Museum catalogue: Antarctic Collection

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a: A modified RAF H-type green rubber face mask. The cheeks of the face mask are lined with chamois leather. It has five spring-loaded inlet valves (three with metal and plastic fittings and two with black plastic fittings on the outside, and all with black plastic plugs on the inside), so placed that the inspired air blows over the nose and mouth. There is a hole at the bottom of the mask to take a tube to connect the face mask to the flowmeter, moulded 'DETACH TUBE HERE'. The face masks were available in three sizes – the rubber on this one is moulded 'MEDIUM'. Handwritten in pen on the front of the mask is the name 'RALPH' (Ralph Anthony Lenton). Grey textile webbing straps pass through rubber loops on the front of the facemask and are secured with safety pins; these are attached to fittings for the head strap. The head strap (b) would be attached to one side of the face mask with a metal hook and to the other with two metal poppers on a piece of leather.

b: The head strap is made of beige textile webbing and has a metal adjustor. It has a metal hook at one end and two metal poppers backed with leather at the other for attaching to the sides of the face mask.

c: A square brown cardboard box base, fixed together with metal staples. The box has no lid.

• a: Width: 102mm, height: 130mm, depth: 83mm
• b: Height: 155mm, length: 340mm
• c: Width: 112mm, height: 95mm, length: 123mm

• Used by: Lenton, Ralph Anthony (1955 - 1958)

• Used on: Commonwealth Trans-Antarctic Expedition 1955-58 (1955 - 1958)