C2 'Mickey Mouse' Respirator

**BrodieBartfast** · 12-03-2019, 01:45 PM

Hello folks.

I already own one of these, but couldn't resist it at the price it was being sold for. In the seller's photographs, it looked to be in rather bad condition. But I could see no signs of rubber perishing, and it looked like it would clean up very well. The photograph below is how it looked when I first received it.

And here is how it looks now, after liberal application of a damp cloth.

These masks, officially the Avon C2, but colloquially referred to as the 'Mickey Mouse' gas mask, were developed for children aged 2-5, who were too large to fit the Anti-Gas Helmet for Babies, but whose heads were too small to properly fit the smallest size of Civilian General Respirator.
The bright colouration of the rubber and metal parts are an attempt to make the respirator more appealing for young wearers, who would otherwise be scared of putting it on. They also feature a special harness system, with a hook and eye to keep the mask secured, to prevent the wearer from removing it in a panic during a gas attack.

This one cleaned up very nicely. There is little rust to be seen, no perishing to the rubber, and the harness straps remain good and springy. I refrained from cleaning the underside of the flutter valve, to preserve the ink stamps there. It is in complete condition, with the exception of the rubber exhale valve, which is unfortunately missing. Unlike my other example, it is fitted with a 'Contex' pre-filter, meant to update the respirator against newer chemical agents developed by the enemy.

A nice little purchase, and for half the typical market price! Who says you never find anything good on eBay?

Regards, B.B.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 12-03-2019 01:45 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Composite** · 12-03-2019, 03:02 PM

'nice piece...I had the honour of looking at an original Mickey-Mouse decorated cylindrical carrying tin for one of these a few months ago....it wasn't for sale and I'd only ever heard about them till then. Beautiful artwork and rich colours....I've never really known if the decorated tins gave them the name of if the tins were made to match the name tho......

**BlackCat1982** · 12-03-2019, 03:18 PM

I would imagine that the term Mickey Mouse came from the colours of the mask itself and that it perhaps made worried children like the idea of "dressing up" in the Mickey Mouse face mask.

**BrodieBartfast** · 12-03-2019, 03:23 PM

A quite literal Mickey Mouse gas mask was developed in the United States, designed by none other than Walt Disney himself. Though whether that precedes or postdates the 'Mickey Mouse' name for the British mask, I have no idea.

I always thought it was something to do with the eyepieces looking somewhat like Mickey Mouse ears. The eyepieces in the Walt Disney-designed mask look identical to the ones used on the C2, so it's possible there was some design collaboration, and the name carried over from the American respirator to the British one.

Regards, B.B.