado. Especially the Coronado, these were used to transport personnnel and VIP's. These would be attached to various bulkheads for use in case of an emergency. I've seen multiple variations of the containers in these aircraft, this being one type. When not in the forward or combat area, life preservers would not be worn rather stored.

[dmar836]

Pretty cool. I've never seen any of those. Are they USN then?

Dave

[phantomfixer]

Thanks for the info..here is one that I have...on the back, on the top panel, it is marked for a anti exposure suit...

 

the B3 and B4 life preservers will fit in this bag but they are bunched up at the bottom...B5 life preservers are a perfect fit..

 

I am not well versed in the Navy life preservers maybe other models will fit

[phantomfixer]

B3 for sizing

[phantomfixer]

B5 fitting

[dustin]

These bags could be better considered Aircraft Equipment finding them in the massive Parts Listings. For WWII aircraft, you namely seen duck canvas pouches like pictured below. I don't have any images sorted by this feature but do have others showing their stowage and when I run across them I'll post them here.

My initial reaction to these zippered bags is that they are post WWII, and since the last one posted mentions an anti-exposure suit, this would support that since exposure suits were a very late war introduction becoming more widely used in the post war era. Also, as illustrated, their size better conforms to the stowage of the shorter B-5 life preserver. If you really have an interest in finding an image of one of these bags, I'd look at images of large transport or large bombardment B-29 aircraft in the immediate post war era of the USAAF/USAF.

 

[phantomfixer]

Thanks for the follow up Dustin...here is the label/stamping for the exposure suit with a PN, but is very faded..might help date the bag

 

Will keep looking for in use photos..

thanks much

[kammo-man]

WOW

Never seen before.

owen

[phantomfixer]

and here, from the web, getty Images...a C-87 in Brazil during WWII en route to Europe, being sprayed for mosquitoes, prior to going overseas...a plethora of B-3 life preservers...pure joy from a collectors point of view..

 

On vacation in Italy, years ago, I came a across a stack of B-4 life preservers at an Italian flea market...shoulda woulda coulda