Early Gas Mask

[Adler69]

I found an early US Army issue gas mask , it's much different from other WWII Gask Masks .It will need some repairs and a coat of new paint , i bought it for $10 because of how much rust the filter had and since the mask was in the carry bag , the bag is a mess.

The filter canister is marked M1XA1




Here's some pics of the mask and filter





Here's the bag , you can see how the rust on the filter canister ate thru the sides of the bag



Hopefully i can restore this bag and added to my display.

[YankeeDiv26]

Not sure that the bag's even worth it. Unless you just sew up the tears and call it a day. I snagged one of the same model bags in mint condition for $10.

[troyluginbill]

Be careful in wearing it. Some of the early ones (and definately the ww1 ones) used asbestos as one of the filtering agents.

[binarypunisher]

Its probably not a good idea to wear it period.

[guitarmaster]

Off topic but the asbestos probably came from Montana, too.

[Tough Ombre]

I really like the mask, i can say i havent seen this model with those circular eye glasses.
-Cary

[troyluginbill]

Hey good catch cary, yeah those circular eye holes are weird. I have one of the ones adapted for binoculars but they have very small eye holes not like this. Any one got any special info?

[Tough Ombre]

My guess is they were maybe using surplus parts from the older ww1 gas mask?
-Cary

[Tough Ombre]

Ehh, scratch that the lens is set farther back in the frame on the ww1 mask. Well, maybe im on the right track though.
-Cary

[guitarmaster]

I saw a picture in a book at borders and their was a picture with guys in masks like these and said they were donated from the Red Cross.

[Adler69]

Ok , here's the info i found on the mask.
An experimental design from WW I, known as the Kops Tissot Monro (KTM), was standardized as the Model 1919 and renamed the M-1 Service Gas Mask in 1921. It came in five sizes, with fixed round eye lenses, a long corrugated rubber tube and canister, very similar to subsequent designs.

After more than a decade of successful use, two improved models of the M1 mask were developed in the mid-1930s:

* 1934: the M1A1 mask with replaceable lenses and improved exhaust valve, minor modifications to the head-harness straps and the mounting of the eyepieces. Five sizes produced.

* 1935: the M1A2 mask with a one-size stockinet-covered rubber face mask with a seam at the chin. The universal size fit about 95% of soldiers; M1A1 largest and smallest sizes continued to be used for those who could not fit the M1A2 mask.

Although rooted in the designs of WW I, the M1 series masks (M1, M1A1, M1A2) served until 1944, late in World War II. By 1937, Edgewood Arsenal was producing over 50,000 M1A2 masks per year, but all three variants were in use until declared obsolete in 1944.

M1A1 masks will be stamped US on the forehead with a size number under the US. The M1A2 mask was stamped US with a "U" or "Universal" under the US. To differentiate the masks in photos, the lowest head strap on the M1A2 is higher on the facepiece, at about the level of the bottom of the eyepieces. The lowest strap of the M1A1 is much lower.

The filter canisters were replaced with improved models over the years that the M1 series was in service. Early canisters were designated M1XA1, and were included in the nomenclature of the mask. For example, M1A2-1XA1-1VA1 to designate the facepiece, canister, and bag components. This nomenclature was dropped after about 1940, replaced by Mxxx designations for each of the components separately.

So i'm guessing that the mask is a pre WWII , between 1935/1940 production?.