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Please ID what I believe is Pilot Survival vest


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Manchu Warrior
Posted

Picked it up at the flea market today and it has no tags in it and very few marking. The photos are also not the best. With that said I was hoping someone can ID it for me. 

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Posted

You have a Navy LPA-2 life preserver. They were used in helicopters and non-ejection seat equipped aircraft. They were attached to the SV-2 Survival vest. 

Manchu Warrior
Posted
6 hours ago, RWW said:

You have a Navy LPA-2 life preserver. They were used in helicopters and non-ejection seat equipped aircraft. They were attached to the SV-2 Survival vest. 

Just a couple of questions if you don’t mind. It looks as if a tag has been removed in the collar area and I cannot find much information on line. I also can find no other info on the item other than what I have already shown. Actually the best information I have found on line was on this site on a thread that you contributed to last year. From what I read this was an earlier version and would just like to know the time period it was used and if you happen to have photos of it attached to the SV-2 vest? Would also like to know  if it’s missing anything such as belts or straps. I also did not even notice the small carbon dioxide tanks until today and I have to ask are they dangerous? I guess I am okay as long as I don’t pull on the cord. I also paid $20.00 and I assume that was a pretty good deal. With that said I found some information other than on here but it was just that the Smithsonian and another museum have them in their inventory but not on display. I appreciate the information you have given me. Thanks! 

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Posted

From what I can see, your life preserver looks to all be there, including the flare & dye marker pouches.

 

The LPA-2 was used starting in the early 1970's well into the 1980's at least. They were replaced with the LPU-21 series life preserver which is looks about the same as the LPA-2.

 

The CO2 cylinders are not dangerous. It is possible they have been used and were left in the life preserver. They screw into the inflators. There is a small screw in the side of the inflator on the lever side that holds the cylinder in place. Loosen that screw (sometimes they are left loose) and unscrew the cylinder. Look at the top of it. If there is a hole in it, it has been used and is empty. 

 

There are a couple of waist straps on the survival vest that thread through the channels on the waist of the life preserver that attach it to the vest. Very similar to attaching things with a Molle system. There is a short piece of webbing with a D-Ring attached to the top front of the vest. The snap hooks on the shoulder lobes of the life preserver clip to these D-Rings. The webbing pieces on the shoulder lobes of the life preserver with the lift the dot snaps wrap around the shoulder straps of the vest.

 

You did great at $20.00!

 

This one is a 1976 Contract date.

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This is the life preserver attached to an SV-2 survival vest. You can see the snap hooks on the collar lobes attached to the D-Rings on the top front of the vest and the straps wrapped around the shoulder straps of the vest.

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This shows the waist belt on the vest and the loops on the life preserver they "thread" through.

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Manchu Warrior
Posted

Just another example of how great US Militaria Forum happens to be and I most definitely appreciate the information. Just one more question that I already believe I know the answer to. I assume all of the orange flotation bladder is supposed to rolled up land and tucked in and covered, is that correct? 

Posted

That is correct. When the orange flotation bladder is folded and packed correctly, you should only see the outer casing.

Manchu Warrior
Posted
13 minutes ago, RWW said:

That is correct. When the orange flotation bladder is folded and packed correctly, you should only see the outer casing.

That’s what I thought and not sure I have the patience to fold and get it tucked in there correctly. Once again I appreciate the information as well as your time.    Thanks! 

Posted

The packing instructions are in the material I pm'ed you. These are pretty simple to pack. I bet you can get it done!

Manchu Warrior
Posted
2 minutes ago, RWW said:

The packing instructions are in the material I pm'ed you. These are pretty simple to pack. I bet you can get it done!

I will give it a shot and if successful I will post a photo. If no photo is posted it most likely ended in frustration on my part.   Thanks again! 

Posted

I have faith in your abilities!  If I can do it with my fat little fumble fingers, so can you!

  • 3 months later...
amateuraero
Posted

Wow!  This is the first time that I have seen orange bladders on a Mk 6 / LPA / LPU series of the around the waist, up the back and around the neck life preserver assemblies/units.  I had a 1967 dated LPA-1 complete with black bladders.  Also had a LPA-1A with a 1971 contract date with yellow bladders.  Just curious, could your undated LPA-? be a Mk 6 variant or a LPA-1 ?  Are there any date stampings on the orange bladders or on the CO2 cylinders,

possibly underneath the orange bladder securing loop?  Dates could also be on the flare and dye marker pouches or inside of them.  Great find!

Also, are the threaded plugs on the underside of the CO2 inflator valves metal or plastic, if they are present?

 

amateuraero
Posted

Just thought of this.  Information could also be stamped/printed on the bladder assy. along the bottom center edge.  Will have to open the Velcro on the nylon casing along the bottom to gain access to the bladder.

 

  • 2 weeks later...
amateuraero
Posted

Also noticed that the LPA-?/P with the orange bladders has nylon tabs with snaps on each side of the nylon casing for the collar bladders.  These tabs with snaps were

manufactured with later LPA/LPU units and were added to the earlier LPA- series that were still in use possibly during the 1970s or early 1980s at the latest.

 

There may be inspection dates on the orange bladder behind the neck area of your LPA-1, LPA-2, or LPA-2A.

 

Manchu Warrior
Posted
On 1/11/2025 at 5:59 PM, amateuraero said:

Wow!  This is the first time that I have seen orange bladders on a Mk 6 / LPA / LPU series of the around the waist, up the back and around the neck life preserver assemblies/units.  I had a 1967 dated LPA-1 complete with black bladders.  Also had a LPA-1A with a 1971 contract date with yellow bladders.  Just curious, could your undated LPA-? be a Mk 6 variant or a LPA-1 ?  Are there any date stampings on the orange bladders or on the CO2 cylinders,

possibly underneath the orange bladder securing loop?  Dates could also be on the flare and dye marker pouches or inside of them.  Great find!

Also, are the threaded plugs on the underside of the CO2 inflator valves metal or plastic, if they are present?

 

I did not see your comment until today. With that said I flipped the vest over and tuned everything that could be inside out and I cannot find any dates.  Which to me was rather surprising. Without removing the cylinders, not sure how, the only plastic I see is the small piece on the cord that I assume activates them, see photo. Can you tell me are the cylinders interchangeable or is this for one time use and it then becomes surplus? If there are any other questions you need answered or better photos please ask. I am as interested as you are to figure it out. IMG_1896.jpeg.a52feae5b0132c95984b65348f18942e.jpeg

Posted

The CO2 cylinders can be unscrewed from the inflation assembly and replaced.

Posted

The vest was a long-term use item. It would have been tested by inflating it orally every 90 days and a functional test where it was inflated with the CO2 cylinders once a year. The CO2 cylinders are a one-time use item and are not refillable. When used they were replaced by unscrewing them and screwing a new set back in.

 

Unscrewing the cylinders will not discharge them. They are sealed until the cord you have pictured is pulled. When you pull the cord, a steel pin pierces the top of the CO2 cylinder inflating the vest. Below is a cross section of the inflation assembly that will give you an idea of how it works. The picture is one I copied that you posted earlier of your vest. I think this inflation assembly is what amateuraero was asking about when he asked: Also, are the threaded plugs on the underside of the CO2 inflator valves metal or plastic, if they are present?

 

There probably is a screw on the side of the inflation assembly (It will be below the lever on the side under the number 2 in the picture.) that can be tightened against the threads of the CO2 cylinder to keep it from loosening. If that screw is there, loosen it a little before you unscrew the CO2 cylinder. You do not have to take it all the way out, just back it off a little so it isn't against the threads. After you unscrew the CO2 cylinder, look at the top of it. If it has been used, you will see a about a 1/16" hole in it.

 

I would take the CO2 cylinders out and look at the tops. If they have been used, you can still screw them back in and not have to worry about somebody pulling the cord and being surprised! If there isn't a hole, they haven't been used. If they haven't been used, putting them back in is entirely up to you.

 

Sometimes when items leave under dubious circumstances people remove any label or mark over any date and number. That may be why you can't find anything on the life preserver.

 

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Manchu Warrior
Posted
On 1/29/2025 at 4:30 AM, RWW said:

The vest was a long-term use item. It would have been tested by inflating it orally every 90 days and a functional test where it was inflated with the CO2 cylinders once a year. The CO2 cylinders are a one-time use item and are not refillable. When used they were replaced by unscrewing them and screwing a new set back in.

 

Unscrewing the cylinders will not discharge them. They are sealed until the cord you have pictured is pulled. When you pull the cord, a steel pin pierces the top of the CO2 cylinder inflating the vest. Below is a cross section of the inflation assembly that will give you an idea of how it works. The picture is one I copied that you posted earlier of your vest. I think this inflation assembly is what amateuraero was asking about when he asked: Also, are the threaded plugs on the underside of the CO2 inflator valves metal or plastic, if they are present?

 

There probably is a screw on the side of the inflation assembly (It will be below the lever on the side under the number 2 in the picture.) that can be tightened against the threads of the CO2 cylinder to keep it from loosening. If that screw is there, loosen it a little before you unscrew the CO2 cylinder. You do not have to take it all the way out, just back it off a little so it isn't against the threads. After you unscrew the CO2 cylinder, look at the top of it. If it has been used, you will see a about a 1/16" hole in it.

 

I would take the CO2 cylinders out and look at the tops. If they have been used, you can still screw them back in and not have to worry about somebody pulling the cord and being surprised! If there isn't a hole, they haven't been used. If they haven't been used, putting them back in is entirely up to you.

 

Sometimes when items leave under dubious circumstances people remove any label or mark over any date and number. That may be why you can't find anything on the life preserver.

 

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I appreciate the information.   Thanks! 

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