Found your channel by accident. I've been playing with survival kits since the late 1960's and so this presentation was enjoyable. Informative, too. I used to carry a sealed pocket survival kit while flying commercial air but now those little tins have become prohibited Weapons of Mass Destruction. Those kits were copies of the USAF kits only the commercial kits were assembled with a profit margin in mind. Better than nothing--a few matches and a razor blade and possibly the button compass worked. Larger kits such as the one you displayed might get left behind when leaving a plane in a hurry -- but I enjoyed reviewing the contents with you. Even learned a few things. Kits come in a variety of sizes ranging from a footlocker size to something that can be tucked into a cigarette pocket; in the past, the USAF flight jacket had a small sleeve pocket to hold a pack of cigarettes along with pens and pencils. Proper protective clothing was part of the issued survival equipment. I gave a 90-minute lecture on World War Two aircrew survival kits and training at the Hill Aerospace Museum about a decade ago. I shocked some of the World War Two veterans when I admitted to holes in my knowledge--like how Allied airmen managed to magically transport themselves across Fascist Spain into neutral Portugal while Spain was allied to Germany and France was occupied by Germany. State Department secrets are forever. I noted that the Global Survival Kit C2 lacked a barter kit--no gold or silver to pay bribes. The provision of two boxes of .22 Long Rifle ammunition fits in with USAF survival kits containing 100 to 150 rounds of .22 Hornet for their survival rifles -- I haven't been able to determine the ammunition supply for the .410 bore shotguns used since 1944. Since that kit was based on the Canadian Air Force kits, I wonder what .22 gun was issued to them. Were Canadian Air Force personnel expected to have their own .22 rifles when they crewed a cargo plane or patrol bomber? Modern survival kits have changed considerably. USAF GAU-5A "survival rifles" now are geared towards aircrew personal defense and the ammo supply is four loaded 30-round magazines of 5.56mm NATO. In 1944, Stevens 22/410 over and under combination guns were modified (barrels reduced to 14 inches) and issued to C54 and B29 crews to hunt food after a crash. Then there was the M6 22 Hornet/410 shotgun Aircrew Survival Weapon, and the M4 bolt action Survival Rifle in .22 Hornet. It would be interesting to see what Canada issued its aircrew during the same periods. That "dry bag" looks a lot like a collapsible water bladder. In the third edition of John Wiseman's 2014 "SAS Survival Handbook" the text recommends using a condom as a water bag in home-made survival kits. The official kits all had water bags from about 1944 onward. Water bags and water purification tablets are usually omitted from the "sardine can survival kits" sold commercially. In World War Two aircrewmen wore a water canteen and carried sidearms.
Great channel and great shows. Thank you. The 22 caliber ammo was used in conjunction with an AR-7 Survival Rifle. This is the same rifle which could be seen in the James Bond film From Russia With Love. The ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer is a semi-automatic firearm in .22 Long Rifle caliber, developed in 1959 from the AR-5 that was adopted by the U.S. Air Force as a pilot and aircrew survival weapon. The AR-7 was adopted and modified by the Israeli Air Force as an aircrew survival weapon in the 1980s. Wikipedia
Excellent videos! I was a SERE instructor in the USAF and really like you videos on survival equipment. I also have an extensive collection. The bag as others have mentioned is a water storage bag. Cool fact, if you bury them in at least 12 inches of snow the water in them won’t freeze. I have seen the woodmans tool in the Army hot weather survival kits. They come with the sharping stone and magnifying glass like in the kit you were showing.
Thank you for a great presentation. I admire your work. I am surprised that there doesn’t seem to be room in the kit for one of the .22 survival rifles. I can’t find the episode you refer to (when discussing the whistle) on the RAF survival vest. Is there a link to it that I missed?
@@CanadianMacGyver I think the “contents list” creators are confused as well. That water storage bag is included in many US RSSK (rigid seat survival kits) and bomber stand alone kits. It comes in a 1 qt version (that you have) and a 5 quart version. I believe it has been in use in the US military from the 1940’s (a guess) up to the present day. I seem to remember seeing versions (materials have changed) of it from WWII survival training films. The nylon strap and snap on the bag were for securing the canteen/water bladder to a belt for travel. You are also correct that it can keep things dry, or be used as a pillow, or a flotation device… however the primary purpose is water storage in a non rigid container that can be included in survival kits. Cheers. Btw I loved the video.
@@jastrapper190 I think you're correct. In 1944 USAAF aircrew all carried water canteens on their person as part of their survival gear--along with sidearms. The kits started carrying water bladders or water bags as soon as formal kits came out. I gave a lecture at an air force museum a decade ago and there were no formal survival kits and little survival training for USAAF personnel at the beginning of the war. Funny--the Douglas World Cruisers carried survival supplies that included a standard M1903 Springfield service rifle and an M1911 service pistol along with tools, spare parts, and the means to make dope to repair their fabric-covered fuselage and wings. Up to 1943 airmen had to improvise. Here's Lt Leon Crane's 1944 story: www.nps.gov/yuch/learn/historyculture/leon-crane-survival-story.htm
The snow goggles would be of good use in an ocean survival situation since it can help protect against sea spray and I’d imagine it may be of use on windy days to protect against “windburn’ (akin to sunburn but cause by high winds instead of the sun… I suffered from this after one air show due to forgetting my sunglasses and it was a bright windy day so after a while of squinting I was half blind due to said windburn”
The “Pot Handle” looks more like a pair of tongs. Why would there be a pot handle if there is no pot? The small object packed with the “General Purpose Twine” appears to be a small flexible saw that you might wrap around something, then pull back-and-forth with the finger-rings. I own one which is much longer.
The contents list (the little yellow pamphlet) lists them as such. I imagine a wire saw is not really necessary as the Woodman's Pal already has a sawback.
@@CanadianMacGyver That Woodman’s Pal is unusual, It’s the only one I have ever seen with the saw back. I just went on ebay and they have a couple of early military versions none of which have the saw.
@@hitchpost5822 look for a Woodsman’s Pal 361-S, as this is the sawback model. You’re correct that it wasn’t as numerous as the standard version, but I’ve seen a few come through in batches of militaria. They made a variety of models, differing slightly in blade shape, finish, handle and scabbard material, with or without hand guard, etc. All are immediately recognizable as Woodsman’s Pals but the designation system they used to denote the options is a bit cumbersome for anyone but hardcore collectors. Regarding the wire saw, some are intended for metal cutting rather than wood, which could certainly be handled by the woodsman’s pal.
@@hitchpost5822 I agree. I own one and it doesn’t have a saw back. It also has a slightly different blade profile. I seem to remember them modifying the design so that when chopping out roots and such from dirt or wood on the ground… they didn’t like the edge carrying all the way to the end of the tool. It would dull and get chipped and damaged so they “blunted” the end… if that makes sense. Also my tool has a compressed leather washer handle that has been shaped.
The USAF M4 and M6 survival weapons were chambered for .22 Hornet, a centerfire cartridge. Modern M6 reproductions have longer barrels (18 inches because of that unrifled .410 bore shotgun barrel) and the rifle barrel is chambered in .22 Long Rifle, with some variants chambered in other calibers such as .22 Magnum and even .22 Hornet. Check the catalogs and auction sites--but the M4 and M6 as issued by the USAF couldn't fire .22 Long Rifle ammo.
Found your channel by accident. I've been playing with survival kits since the late 1960's and so this presentation was enjoyable. Informative, too. I used to carry a sealed pocket survival kit while flying commercial air but now those little tins have become prohibited Weapons of Mass Destruction. Those kits were copies of the USAF kits only the commercial kits were assembled with a profit margin in mind. Better than nothing--a few matches and a razor blade and possibly the button compass worked. Larger kits such as the one you displayed might get left behind when leaving a plane in a hurry -- but I enjoyed reviewing the contents with you. Even learned a few things. Kits come in a variety of sizes ranging from a footlocker size to something that can be tucked into a cigarette pocket; in the past, the USAF flight jacket had a small sleeve pocket to hold a pack of cigarettes along with pens and pencils. Proper protective clothing was part of the issued survival equipment.
I gave a 90-minute lecture on World War Two aircrew survival kits and training at the Hill Aerospace Museum about a decade ago. I shocked some of the World War Two veterans when I admitted to holes in my knowledge--like how Allied airmen managed to magically transport themselves across Fascist Spain into neutral Portugal while Spain was allied to Germany and France was occupied by Germany. State Department secrets are forever. I noted that the Global Survival Kit C2 lacked a barter kit--no gold or silver to pay bribes.
The provision of two boxes of .22 Long Rifle ammunition fits in with USAF survival kits containing 100 to 150 rounds of .22 Hornet for their survival rifles -- I haven't been able to determine the ammunition supply for the .410 bore shotguns used since 1944. Since that kit was based on the Canadian Air Force kits, I wonder what .22 gun was issued to them. Were Canadian Air Force personnel expected to have their own .22 rifles when they crewed a cargo plane or patrol bomber?
Modern survival kits have changed considerably. USAF GAU-5A "survival rifles" now are geared towards aircrew personal defense and the ammo supply is four loaded 30-round magazines of 5.56mm NATO. In 1944, Stevens 22/410 over and under combination guns were modified (barrels reduced to 14 inches) and issued to C54 and B29 crews to hunt food after a crash. Then there was the M6 22 Hornet/410 shotgun Aircrew Survival Weapon, and the M4 bolt action Survival Rifle in .22 Hornet. It would be interesting to see what Canada issued its aircrew during the same periods.
That "dry bag" looks a lot like a collapsible water bladder. In the third edition of John Wiseman's 2014 "SAS Survival Handbook" the text recommends using a condom as a water bag in home-made survival kits. The official kits all had water bags from about 1944 onward. Water bags and water purification tablets are usually omitted from the "sardine can survival kits" sold commercially. In World War Two aircrewmen wore a water canteen and carried sidearms.
Great channel and great shows. Thank you.
The 22 caliber ammo was used in conjunction with an AR-7 Survival Rifle. This is the same rifle which could be seen in the James Bond film From Russia With Love.
The ArmaLite AR-7 Explorer is a semi-automatic firearm in .22 Long Rifle caliber, developed in 1959 from the AR-5 that was adopted by the U.S. Air Force as a pilot and aircrew survival weapon. The AR-7 was adopted and modified by the Israeli Air Force as an aircrew survival weapon in the 1980s. Wikipedia
Excellent videos! I was a SERE instructor in the USAF and really like you videos on survival equipment. I also have an extensive collection. The bag as others have mentioned is a water storage bag. Cool fact, if you bury them in at least 12 inches of snow the water in them won’t freeze. I have seen the woodmans tool in the Army hot weather survival kits. They come with the sharping stone and magnifying glass like in the kit you were showing.
3:37 believe me you are not alone. It’s an illness. Albeit an oddly pleasant if not terrifically expensive one.
the clear bag is for water storage
While you say a pruning hook, I call it a billhook, same use really but imo “billhook” is a cooler name
Awesome video. Thank you.
Cool!
One would put those rations on a tray……
I love this kind of stuff
Own a woodsnans pal myself, it's still every bit as high quality
Thank you for a great presentation. I admire your work. I am surprised that there doesn’t seem to be room in the kit for one of the .22 survival rifles. I can’t find the episode you refer to (when discussing the whistle) on the RAF survival vest. Is there a link to it that I missed?
The item you identified as a dry bag, I think is actually for water collection and storage ?
The contents list (the little yellow pamphlet) lists it as a dry storage bag, though you could certainly use it for water.
@@CanadianMacGyver I think the “contents list” creators are confused as well. That water storage bag is included in many US RSSK (rigid seat survival kits) and bomber stand alone kits. It comes in a 1 qt version (that you have) and a 5 quart version. I believe it has been in use in the US military from the 1940’s (a guess) up to the present day. I seem to remember seeing versions (materials have changed) of it from WWII survival training films. The nylon strap and snap on the bag were for securing the canteen/water bladder to a belt for travel. You are also correct that it can keep things dry, or be used as a pillow, or a flotation device… however the primary purpose is water storage in a non rigid container that can be included in survival kits. Cheers. Btw I loved the video.
@@jastrapper190 I think you're correct. In 1944 USAAF aircrew all carried water canteens on their person as part of their survival gear--along with sidearms. The kits started carrying water bladders or water bags as soon as formal kits came out. I gave a lecture at an air force museum a decade ago and there were no formal survival kits and little survival training for USAAF personnel at the beginning of the war. Funny--the Douglas World Cruisers carried survival supplies that included a standard M1903 Springfield service rifle and an M1911 service pistol along with tools, spare parts, and the means to make dope to repair their fabric-covered fuselage and wings. Up to 1943 airmen had to improvise. Here's Lt Leon Crane's 1944 story:
www.nps.gov/yuch/learn/historyculture/leon-crane-survival-story.htm
The snow goggles would be of good use in an ocean survival situation since it can help protect against sea spray and I’d imagine it may be of use on windy days to protect against “windburn’ (akin to sunburn but cause by high winds instead of the sun… I suffered from this after one air show due to forgetting my sunglasses and it was a bright windy day so after a while of squinting I was half blind due to said windburn”
That's cool - Thanks !
😎👍
Old Silva compasses are very radioactive.
No inclusion of drinking water?
Needs a pocket knife and a sheath knife.
The “Pot Handle” looks more like a pair of tongs. Why would there be a pot handle if there is no pot?
The small object packed with the “General Purpose Twine” appears to be a small flexible saw that you might wrap around something, then pull back-and-forth with the finger-rings. I own one which is much longer.
The contents list (the little yellow pamphlet) lists them as such. I imagine a wire saw is not really necessary as the Woodman's Pal already has a sawback.
@@CanadianMacGyver That Woodman’s Pal is unusual, It’s the only one I have ever seen
with the saw back. I just went on ebay and they have a couple of early military versions
none of which have the saw.
@@hitchpost5822 look for a Woodsman’s Pal 361-S, as this is the sawback model. You’re correct that it wasn’t as numerous as the standard version, but I’ve seen a few come through in batches of militaria. They made a variety of models, differing slightly in blade shape, finish, handle and scabbard material, with or without hand guard, etc. All are immediately recognizable as Woodsman’s Pals but the designation system they used to denote the options is a bit cumbersome for anyone but hardcore collectors.
Regarding the wire saw, some are intended for metal cutting rather than wood, which could certainly be handled by the woodsman’s pal.
@@mattwilliams3456 Very interesting, thanks for the information Matt.
@@hitchpost5822 I agree. I own one and it doesn’t have a saw back. It also has a slightly different blade profile. I seem to remember them modifying the design so that when chopping out roots and such from dirt or wood on the ground… they didn’t like the edge carrying all the way to the end of the tool. It would dull and get chipped and damaged so they “blunted” the end… if that makes sense. Also my tool has a compressed leather washer handle that has been shaped.
Complementary to M4 / M6 cal 22 survival guns?
The USAF M4 and M6 survival weapons were chambered for .22 Hornet, a centerfire cartridge. Modern M6 reproductions have longer barrels (18 inches because of that unrifled .410 bore shotgun barrel) and the rifle barrel is chambered in .22 Long Rifle, with some variants chambered in other calibers such as .22 Magnum and even .22 Hornet. Check the catalogs and auction sites--but the M4 and M6 as issued by the USAF couldn't fire .22 Long Rifle ammo.
😔 "promosm"
Oh come on...eat the food!
@annefrankvapepen2064 Yeah it's part of a museum collection. I was semi-facetious but yes, I was thinking of steve1989's channel when I saw the food.