The Rifugio T.U.O. is the 24th gas mask approved by the S.C.M. (Servizio Chimico Militare, chemical military service) on 19 December 1938. This mask saw a very limited production run, as its successor, the Rifugio T.U.O./M.N., was approved by the S.C.M. less than 3 months later, making the T.U.O. very rare. The reason for this quick change was probably to reduce production price even further.
After a short pause of unknown length, the mask started getting sold again on the 9th of July 1940. After that, it also saw some use with the UNPA as a replacement for other more competent territorial masks.
Mask overview[]
The Rifugio T.U.O. was designed to be as cheap as possible while still using a removable filter. The faceblank is made of a thin sheet of grey stamped rubber, seamed at the bottom, to which the following are attached:
- Inlet-outlet assembly
- Eyepieces
- Head-harness
The inlet-outlet assembly is made of aluminium and is connected to the mask with wire and rubberized tape. It has two threads, one for the cap that keeps the exhale valve in place and the other for the filter. The latter has a metal tab that keeps the inlet valve in place.
The lenses, made of cellulose acetate, are inserted each in a circular pocket and secured with aluminium frames.
The head-harness is composed of 3 straps, one connecting to the faceblank on the forehead section and the other two connecting at the end of the rubber appendages of the faceblank, and they all gather into a nape pad. The front strap is connected to the faceblank with a tab that allows adjusting, while the other two are directly attached to the faceblank and are adjustable from the nape pad.
Kit[]
The Rifugio T.U.O. 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. Occasinally it's possible to find Rifugio T.U.O./M.N. that got redacted to be used with the Rifugio T.U.O.
- Pirec38 filter, made by Pirelli for passive use
- 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
Rifugio T.U.O. manual[]
This sample was redacted to be used with a , which was functionally identical.
