The Rifugio L.B. is the 19th gas mask approved by the S.C.M. (Servizio Chimico Militare, chemical military service) on 15 June 1938.
Mask overview[]
The Rifugio L.B. is a helmet style mask made with cheap and thin rubber. Its eyepieces are made of cellulose acetate, in the front, it has the exhale valve and under it the filter thread. This mask was almost identical to the S.I.P. 1, the only difference being the exhale valve, which was not the typical Italian double disc but a flapper type one made of very cheap rubber (in fact, the few Rifugio L.B. remaining to this day have their exhale valve completely rotten on at least damaged).
Frontal view
Side view
Frontal view
Close shot of the flapper valve
Side view. Note the broken flapper valve
Marking
Kit[]
The Rifugio L.B. came with the following kit:
- Cardboard box, which contained all of the rest of the kit. Sometimes it was discarded after the mask was purchased and unboxed
- Pirec38 filter, made by Pirelli for passive use, initially used only with this mask
- Anti-fogging soap, contained in a tube wrapped in cloth and inserted in a small box
- Cloth bag, made by Lenci (doll company), with two straps, a string and a button to close it and an internal pocket
- Pseudo-filter, a red assembly with a female and a male thread that mimic filter respiratory resistance made to allow training with the filter without actually opening it
- Manual
Pirec38 filter
Rifugio L.B. with its kit and the original box
Full kit
Full kit in a Rifugio L.B./V.N. box
Rifugio L.B. mentioned in a reference book
A Rifugio L.B. with a Dirzepo filter and a tube. Note the broken exhale valve