The GP-5 gas mask was historically used by the USSR for
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
protection. The mask has become a popular item in popular culture since and referenced widely in video games and films, as it is very cheap because it is the most produced gas mask ever. The GP-5 is a simple gas mask with protection around the entire head, and a single metal ringed filter for breathing. It was designed to protect against the ingress of toxic, radioactive substances and bacterial (biological) agents into the respiratory system, eyes and face of a person. It was produced in the period from 1961 to 1989 (although there were FPC GP-5's produced in 1990). Taking into account the identified shortcomings in the operation of the civilian gas mask GP-5, it was modernized, which was called the modernized civilian gas mask model 5 - GP-5M. Gas masks GP-5 were produced three times more than the population of the Soviet Union. It was in impressive quantities in almost all industries and in civil defense shelters, sometimes it is still used as a training
RPE in life safety classes , although now it is mostly replaced by the GP-7 and other soviet-era gas masks.
History
The GP-5 gas mask kit ( rus, Гражда́нский Противога́з-5, r=Grazhdanskiy Protivogaz-5) is a
Soviet
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, ...
-made
gas mask
A gas mask is a mask used to protect the wearer from inhaling airborne pollutants and toxic gases. The mask forms a sealed cover over the nose and mouth, but may also cover the eyes and other vulnerable soft tissues of the face. Most gas mask ...
kit, which contains a single-filter ShM-62 or Shm-62U gas mask. It was issued to the Soviet population starting in 1962; production ended in 1990. It is a lightweight mask, weighing 1.09 kg (2.42 lbs). It can operate in all weather and withstand temperatures from to . The ShM-62 or comes with sealed
glass
Glass is a non-crystalline, often transparent, amorphous solid that has widespread practical, technological, and decorative use in, for example, window panes, tableware, and optics. Glass is most often formed by rapid cooling (quenching) of ...
eye pieces. The GP-5 kit was originally made to protect the wearer from radioactive
fallout
Nuclear fallout is the residual radioactive material propelled into the upper atmosphere following a nuclear blast, so called because it "falls out" of the sky after the explosion and the shock wave has passed. It commonly refers to the radioac ...
during the
Cold War
The Cold War is a term commonly used to refer to a period of geopolitical tension between the United States and the Soviet Union and their respective allies, the Western Bloc and the Eastern Bloc. The term '' cold war'' is used because the ...
and were distributed to most
fallout shelter
A fallout shelter is an enclosed space specially designated to protect occupants from radioactive debris or fallout resulting from a nuclear explosion. Many such shelters were constructed as civil defense measures during the Cold War.
During ...
s. They have been tested in
Poland
Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populous ...
to determine if they have
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
protective capabilities. It was concluded that the mask will last in an NBC situation for 24 hours. They are a favorite of gas mask collectors because they are common and have the "old" circular eyepieces like masks used in
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
and the "helmet" type masks.
![GP-5 Gasmaskenfilter](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/19/GP-5_Gasmaskenfilter.jpg)
The GP-5 kit is widely available on the
army surplus
Military surplus are goods, usually matériel, that are sold or otherwise disposed of when held in excess or are no longer needed by the military. Entrepreneurs often buy these goods and resell them at surplus stores. Usually the goods sold by ...
market, usually very cheaply ($5 to $23), and are often used as a part of Halloween or fancy dress costumes, including cosplay.
A variation of the GP-5 gas mask is the GP-5m, which features a circular piece of metal that contains a thin piece of plastic on the inside, which acts as a voice diaphragm ('voicemitter'), as well as circular earholes. The military version of the ShM-62,
he ShM-41uses a near-identical facepiece but with an elongated filter housing and a hose which connects to a "Coffee can"-type filter. The filter remains supported in the mask's haversack while the mask is being worn. The ShM-62 and the ShM-41 were issued respectively to the civilian population and armed forces of the Soviet Union and its
Warsaw Pact
The Warsaw Pact (WP) or Treaty of Warsaw, formally the Treaty of Friendship, Cooperation and Mutual Assistance, was a collective defense treaty signed in Warsaw, Poland, between the Soviet Union and seven other Eastern Bloc socialist republic ...
allies, among which they were given differing designations. The
East German
East Germany, officially the German Democratic Republic (GDR; german: Deutsche Demokratische Republik, , DDR, ), was a country that existed from its creation on 7 October 1949 until its dissolution on 3 October 1990. In these years the state ...
Armed Forces
A military, also known collectively as armed forces, is a heavily armed, highly organized force primarily intended for warfare. It is typically authorized and maintained by a sovereign state, with its members identifiable by their distinct ...
designated the military version the SchM-41M. Although it is unrelated to the GP-5 family of masks, a similar variant of the Russian "helmet-style" design with small eyepieces and a voicemitter for those with specific needs relating to the use of optical equipment (i.e. officers - binoculars) was known as the SchMS.
Cancer
Cancer is a group of diseases involving abnormal cell growth with the potential to invade or spread to other parts of the body. These contrast with benign tumors, which do not spread. Possible signs and symptoms include a lump, abnormal b ...
,
Mesothelioma
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that covers many of the internal organs (known as the mesothelium). The most common area affected is the lining of the lungs and chest wall. Less commonly the lining ...
and
Asbestosis
Asbestosis is long-term inflammation and pulmonary fibrosis, scarring of the human lung, lungs due to asbestos, asbestos fibers. Symptoms may include shortness of breath, cough, wheezing, and chest pain, chest tightness. Complications may include ...
Link
There has been some debate as to whether or not the filters are dangerous for containing
asbestos
Asbestos () is a naturally occurring fibrous silicate mineral. There are six types, all of which are composed of long and thin fibrous crystals, each fibre being composed of many microscopic "fibrils" that can be released into the atmosphere b ...
. In October 2013, Dixon Information found out that the cotton layer of the filter contains 7.5 percent asbestos.
Supposedly, if the masks were made after 1972 they use
activated charcoal
"Activated" is a song by English singer Cher Lloyd. It was released on 22 July 2016 through Vixen Records. The song was made available to stream exclusively on ''Rolling Stone'' a day before to release (on 21 July 2016).
Background
In an interv ...
, however filters dating throughout the 1980s have tested positive for asbestos.
The filter case contains lead which slowly degrades into the filter, along with many other chemicals used in the manufacturing process. Because of this it is not recommended to use the mask with the accompanying filter, as it may expose the user to hazardous materials such as asbestos and can cause possible inhalation of charcoal.
Construction
The front part of the GP-5 provides the supply of air purified in the filter-absorbing box to the respiratory organs and protects the eyes and face from the ingress of toxic, radioactive substances and bacterial (biological) agents, as well as dust, smoke and fog. The front part consists of a rubber body (helmet-mask) with fairings and a spectacle assembly with flat round glasses, a valve box with inhalation and exhalation valves. It is completed with one-sided films that prevent fogging of glasses of the spectacle unit, it can also be equipped with insulating cuffs that prevent freezing of glasses of the spectacle unit at low temperatures.
The rubber of the front parts was produced in 5 sizes: 0 (0y), 1 (1y), 2 (2y), 3 (3y), 4 (4y). The Russian letter "y"
hich translates to the letter Uin a circle next to the number indicating the size of the helmet-mask means that this mask has thinner rubber, which is typical for later batches. The size is indicated by a number on the chin of the helmet mask. To select the required height of the helmet-mask, you need to measure the head along a closed line passing through the top of the head, cheeks and chin. Measurements are rounded to 0.5 cm. With a measurement value of up to 63 cm - 0 height, from 63.5 to 65.5 cm - 1 height, from 66 to 68 cm - 2 height, from 68.5 to 70.5 cm - 3 height, from 71 cm and more - 4 height. On the rubber, helmet-masks are also cast one under the other markings: the first letter of the city of production and the year followed by dots indicating the quarter of the year, and the mold number (for example: T86 ... F625).
The valve box of the front part serves to distribute the flows of inhaled and exhaled air. Inside the valve box there are inhalation and two exhalation valves (main and additional). It has a standard 40/4 thread and does not initially have a corrugated tube.
The filtering-absorbing box (FPK) of the GP-5 civilian gas mask has the shape of a cylinder. The FPC body is made of aluminium. In its lower half there is an antiaerosol filter, and in the upper half there is an absorber (
activated carbon
Activated carbon, also called activated charcoal, is a form of carbon commonly used to filter contaminants from water and air, among many other uses. It is processed (activated) to have small, low-volume pores that increase the surface area avail ...
). On the lid of the box there is a screwed neck with a standard 40/4 thread for attaching the FPC to the front of the gas mask, and in the bottom there is a round hole through which the inhaled air enters.
The gas mask bag is used to store and carry the gas mask. The gas mask bag is equipped with a shoulder strap with movable buckles for carrying the gas mask over the shoulder and a strap for attaching the gas mask to the body. The bag has two pockets: flat with a partition for placing boxes with anti-fogging films and membranes and folding a waist band or IPP (individual dressing bag), and the other for an individual anti-chemical package IPP-8 .
Accessories
The GP-5 was issued in a basic fabric bag with two straps which were designed to be easily slung over a shoulder or hung from the waist. The issued bag also contained a decontamination kit (typically either IPP-1 or IPP-8 model), bandages, a first aid kit, and anti-fogging lenses. Online, there is an additional Gost to NATO filter thread adaptor which is not officially part of the Gp-5 kit issued by the Soviet union , but many buyers claim works.
Variants
The low-cost and ease of manufacturing of the GP-5 kit led to its adoption by a number of states, both for military and industrial use. In East Germany, the GP-5 was imported in numbers throughout the 1980s, with 1.8 million being imported between 1981 and 1988.
The ShM-62 had a couple of variants made by the Soviet Union as the GP-5m, which is also known as the PMG-2. This variant was the equivalent of a standard ShM-62 mask, but with an added voice diaphragm.
Equipment/ Kit
* the exhale valve part of ShM-62, ShM-62U or ShMP (similar to the two previous ones, but cast from black rubber), ShM-66MU (for modifying the GP-5M gas mask, it can be made of gray or black rubber) - 1 piece;
* filtering-absorbing box (FPK) GP-5 - 1 piece
* Gas mask Sack- 1 bag
* single-sided anti-fogging films - 1 cartridge with the letters “NP” embossed on the lid contains 6 pieces;
* 1 instruction manual
* Spare membranes for the exhale valve (only for SHM-66MU) - 1 box with the letter "M" embossed on the lid contains 6 pieces
Specifications and maintenance
* The mass of the gas mask as a whole is no more than 900 grams.
* The mass of the filter-absorbing box is no more than 250 grams.
* The mass of the front part of ShM-62 is 400-430 grams, ShM-62U is 370-400 grams.
* The area of the field of view is not less than 42%.
* The overall dimensions of the gas mask when placed in a bag are 120x120x270 mm.
* Overall dimensions of the filter-absorbing box: diameter - 112.5 mm; height with cap — 80 mm.
* The resistance of the FPC to a constant air flow at a flow rate of 30 L/min is not more than 19 mm of water column (186.2 Pa).
* The resistance of the front part to a constant air flow at a flow rate of 30 L/min: on inspiration - no more than 2 mm of water column (19.6 Pa); on exhalation - no more than 10 mm of water column (98 Pa).
* The resistance of the gas mask to a constant air flow at a flow rate of 30 L/min: on inspiration - no more than 21 mm of water column (205.8 Pa); on exhalation - no more than 10 mm of water column (98 Pa).
* FPC must be sealed at an overpressure of 100 mm Hg. When checking in a water bath for 8-10 seconds, no air bubbles should separate from the surface of the box;
* The front part must be airtight at a vacuum of 120 mm of water column and must not give a drop in the liquid level along one knee of the pressure gauge by more than 18 mm for 1 minute.
FPC protective action time for hazardous chemicals at an air flow rate of 30 L/min.
*
Hydrocyanic at a concentration of 5.0 mg / dm
3 - at least 18 minutes.
*
Cyanogen
Cyanogen is the chemical compound with the formula ( C N)2. It is a colorless and highly toxic gas with a pungent odor. The molecule is a pseudohalogen. Cyanogen molecules consist of two CN groups – analogous to diatomic halogen molecule ...
at a concentration of 5.0 mg / dm
3 - at least 18 minutes.
Packaging and storage
Civilian gas masks GP-5 were packed, transported and stored in their original packaging - wooden boxes, which where sealed by the manufacturer. Each box contained 40 sets of gas masks, the sizes and numbers in said crate were the following : Size 0 - 5 pcs., Size 1 - 12 pcs., Size 2 - 15 pcs., Size 3 - 7 pcs., Size 4 - 1 pcs. Each box contained a manual for the correct operation and use of the gas mask. In box No. 1 of each batch of gas masks, a form for the batch was inserted.
Additional information
The GP-5 does not provide protection against
ammonia
Ammonia is an inorganic compound of nitrogen and hydrogen with the formula . A stable binary hydride, and the simplest pnictogen hydride, ammonia is a colourless gas with a distinct pungent smell. Biologically, it is a common nitrogenous was ...
and its derivatives, organic vapors and gases with a boiling point of less than 65 ° C (such as:
methane
Methane ( , ) is a chemical compound with the chemical formula (one carbon atom bonded to four hydrogen atoms). It is a group-14 hydride, the simplest alkane, and the main constituent of natural gas. The relative abundance of methane on Eart ...
,
ethane
Ethane ( , ) is an organic chemical compound with chemical formula . At standard temperature and pressure, ethane is a colorless, odorless gas. Like many hydrocarbons, ethane is isolated on an industrial scale from natural gas and as a petr ...
,
acetylene
Acetylene (systematic name: ethyne) is the chemical compound with the formula and structure . It is a hydrocarbon and the simplest alkyne. This colorless gas is widely used as a fuel and a chemical building block. It is unstable in its pure ...
,
ethylene oxide
Ethylene oxide is an organic compound with the chemical formula, formula . It is a cyclic ether and the simplest epoxide: a three-membered Ring (chemistry), ring consisting of one oxygen atom and two carbon atoms. Ethylene oxide is a colorless a ...
,
isobutane
Isobutane, also known as ''i''-butane, 2-methylpropane or methylpropane, is a chemical compound with molecular formula HC(CH3)3. It is an isomer of butane. Isobutane is a colourless, odourless gas.
It is the simplest alkane with a tertiary carbon a ...
, etc.),
carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide (chemical formula CO) is a colorless, poisonous, odorless, tasteless, flammable gas that is slightly less dense than air. Carbon monoxide consists of one carbon atom and one oxygen atom connected by a triple bond. It is the simple ...
and
nitrogen oxides Nitrogen oxide may refer to a binary compound of oxygen and nitrogen, or a mixture of such compounds:
Charge-neutral
*Nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen(II) oxide, or nitrogen monoxide
*Nitrogen dioxide (), nitrogen(IV) oxide
*Nitrogen trioxide (), or ni ...
.
Modifications
Taking into account the shortcomings of the civilian gas mask GP-5, its modification, GP-5M, was developed. The front part of the gas mask underwent modernization, which received the new name ShM-66MU. The front part of the ShM-66MU received an intercom and slots in the body of the helmet-mask for the ears.
Application
Before use, the civilian gas mask GP-5 must be checked for serviceability and tightness. When inspecting the front part, you should make sure that the height of the helmet-mask corresponds to the required one. Then determine its integrity by paying attention to the glasses of the spectacle assembly. After that, check the valve box, the condition of the valves. They must not be warped, clogged or torn. There should be no dents, rust, punctures on the filter-absorbing box, and no damage in the neck. Attention is drawn to the fact that the "grains" of the absorber are not poured into the box. The assembly of the GP-5 civilian gas mask is carried out as follows: the front part is taken in the left hand by the valve box, the filter-absorbing box is screwed all the way with the screwed neck into the branch pipe of the valve box of the front part with the right hand. Before putting on the new front part of the gas mask, it is necessary to wipe it outside and inside with a clean cloth slightly moistened with water, and blow out the exhalation valves. If any damage is found in the gas mask, they are eliminated, if it is impossible to do this, the gas mask is replaced with a serviceable one. The checked gas mask is assembled in a bag: down is a filter-absorbing box, on top - the front part, which is not bent, only the head and side parts are slightly turned up so as to protect the glass of the spectacle assembly.
A gas mask issued for use can be in 3 positions:
* "travelling" position
* "ready" position
* "combat" position.
To bring the civilian gas mask GP-5 into the stowed position, it is necessary to put on a bag with a gas mask over the right shoulder so that it is on the left side, and the clasp is away from you, adjust the shoulder strap with the buckles so that the upper edge of the bag is at the level of the waist belt , check the reliability of the gas mask, fold the gas mask into the gas mask bag. If necessary, the gas mask can be attached to the belt with a ribbon. The gas mask is transferred to the “ready” position according to the signals “Air Raid” and “Threat of Radioactive Contamination”, that is, with an immediate threat of a nuclear, chemical or bacteriological (biological) attack. In this case, it is necessary to move the gas mask forward, unfasten the valve of the gas mask bag, fasten the gas mask to the body with a braid.
The mask tightly clings to the skin and scalp of the head, and so may be uncomfortable for those with all but the shortest of hair. The mask also will not create an airtight seal around the face if the individual wearing it has facial hair.
See also
*
PMK gas mask
*
Gp-4u
* IP-5
* GP-9
* GP-7
* PPM-88
* PDF-2D
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:GP-5 Gas Mask
Military personal equipment
Military equipment of Russia
Gas masks of the Soviet Union
Protective gear
Military equipment introduced in the 1960s