Cold War Crap
Russian GP-5 (SHM-62 ) Gas Mask - mini review
More aardvark antics
Price: £2.00 + £2.80 postage
Manufacturer: Soviet state factories
Model: SHM-62 Face piece (part of the GP-5 kit)
Year of production: 1977
Size: 3y
Size: 3y
Type: Full cover NBC mask
Years in service: 1962 - 1989
Country: USSR
Weight: 1.9Kg
Condition: used, slightly degraded
Vendor: Private seller on ebay
Standard heavy duty Russian valve system
First impressions
It seems that the Russian GP-5 mask or should I say the SHM-62 mask (the whole kit with filter, bag, hose and fog lenses is called the GP-5) seems to be the starting point for most new gas mask buyers, whether that be the collector or the fancy dress wearer.
The online surplus stores are flooded with them and prices are very cheap.
I saw this unwanted mask on eBay and decided I would bid for it. The seller had purchased it for a party and never bothered to use it.
Just the face piece is supplied with this auction listing so to make up the complete GP-5 kit I will have to buy a hose, coffee can filter and carrier which I plan on doing later in the future.
This mask arrived in good time and well packaged.
The first thing I noticed was corrosion to the metal work around the eye pieces.
The mask looks like it was just brought back from chenobyl.!
Some people might be a little upset by the less than perfect eye pieces but I'm not too bothered as it looks more authentic somehow.
Some discolouration can be seen on the main rubber cap probably due to the way it has been stored.
To be honest a lot of these deep stored surplus masks have blemishes and discoloured bits on the rubber. It is to be expected.
The metal inhale/exhale assembly is in good condition with both valves looking fairly new.
Unlike the Polish MUA mask this example doesn't feature the voice Diaphragm and the longer trunk piece.
Inside the rubber is on near perfect condition. The tissot Anti-fog tubes seem to work to a point.
Hose and filter can fittings are the standard Russian style 40mm thread.
Although 40mm the actual threads are slightly thicker than the NATO type and so can cause a bit of a problem with compatibility.
To be honest a lot of these deep stored surplus masks have blemishes and discoloured bits on the rubber. It is to be expected.
Manky corrosion on the eye pieces
The metal inhale/exhale assembly is in good condition with both valves looking fairly new.
Unlike the Polish MUA mask this example doesn't feature the voice Diaphragm and the longer trunk piece.
Inside the rubber is on near perfect condition. The tissot Anti-fog tubes seem to work to a point.
Hose and filter can fittings are the standard Russian style 40mm thread.
Although 40mm the actual threads are slightly thicker than the NATO type and so can cause a bit of a problem with compatibility.
1977 vintage
Who were these issued to?
Production on the GP-5 NBC protection kit began in 1962 and ran up to 1989 with the fall of communist states.
The GP-5 kits were issued in large numbers to the civilian population and military personnel.
Originally designed to be used during a nuclear attack these masks were distributed to the vast majority of fallout shelters.
A shorter snout than the polish mask on the right
Testing
Like with my previous MUA mask test, the lack of a hose or a filter makes aerosol testing impossible, instead I will just test the wearing of the mask
Getting the mask on is very much the same as the polish MUA, tight and painful although it has to be said that this mask was a little easier being size 3.
It seems that a Russian size 2 is the perfect size for me so this mask was a fair bit more loose on my head.
As for making an air tight seal, this was almost possible.
The extra size made the mask flap about around the chin area letting in a bit of air.
Getting the right size next time would sort that out.
One thing I did notice during the brief time the mask was air tight was the uselessness of the Anti-fog tubes inside. The mask fogged up pretty easily unlike the almost identical polish mask I reviewed.
Perhaps it's no wonder the GP-5 kit also came with a set of Anti-fog inserts.
I'm hoping to test this mask properly once a hose and filter can arrive.
It's not a bad mask when all said and done.
Keep your comments to yourselves thank you very much!
Not the best example but it will do for now.
Although I paid more for the postage than I did the mask, for the overall cost it's hard to complain.