Japanese aviation oxygen tanks, with MooJ valves

[Rabaul]

Hi, a number of years ago I got a bunch of Japanese aviation oxygen tanks, that had been found in a tunnel at Vunakanau airstip (Rabaul 'upper aerodrome').

All are corroded and on most you can see where the first perferation blewout, so they we're full when stored. I checked none were still pressurized when I first got them!

There are two types of bottle, one with a bottle shaped top into which the valve screws direct, a second type has an wide orifice to take an adapter into which the valve screws, and also allows a protective cast-iron cap to screwed over the valve. The bottles are about 62 cm to base of valve, and have a diameter of about 10 cm.

The valves have 'MooJ' on one side and characters on the other, see images. The bottles were painted black.

Any information about these would be greatly appreciated.


The group, the aluminum bottles have not stood up well.

Valve ends, all valves are the same type, but two types of bottle necks, a couple have the valve covers attached. Spare covers on the floor.

The two types of bottle neck, with the charecters on the two sides of the valves.

The cast iron valve covers.

[Rabaul]

Actually three types. The bottle type neck, then adapters for screw on cap, and another with a clamp on cap.
And the only period image I've been able to find from - [Photo] Chinese soldier holding an oxygen tank, 1930s-1940s | World War II Database - entitled 'Chinese soldier holding an oxygen tank, 1930s-1940s'

[Rabaul]

First images are of such tanks in a Zero, from Robert C. Mikesk's 'Japanese Aircraft Interiors 1940-1945'. One showing a slightly better quality close-up and the other has the book's text for the picture describing what the various tanks contained.

Images of them in use are very rare, but schematics and sketches show the same type was used in fighters and bombers.

Also an image the tanks after cleaning a couple, they will make a reasonable display, if the right sector is towards the viewer.

The history of the Vunakanau airfield is storied, the missions these tanks possibly went on include some of the most famous early to mid-war operations.

[ghp95134]

I found better search results when I used the word ボンベ "bonbe" [bomb/cannister] instead of タンク "tanku" [tank].
零戦の酸素ボンベ
zero-sen no sansu bonbe

Not sure if this Question & Answers is helpful to you or not:

Oxygen cylinders are installed in the Zero Fighter etc.
Was the content really oxygen?
Ringo

1. I can't quite grasp the meaning of your question.
   Is it pure oxygen or is there some kind of mixture?
   Katsui
   
   
2. I wondered how they got the oxygen.
   Was it surprisingly easy to obtain, or was it a valuable item?
   One more thing, I feel that pure oxygen is too dangerous.
   It will be difficult to handle.
   apple
   
   
3. It's a cylinder for breathing at high altitude. For pure oxygen,
   Nippon Sanso (renamed Nippon Riko? before the war)
   was produced for torpedoes, so I don't think it's too difficult to obtain.
   penguin
   
   
4. Oxygen was also used for gas welding and gas cutting.
   cantagnac
   
   
5. Regardless of whether it is in Japan, where we have expanded
   How about that?
   Oxygen cylinder if you can't refill oxygen locally
   is disposable, but...
   It's not something you'll use very often, though.
   apple
   
   
6. If it's pure oxygen, is it safe to breathe? (such as oxygen poisoning)
   Ansalor
   
   
7. The oxygen generator itself can be made by yourself if you have junior high school knowledge of chemistry. In addition, it can be easily filled with a compressor.
   
   Also, regarding the oxygen purity issue, even scuba diving
   Using pure oxygen is a very special case.
   If the oxygen concentration is too high, the cells in the human body will be rapidly oxidized, which is harmful.
   No. 3 Electric Detector
   
   
8. The former Imperial Navy destroyer cools and liquefies the air with an air liquefaction device, and then uses the difference in the boiling points of nitrogen gas and oxygen gas.
   I heard you got the enriched oxygen gas.
   According to regulations, oxygen gas with a purity of 95% should be obtained, but 80% was a good cousin on the ship, which was slightly disturbed.
   Navy
   
   
9. About oxygen poisoning. I remember that I was trying not to inhale only oxygen because the exhaled breath was filled in the oxygen mask. My memory is fuzzy, so please correct me if I'm wrong.
   Hide
   
   
10. The contents of the cylinder are oxygen, and there is no local procurement of oxygen.
    That's what it means.
    I'm curious about the destroyer story.
    On a destroyer, on an aircraft carrier, or in a Navy squadron...
    It doesn't seem like it was a waste to use it after diluting it with air.
    There is no oxygen, it is impossible to fly with guts.
    Regarding oxygen poisoning, there seems to be something called an automatic regulator.
    Ringo

Source

"Bonbe/bombe" is still used today for compressed gas/air cylinders ... and the gas cannisters used on table-top cookers:

Cheers,
-- Guy

[Rabaul]

Thanks Guy, every little bit helps. Yes searching relies on knowing the proper words. In chemistry a bomb is a thick walled container so makes sense (comes from the Latin for 'booming' noise, which happens if a sealed thick walled container is heated). I see in French the use of bombe for aerosols/gas containers is normal.

As to the train of question and answers in your post - in WWI there was much pioneering high altitude work done by the British and Germans and it is a fascinating subject (I have a couple of goggles from German Dräger-Tübben systems). Yes it was pure oxygen, as compressed gasses still have weight, so they didn't bother with compressed air (~70% nitrogen), the most important work was done on regulators to make sure airmen got just the right amount of oxygen, initially via a tube clenched in the teeth, but soon with masks.

I assume the MooJ logo is a company name? And attached are better close ups of the text on the valve. The 'bombes' themselves have text on them, but corrosion makes it illegible.

[ghp95134]

The only Google results I get when searching
サンソ "MooJ"
.... are the photos you posted!!

Well ... there were two hits for

MOOJ メンズ BBクリーム コンシーラー ファンデーション メーキャップ効果で 青ひげ/クマ/ニキビ跡/毛穴 を隠す 日焼け止め SPF37 PA+++
MOOJ Men's BB Cream Concealer Foundation Makeup Effect Hides Blue Beard/Bags under the Eyes/Acne Scars/Pores Sunscreen SPF37 PA+++

(^_^)

[Rabaul]

Thanks for the effort. I'll keep a low key eye out for a conclusion, but abbreviations are always problematic. The capitalizations of first and last letters is interesting.

Cheers

Steve