GP-5 gas mask

[Nick R]

Well, I own a few pieces of cosplay now, but one in particular I like and find interesting. It's a Soviet GP-5 gas mask, bought it brand new (ie unused) on Amazon for $10. Bought a few replacement filters for it as well. Here are some pics. First though, a question. I though the text on here was Russian- but I have a friend from Russia and is fluent who says it is not. anyone know what it actually is?

Also no, these filters are not asbestos- they are carbon and the filters themselves are in good shape, no rattling, and the final filter barrier seems in good condition so nothing getting through. No idea if they'd actually be useful in a real NBC situation but looks cool enough. the mask itself was made in 1983 as shown below, and is also in great shape considering it's age.

 

[silverrat]

Looks kind of like Hebrew

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: silverrat
Looks kind of like Hebrew


I think you are right- I just looked at a hebrew alphabet thing, it looks like it is. which means this is an Israeli Type 80 filter, not a Soviet filter.

 

[Spazdog]

Slightly off topic, but what is the purpose of the individual eye ports?

I wore the M25A1 mask in the Army. It has a large sight window. I only wore the M17 once. I could breathe easier in the M17 (out of the tank. In my track I would just hook up to the tank's filtration system and it would pump filtered air into the mask) but I couldn't see nearly as well.
Peripheral vision (completely unnecessary when you are viewing the world through a gun sight) was much better in the M25A1.

So do the individual eyeports protect you better from a chemical or biological agent? Is it a fogging thing?

 

[Nick R]

Originally Posted By: Spazdog
Slightly off topic, but what is the purpose of the individual eye ports?

I wore the M25A1 mask in the Army. It has a large sight window. I only wore the M17 once. I could breathe easier in the M17 (out of the tank. In my track I would just hook up to the tank's filtration system and it would pump filtered air into the mask) but I couldn't see nearly as well.
Peripheral vision (completely unnecessary when you are viewing the world through a gun sight) was much better in the M25A1.

So do the individual eyeports protect you better from a chemical or biological agent? Is it a fogging thing?


probably cheaper and easier to manufactuer. This is a Soviet Civilian gas mask designed in the 60s/70s and built in 83. On a civilian mask I doubt peripheral vision was much of a priority.

 

[Spazdog]

true, but the US M17 and M40s had dual eyeports