Basement finds

[Shay]

I was helping the folks clean out the basement and came across a ton of good stuff.

One good find was a oxygen mask brand new in the box. The rubber is perfect, definately doesn't look like a 60 year old mask.

The mask type is A-10A manufactured: 6-44

The tag on it states this:

Class 13 Stock # 8300-595-873

A-10A Medium OK

Station: L.A.A.B.

The Box States This:

Type: A-10A Medium

Spec #: 3134A Order #: 44-5434-AF

Date of Manufacture: 6-44


Can anyone give me any information about this type of mask as well as what types of aircraft would have used the A-10A?

Also can anyone give me a guess as to what it's value might be?

My dad paid $5 for it 30 some years ago so I think he has gotten his moneys worth out it. I'm just curious. The value of his Comic book stash blew our minds this afternoon.

And my last question, can anyone tell me what base L.A.A.B. is or was?

Thanks. I'll try and post pics of it tomorrow.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

Last edited by Shay on Sat Oct 07, 2006 10:00 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Jerry O'Neill]

Great find!
The A-10A was one of the earlier Demand type oxygen masks. It supplanted the A-8 mask wth the constant flow, "balloon" bladder. By the end of the war, most A-10A's were supplanted by the A-14, which is the more common type.
As far as value goes, it's hard to judge these days with Ebay and all, because you sometimes get inflated prices from someone who just has to have one at any cost. You could probably figure at least $75-125, depending on who needs one badly enough.
Keep looking in the basement!
Jerry

[Second Air Force]

Shay,

The LAAB station designator may be Lincoln Army Air Base, Nebraska. The Army redesignated Lincoln as an Army Air Field long before 6-44, but the manufacturers didn't always change their packaging. The reason I think it may refer to Lincoln is that this station trained aircrew in high-altitude chambers. Second Air Force sent bomber crews to Lincoln for oxygen use training for several years. Good find!

Scott

[tom d. friedman]

75 to 125 bucks is what they've gone for at least for the last 10 years. if it has no dry rot & microphone attachment, then maybe a little more $$$$ wise. a great find, & still a very highly sought after item!!!

[Shay]

As promised pictures of the mask:








Here is another find:

The book is published in 1942 has nice artwork with descriptions.











List of Aircraft depicted all in early war models and schemes:

P-38
P-39
B-26
B-17E
A-20A
F4U-1
SB2C-1
SBD-1
PBM-1
Spitfire
Kittyhawk
Beaufighter
Whirrelwind
Harvard
Fairey Battle
Hamden
Sunderland
Hudson
I-16B Rata
I-18
Fw-190H
Henshel Hs-126
Zero
Kawasaki 97
Macchi MC-202

Pretty Neat stuff still more to go through

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[Shay]

Has anyone else seen this book before?

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[Jerry O'Neill]

I have the same book, only with a few crayon marks over some of the images!
Jerry

[tom d. friedman]

stretch the oxy tube, any tears in between the perforations?? if not you've got a solid winner!!

[Shay]

Here's another Warbird related Item I found (Hey I thought it was cool):



Shay
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Semper Fortis

[tom d. friedman]

cool comic, it's old but definetely post ww 2. look at the price, 20 cents would have been a fortune for a comic book in those days.

[Shay]

Yeah I know it's not vintage WW2 but it pertained to it, so I thought I would share. It was printed Mar of 1972.

And, tell me this. Who doesn't like seeing a P-51 evade a 190 with drop tanks on?

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[tom d. friedman]

shay did you stretch the oxy tube on the mask to look for deterioration??

[bdk]

shay did you stretch the oxy tube on the mask to look for deterioration??

Why, is someone planning to actually use it?

[Shay]

shay did you stretch the oxy tube on the mask to look for deterioration??

No I haven't. But believe me the mask's rubber is in excellant shape. It has been stored in it's box, in an enviromentaly controlled spaces since before I was born.

Other things we came across were a World War 2 Mess kit and a 1943 M1 Garand Bayonet.

Shay
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Semper Fortis

[Shay]

Another succesful day of rummaging through my parents house.



Shay
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Semper Fortis