![]() ![]() Initial procurements of the M3 face piece were molded from class b grey natural rubber, but as a result of the military's dwindling rubber supplies caused by the loss of the pacific islands to the Japanese, a synthetic rubber program began in the spring of 1943 and ending later that year with butyl actually being the most promising synthetic rubber for future procurements. By August of that year, the M3 replaced all older service masks on the production lines. It wasn't until May of 1943 when the M3 Lightweight Service Mask had worked out most of its problems and saw full-scale production by its major manufacturers. Firestone developed a machine that vulcanized the nose cup to the facepiece automatically, which further sped up production. Another issue of the M3 facepiece was the installation of the nose cup within the mask which had to be carefully vulcanized in place. ![]() The M4 Army Lightweight Service Mask still didn't see any major production until late 44, however. As a stopgap, while the M3's production kinks were being worked out, the M4 lightweight service mask was finalized in late 42 where they took stocks of M2A2 facepieces and converted them into Lightweight service masks configurations by giving it an oronasal cup, an 457 mm (18-inch) hose, and an M10 canister. Early production of the M3 saw problems with the canister assembly, the crimping of the eye-rings to the facepiece, and problems producing the M6 carrier which was the main bottleneck of the lightweight service mask. The requirement for the M3 Lightweight Service mask was established as early as January of 1942 but wasn't finalized or standardized until later that year. The M3 Lightweight service mask had a shorter 457 mm (18-inch) long M3 hose, addition of an oronasal cup to reduce lens fogging, the lighter weight M10 or M10A1 canister, a smaller M6 carrier, and the facepiece itself had the head harness tab position changed to be farther back on the facepiece which negated the need for a rifle skid. The M2 series service mask had a longer 686 mm (27-inch) hose, no oronasal cup, used the MIXA1 canister, used the MIVA1 Carrier, and had a rifle skid on the lower head harness of the facepiece which was positioned mid-cheek of the facepiece. The M5 was later deemed obsolete and removed from service in 1947, but still used as a special purpose mask during the Korean War.The United States M3 Lightweight Service Mask was a needed upgrade for the US military after it was found that the weight and bulk of the older M2 series service masks were unsatisfactory. The M5, as well as all the other gas masks made of neoprene had one distinctive problem - the facepiece hardens during colder weather, a condition known as "cold set".Īn attempt to replace this mask was made with the M8 Snout-Type Gas Mask, which was made from an M3, M3A1, M4, or M4A1 Lightweight Service Mask facepice (made of Class "B" Grey Rubber) that had the hose removed and an angle pipe fitted with a 60mm threaded inlet valve fitted in place of it. The mask was issued with an M7 Carrier Bag, which was made of duck canvas, heavily rubberized with black neoprene, which notibly doubled as a floatation device in the waters off of Normandy, as well as an M11 type filter (which was also issued with the M8 Snout and the M9 masks). The mask did not feature an oronasal cup unlike the M3-10A1-6 Mask it's made with. Another variant was made of an M2A2 or M2A3 Heavyweight Service Mask in the same way. The mask is made of a neroprene rubber M3-10A1-6 Lightweight Service Mask that had the hose chopped off, the hole plugged up, and had the side of the facepiece butchered to fit a 60mm threaded inlet valve for the filter. The M5 was based on the British Lightweight Service Respirator, featuring an filter input on the side of the mask. It is one of the most sought after mask by collectors due to its usage in the Normandy Landings in 1944. The M5-11-7 Assault Gas Mask was made in 1943, around the same time as the M3 by Mine Safety Appliances, intended to be a lightweight gas mask for use by paratroopers and assault troops because the older M1, M2, M3, and M4 Service Masks used combersome hoses that could impede a soldier's movement. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |