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Bail out bottle/walk around bottle USAF AMC


phantomfixer
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phantomfixer

this is an oddity for me..

 

a bailout bottle used as a walk around bottle..

 

Bag is marked AMC and a rack number, bag is a local manufactured bag from the fab shop, and has a carry strap/shoulder strap

 

bottle is the high pressure bail out bottle, short green cord, dated 7/63 , but being AMC is post 1991(?) use

 

bag is stenciled to have a O2 mask, most likely a MBU5/p quick don..it is missing, but the CRU-60 is still attached, I guess it could have been used with a flight helmet and mask, but helmets are not typically worn by AMC ...typically..

o2.JPG

o21.JPG

o22.JPG

o23.JPG

o24.JPG

o26.JPG

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Old Crow 1986
48 minutes ago, phantomfixer said:

bag is stenciled to have a O2 mask, most likely a MBU5/p quick don..it is missing, but the CRU-60 is still attached, I guess it could have been used with a flight helmet and mask, but helmets are not typically worn by AMC ...typically..

3 possibilities;

 

1) Pax (passenger) oxygen - While rarely - if ever - employed, supplemental oxygen was/is required for every passenger carried on AMC aircraft.  The specific type passengers that I'm referring to here are civilian dependents (wives and kids) or retirees catching hops out in the system.  Just like civilian airlines equipped with plastic oxygen masks that  automatically drop from the overhead in the event of rapid decompression, these bottles served the purpose of providing oxygen in case the worst happened.  Again, rarely seen by passengers (just like you likely have never seen a mask fall from the overhead on a civilian flight) but a necessary piece of safety equipment.

 

2) AMC crewmembers in the cargo compartment are required to wear helmets - not quick dons - during airdrop operations.  This walk around may have been a primary oxygen source during an airdrop profile and especially an airdrop profile above 10,000' MSL (e.g. HALO/HAHO) where oxygen is required.    

 

3) Straight up emergency equipment - Given the size of the C-5 and C-17 (and in the days of yore the 141) crewmembers (read: loadmasters) may be required to inspect parts of the aircraft that are beyond the reach of the regulator attached oxygen hose.  The bagged, high pressure bottle, with CRU-60P, attached to the flight hemet would allow the loadmaster to roam freely and perform inspections in tight areas.

 

Just guesses, but my money would be on door #1 - pax oxygen.

 

Open to criticism and critiques... 

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mohawkALSE

I have seen these for sale a couple times with the MBU-5 mask.  I think it was a quick don mask as well so it could be worn with the H-157 and I guess can work with the H10-76 headsets as well.  Never saw a later one though marked AMC.  Maybe an AFE TO would shed more light on to its purpose/use.

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Passenger Oxygen from things like KC-135's.  There is a passenger oxygen mask that the end of the plastic supply tube slips over the end of the fitting.  The CRU-60 would not be a part of the pax ox setup.  Your guess is as good as mine as to how it ended up there... Here are a few pictures of the one I have and the instruction card that goes in the pocket.

 

251018356_DSCN3420(2).JPG.afbee984d0a66cb9773599ac56cc34cc.JPG

 

DSCN3424.JPG.9120d63a0e8a85bd13578d89f201ce30.JPG

500679812_DSCN3425(2).JPG.be81583f23db8ca70e7fa505fdae97dd.JPG

1770071583_DSCN3422(2).JPG.7791207d28d6a3e60698de2234449396.JPG

1747632107_DSCN3423(2).JPG.f4bc980fa142e04d4e12df56cfc023ed.JPG

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