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A gas mask has one vital task: to keep out poisonous gas and preserve the life of the wearer. But engineers developed some extremely clever devices to turn the uncomfortable gear into something soldiers could actually live and work with. Here are some of the most useful, and sometimes downright strange, gadgets ever fitted to a gas mask. One of the first gas masks issued to the Russian army was the Zelinsky-Kummant mask, which used an activated carbon filter to purify the air a soldier breathed. After the creation of the Soviet Union, the mask was upgraded to the TT-4, which had a much more advanced filtration system.
It was later modified into the Sh-1, a standard World War II mask, which in turn was modified into the civilian GT-3 and DP-1 for civilians and children. One of the constant design features was the prominent horn on the front of the mask, which is why they were sometimes called " rhino masks." These horns were not an aesthetic choice. As anyone who wears glasses will attest, the lenses can fog up, and soldiers who can't see anything become somewhat vulnerable. Removing the mask to wipe the lenses defeats the very purpose of using a gas mask. The horn allows the user to insert a finger to wipe condensation from the lens, while maintaining the tightness necessary for survival during a gas attack.
Wiping with your finger is fine, but there has to be a better way to clean lenses from fogging. Like windshield wipers. On some masks, like the Polish GSP-M, there is a wiper on the inside of the lens attached to an external switch. When you turn it, it works exactly like a windshield wiper on a car. Another version of this anti- fog technology involves magnetic cleaners, which consist of a pair of magnets with attached fabric pads. As the magnet on the outside moves, the inner magnet slides over the lens, removing condensation and other obstructions. These are small parts that are easy to lose, which is why they are more often used in civilian masks.
Some modern masks have a built-in inner mask that covers the mouth and nose, so the user's breath does not get on the lenses and cause them to fog up. Fogged lenses are not the only vision problem. Not everyone who wears a gas mask has perfect vision, and they are designed to keep out poison, not to accommodate glasses. In early models, no luck. During World War II, there were certain solutions. German soldiers, for example, who had poor eyesight were issued special glasses with short metal arms, and the lenses were secured with a thin cotton ribbon that covered the head.
The fabric was thin enough not to break the seal of the mask. British statutory spectacles had small round lenses, similar to those of a gas mask, and thin wire frames that hooked over the ears and fitted tightly to the head, so the seal was maintained. Modern masks have more built-in solutions. Separately from the mask, a pair of prescription lenses is installed in the glasses. They do not have ear loops that cling to the ears, as they would interfere and disrupt the vital Glasses can be attached to the built-in adapter next to the mask's viewing lenses. This is much more efficient and convenient than trying to squeeze
regular glasses into a mask or forcing a soldier or worker to do without them. Gas masks filter out toxins, but what about the air moving the other way? Masks are airtight, and if there is no way to vent a person's breath, carbon dioxide can build up, which is toxic, defeating the very purpose of using a gas mask. Meet the exhalation valve. This is a simple but extremely effective piece of equipment. This is a simple rubber or silicone valve or flap that is usually located in the center of the mask near the mouth. When the user inhales, toxic air is cleaned by a filter, inhaled, and then exhaled through a one-way valve. As soon as a person stops exhaling, the valve closes, blocking the access of toxic air. In through the filter, out through the
exhalation valve. To deal with sweat and other moisture, some masks have channels that drain the liquid to a valve, through which it is then drained by gravity. War makes you thirsty, and dehydration doesn't care if there's a gas attack. Of course, taking off your mask to drink is a very bad idea, but having thirsty soldiers is also far from ideal. To solve this difficult challenge, drinking tubes have been built into many masks. An example of this is the American M17A1 and A2 masks. The mask has a built-in adapter that connects the drinking tube to the M1 flask lid. The tube is connected to the flask, and its end is located in the mask near the soldier's mouth.
Simply attach the tube to the bottle cap and water will be easily accessible without having to remove your mask. Many other masks, such as the M40, which replaced the M17, use similar systems, but it has at least one drawback. It is usually only compatible with a specific type of flask that creates the necessary seal to let in liquid but keep out toxic gas. As an interesting addition, the M17A1 gas mask also had another built-in tube. It was a resuscitation tube so that one soldier could breathe for an unconscious comrade. In theory, this was a good idea, but it created a risk of cross- contamination for both, so it was removed in later models. On the battlefield, verbal communication is already difficult due to the sounds of
explosions and gunfire, which drown out a person's words. If you add a sealed gas mask to your face, the problem becomes even more serious. To minimize this critical problem, many gas masks are equipped with a speaking membrane. What is this really? Well, the design varies from mask to mask, but they all work on the same basic principle. A thin piece of metal or plastic is placed over the hole. When a person speaks, the membrane vibrates, which amplifies the sound, so a normally muffled voice becomes loud enough to be heard. This is not a perfect system, and the exact sound quality and volume vary significantly depending on the type of mask and membrane.
They also tend to alter the speaker's voice so it doesn't sound like it normally does. In addition, the membrane vibrates in a strange way, which is why a person's voice can have a buzzing sound, and in some places it sounds a bit like a kazoo . What about more modern communication? Today, there are VPUs, or voice projection devices. These are built-in amplifiers that work like mini speakers, are hands-free, and are much more efficient than a diaphragm. The problem is that they need a battery to work, which has a habit of running out at the most inconvenient moment. Other gas masks have built-in microphone systems, and some, like the American M40 mask, have a speaking membrane placed specifically for connecting a radio headset so that
the user can communicate by walkie-talkie without removing the mask. When World War II began, there were fears that civilians might be subjected to gas attacks. Adults understand the need to use them and put them on, but young children do not understand what is happening and panic when an adult with a covered face pulls a tight mask over their head. Entertainment giant Walt Disney has found a solution to calm children and make wearing gas masks less scary. He designed a small children's gas mask, designed for children aged 18 months to 4 years, shaped like Mickey Mouse. The idea was that children would recognize the cartoon character and not be scared.
Only about a thousand examples were produced, and very few of them ended up in civilian hands. Whether he was less scary or not is a subjective question. Overseas, the British had their own children's gas mask, also called the Mickey Mouse mask, although it did n't look like the cartoon character. But it was painted bright red and blue to be less frightening to children than dull masks for adults. Ordinary masks were not suitable for babies, so special hoods were created. One example is the British C3, or infant safety helmet. Resembling a deep-sea diver's helmet, it had a metal frame with a celluloid viewing window and a rubberized fabric bag
for the child's body. The infant was completely contained inside, and filtration and breathing were provided by rubber bellows that an adult had to pump to circulate the air. The device was designed for children from birth to 2 years of age. Since the end of World War I, gas masks have rarely been used in combat, but both military and civilian masks still have strange but useful features that make them a little easier to wear.
