Gas masks

[PanzerVI]

Hey gents

Got these 2 gas masks, M38 the rubber and M30 the canvas I assume and wanted to know more if possible about them. Is the rubberized common or the canvas one ?

I cant seem to find information about some manufacturer's code like clf on the interior, or "btc" / "hsr" on the nozzle.

Both of them are latewar 1944 issued and I cant seem to be able to fit the rubberized one in the higher container lol ... doing something wrong but wont fold properly to be insrted.

Any help would be much appreciated.

[BrodieBartfast]

You got the M30 and M38 the right way around. The M38 was more common than the M30, but like many things built to replace earlier models, they were used side by side throughout the war. The blue paint indicates that the metal pieces of these masks are made from ferrous metals, and wouldn't have been issued to units that used equipment sensitive to magnetism.
Generally, the M30 is slightly less common.

My advice would be not to store them in their containers. Over time, this tends to deform the masks permanently. From these pictures, they're both in very good shape. Not mangled like those left in their canisters for long periods of time.

B.B.

[BrodieBartfast]

This may help with researching those factory codes:

German WWII Alphabetic Ordnance Codes: a-b

Regards, B.B.

[PanzerVI]

Thank you kindly BrodieBartfast for the info

Sadly none of the above indicated codes are to be found on those lists

Will keep the gas mask outside the canister, thank you for the tip.

Regards

[BrodieBartfast]

Did some additional digging, and managed to discover this:

'btc' is the manufacturer code for Honsel Werke A.-G, Meschede

Have had no luck finding the others.

B.B.