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The S6 NBC Respirator, otherwise known as the SR6, or Service Respirator No. 6, was an Anti-Gas, later NBC, respirator used by Great Britain during the 1960s until the 1980s when it was eventually replaced with the S10 NBC Respirator. The S6 was designed as a successor to the cheaper, rushed Light Respirator of the Second World War, ensuring the known issues with speech transmission, weapon sight compatibility, canister drag, eyepiece misting and overall comfort were addressed. The respirator was also required to afford the wearer protection against chemical weapons discovered following the capture of German chemical warfare laboratories.
The requirement for the S6 was understood as early as 1951 and 5,000 examples of the first model were produced by 1953 and trialled the following year. The original version did not consist of a facepiece attached canister, and instead used a connecting tube attached to a larger canister. As time went by, various improvements were incorporated. Alongside the issue of modifications of the Light Respirator, known as Mk. 6, 6/1 and later 7, the S6 was developed to a point where the War Office was happy to accept it into service. From the late 1950s, the S6 begin troop trials and was rolled out gradually over time. Until the 1980s, efforts were made to cheapen the mask, improve the protection afforded by the canisters and even design specialist fittings to help AFV crewmen.
The S6, in short, was a very necessary step forward for Britain owing to the problematic nature of the General Service/Light-type respirators. Whilst effective, the battlefield was changing, and the protection afforded by respirators needed to be increased quickly to protect the British Armed Forces from the threats which may have arisen during the Cold War.
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Design & Identification of the S6 Respirator & Prototypes
Experimental Respirator "P.T.N. 2" (1953) - D/46/34
WIP
SR6 Mk. 1 Prototype "Type A" (1956) - D/46/35
WIP
SR6 Mk. 1 Prototype "Type B" (Feb 1957) - D/46/36
WIP
SR6 Mk. 1 Prototype "Type C" (July 1957)
WIP
S6 Mk. 2 NBC Respirator (1960s - 80s)
Undergoing Research
Development of the Contents of the Respirator Haversack
Experimental "Tube-Attached Canister" Respirator D/46/34 (formerly P.T.N. 2) Kit Contents
WIP
SR6 "Facepiece-Attached Canister" Prototypes (1956-57) Kit Contents
WIP
SR6 AFV Adaption "Tube Attached Canister" Kit Contents
WIP
Initial Issue S6 Mk. 2 Respirator Kit Contents
WIP
Seconardy S6 Mk. 2 Respirator Kit Contents
WIP
Final S6 Mk. 2 Respirator Kit Contents
WIP
History of the S6 NBC Respirator
German Chemical Warfare Laboratory Investigation
Undergoing Research
The German Trials
Undergoing Research
The Requirement of a New Service Respirator
Work in Progress
Introduction of the Experimental Respirator P.T.N. 2
Work in Progress
The First Trials of 1954 with the P.T.N. 2 Respirator
Work in Progress
Tensions Arising among the Admiralty
Work in Progress
Design of the SR6 Model of 1956 & the Accepted Nomenclature
Work in Progress
The Second Trials Held from February to March 1956 with the new SR6 Design
Work in Progress
Design of the SR6 Model of February 1957, a Modification of the 1956 Model.
Work in Progress
Comparitive Trials Between the 1956 and Feb-57 SR6 Prototypes
Work in Progress
Design of the SR6 Model of July 1957 in Response to the Failing of the Previous Two Models
Work in Progress
Trials of the Light Respirator, SR6 Feb and July 1957 Models
Work in Progress
The Roadmap & Plans for Mass Issue
Work in Progress
The Troop Trials
Work in Progress
An Attempt to Further Cheapen the Respirator
Undergoing Research
The Design and Trials of the AFV Crewmen Adaption Kit
Undergoing Research
The Design and Trials of Extra Small Facepieces
Undergoing Research
Mass Issuing the S6 Mk. 2 NBC Respirator
Undergoing Research
The Development of the NBC Canister and Introduction of the No. 2 Mk. 1 Design
Undergoing Research
Issues Discovered with the Compatibility with Optical Equipment
Work in Progress
Issues Discovered with the Airbag in Extreme Climates
Work in Progress
Final Reviews of the S6 NBC Respirator
Undergoing Research
S6 NBC Respirator Drill
Undergoing Research
Repair Procedure for the S6 NBC Respirator
Undergoing Research
References & Further Reading
- Defence Equipment Committee: new service respirator, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- Design of new respirator for British service personnel, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- Advisory Council : design of new respirators for British Services, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- New service respirator: production and review of stocks, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- Defensive Equipment Committee: services report on new service respirator, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- New service respirator: 2nd trials version, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- Ergonimics of respirator, comparison of L7, S6 and M17 masks, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- Trial of three versions of respirator, anti-gas, S.6 (normal size), held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- AORG trial of respirator prototype July 1957 model, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- AORG trial of respirator prototype SR6, Feb 1957, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- AORG trial of respirator proto - SR6, 1956 model, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- Anti-gas respirators: provision of new type, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- Service respirator trials, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- S6 respirator: troop trials, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- Respirator microphone No 3 : user trials, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- Incompatibility of weapon sight interface devices with the Respirator, NBC (Nuclear Biological and Chemical), S6, held at the National Archives, Kew, Richmond, London, United Kingdom.
- "Survive to Fight"
- Examples from the collections of Baroque4Days & GasMasksUK