German optical gas mask.

[JERSEY 34]

Hopefully there are a couple of serious gas mask collectors in the forum who can help with this one. I believe this is the gas mask used with optical equipment more so than for a person who needed glasses. I also believe that these are not a common item.... or are they? I would love to find the missing parts to this mask.... the hose which leads tothe filter and also the screw cap that covers the microphone port when not in use.
All and any info on this piece would be of interest to me. Does someone know what such a piece is worth (I know price is somewhere between what someone will pay and what the seller will sell it for). I don't want to sell it I just need a value for museum insurance purposes. Looking forward to any info thats out there, and if someone has a hose or screw cap to part with let me know. The whole thing is in really good condition, the leather is really soft without any hardness or cracking.
All the best.
D.

[GasMasksUK]

First of all, you are very lucky to have such a piece as they are very, very rare.

You are right about your assumption about it being an optical gas mask for use with sighting devices, I believe that these were in use mainly by the navy onboard ships however they were also used by land forces. I'm not too sure what variation of the Optische Gasmaske it is as there are a few different types out there but yours is the most commonly seen one. Finding the parts that are missing will be quite a challenge though, you'll also need the retaining screw that holds the hose to the facepiece as well as the hose, microphone port cover, filter, case etc.... It may be worth making replicas of the missing parts in resin and using the hose from another type mask as I have my doubts about finding the missing parts however you could get lucky As for the value I am not too sure, I'll contact some guys that know a lot more about this type mask than me so they'll be able to give an accurate figure however I would say about £200-£250, but it could be debated because I've never seen just a facepiece on its own for sale.

Thanks

Danny

[JERSEY 34]

Hi Danny,
Thanks for that.
D.

[GasMasksUK]

I've had a couple of replies on the gas mask central forum, they are as follows:

"The optische gasmaske issued from prior WW2 and was used on shipdecks for artillery equipment, range finders, binoculars etc. and used on submarines. There are some variants, some with microphone ports on the left cheek, some not. (You can see pictures of variants on the gasmasklexxicon website). The hose is worn over the shoulder and the filter attached to the back I believe. Most examples had large box-type filters but it seems some have used ordinary German filters as well. Some masks were carried in wooden boxes, some in green metal Drager boxes. On the underside of the lid should be an instruction sheet with an unterseeboot number. Some sets had little racks which contained 4 various eye piece adapters 45mm, 40mm, 35mm and 30mm. It should also be noted that the optische gasmaske was adopted by the German army later on in the war, so was not only used by the navy."



"A translation I found of the instruction sheet:




Plant Drager, g.Lyubek sent.44g. 1st edition.

Manual Otp.Gazmaski, type 44

1. Opt.GM is only used with the filter.

2. The head mount, carefully fit.

3. Removed and worn as a model of the GM-38

4. If you use it. as Opt. mask eyepieces tighten until fit to face.

5.posle use of dry air.



Don't know how accurate that is, found it off some site."

The guy that posted those also wanted me to let you know that if you ever want topart with your Optische Gasmaske to let him know

Thanks

Danny

[Wagriff]

Nightmarish looking thing, isn't it? I certainly can't imagine having to wear such a thing -especially under combat conditions.

[Ady]

Hello ! I am the lucky owner of a complete German optical gas mask. I think it was made by Draeger in March 1943 and is kept in a rectangular metal box with serial number 17977. Not for sale.