Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!bonnie.concordia.ca!clyde.concordia.ca!nstn.ns.ca!news.cs.indiana.edu!att!cbnews!cbnews!military From: lenochs%drcoa1.decnet@drcvax.af.mil (DRCOA1::LENOCHS) Newsgroups: sci.military Subject: Re: M17 gas mask filters Message-ID: <1991Feb6.031034.20172@cbnews.att.com> Date: 6 Feb 91 03:10:34 GMT Sender: military@cbnews.att.com (William B. Thacker) Organization: AT&T Bell Laboratories Lines: 57 Approved: military@att.att.com From: "DRCOA1::LENOCHS" Will Martin sez: >Much was made of the M-17's obsolete filter >design, which requires the mask be removed to replace the filter >elements buried in the cheeks of the mask. However, the actual >replacement process was never illustrated. >I happen to have an M-17 mask (found it at a garage sale!), and I can >feel the filters inside the mask but cannot for the life of me figure >out how they come out for replacement. Can someone post or e-mail me >the instructions for filter removal and replacement on the M-17? Well, it's quite a job, Will, but here goes......... 1 - On the outside of the mask, remove the cloth-covered rings on each side of the mask (under the eye pieces). This exposes the filter inlet tubes. [BTW, the color indicates what version filter you've got...I don't remember the colors]. 2 - On the inside of the mask, under the eye pieces, you'll notice two black circles on a flap. Take the flap off the pins. 3 - Now push the metal circles exposed in step 1 back into the mask. 4 - Open the flap (from step 2) and reach in. Grasp the filter FIRMLY and pull (pry, cuss, haul, cuss, etc) the filter out by griping the air inlet tube. Haul that puppy out however you can. 5 - To install new filters, reverse process. As you can see, it's not an easy process, and absolutely **impossible** to do in a contaminated environment. Please note that the M17 is used for 'casual' contamination; i.e., field use. When I was working in a chemical weapon escort team, we used a much different system. We used the old M3 (??) mask [the one with the canister on the side] and a full butyl rubber suit, head to toe. As for older mask, they are probably ineffective due to dry rot. Hope this helped as its all from memories 10+ years old!! ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| || || || An ORI [an Air Force Operational Readiness Inspection] is an || || event where you stop doing what you were doing so that you can || || simulate doing what you were doing to someone else, so that the || || inspector will know that you can simulate doing what you were || || doing just as well as you were doing it. || || || ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||| Loyd M. Enochs (ex-USAF) - Dynamics Research Corporation - Andover, MA