Mk 2 Carrier water can

[Kirk Armitage]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Oh how I wish I could buy these repro at $10 a pop from China. I think I'm up to 19 I need to fill my bins and would happily do it with lookalike dummies.

Kirk, is the cap thread size the same? Does the filler look grafted on?

Had another look Bruce , caps are the same , no ring on the neck for a chain. All the solder joints are old look ing, galvanized metal showing where scratched/chipped . If someone weathered this, their good. Either way it's going on the shelf as a possible imposter , but still green. Lol Kirk

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

I wonder what WW1 and between the wars cans look like. Maybe slide it from the imposter shelf to the incredibly rare one?

[rob love]

Here is a link to a distributor of these cans in the UK. Some are impressed with company script like shell and castrol, and others are merely painted. Some of these cans are being made in aluminum as well. I saw a link on another site for newly made cans in distressed look.
https://www.reproductions.co.uk/27-c...il-cans?page=5

We may well be able to fill our vehicles with not only reproduction cans of good quality, but also cans that can contain useable fluids.

[Tony Smith]

Originally Posted by Bruce Parker

Oh how I wish I could buy these repro at $10 a pop from China.

Can't quite get that low, $12.50ea is about the cheapest we can get from India!

Seems any logo is available, Shell, Castrol, Rolls Royce. If wonder if we could commission some MLU cans?

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...16881aabx5canS

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...534178182D8L6P

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

Can't quite get that low, $12.50ea is about the cheapest we can get from India!

Seems any logo is available, Shell, Castrol, Rolls Royce. If wonder if we could commission some MLU cans?

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...16881aabx5canS

https://www.alibaba.com/product-deta...534178182D8L6P

I need 19 not 200!!

I think a run of new made PETROL and WATER cans would sell. Maybe these guys should be made aware there is a market for them.

[David Herbert]

Originally Posted by Tony Smith

If wonder if we could commission some MLU cans?

How about 'CMP' ones, that would confuse people

David

[rob love]

The Alibaba ad does mention :

For product pricing, customization, or other inquiries:contact supplier

[Tony Smith]

Flat paint, or just in primer, would be top of the list!

[Tony Smith]

So would there be a market for 200 of these with plain sides in red oxide primer shipped, landed and taxed at approx CDN$25?

My suggestion is with "MLU 2020" stamped in the bottom sheet to ID them as repro.

Who's up for placing the order?

[Ed Storey]

Originally Posted by Kirk Armitage

Picked this can up the other day, never paid attention until I got it beside another one. The common one on the left has rounded corners and the usual markings, the mystery one has sharp corners and no markings that I can find.Any info would be appreciated. Thanks K Armitage

The petrol tin with the square corners may be Australian.

[Kirk Armitage]

Thanks Ed , I'll start looking that direction, any hint on what made you think it's Australian ?
Regards K Armitage

[Ed Storey]

There is a photograph on page 192 of David B. Gordon's book, Equipment of the WWII Tommy - Revised and Expanded - 2010 ISBN 1-57510-151-4, which illustrates the tops of four petrol tins; the one with the square corners is identified as being Australian. This would need to be varified from a primary source but is certainly a good lead as to where to start looking.

Good luck with your hunt.

[Robert Bergeron]

This thread is getting very interesting . I did not know that GSW Canada ( General Steel Wares ) made cans specificaly for desert warfare . Witnness these two 2 Gallon and 1 Gallon sand coloured cans . Marked GSW with C Broad Arrow marked and both dated 1943 ! I got them just today and this is the original sand colour not a repaint . More pictures to follow .



Both very well marked GSW 1943



Top view . C Broad arrow marks . GSW . 1943 . Brass caps . Amazing barn find ! Could this colour scheme correspond to outfitting of Carriers and CMP trucks for the North African and Sicilian campaigns ?



I am truly surprised by this find .

[Ron Pier]

Robert I already posted this picture of my 1943 desert colour oil can in post 41 of this thread. Exactly like yours. Ron

[Robert Bergeron]

Thank you Ron. Now we know both the 1 gal and the 2 gal cans were made in sand colour for specific theatres of operation . It gives a clear indication of the production capacity and flexibility of Canadian industrial production during the war . A definitive strategic advantage over the opposition .

[Michael R.]

Originally Posted by Robert Bergeron

(paraphrased)

Thank you Ron.

It gives a clear indication of the production capacity and flexibility of Canadian industrial production during the war . A definitive strategic advantage over the opposition .

I do see some national pride in your comment, Robert. With our neighbours capacity to produce items like B-24’s every two hours, almost 50k M4’s, how many Liberty ships... our POW can production adds to the Canadian wartime forge.

A single wee virus having the capacity to bring the global economy to its knees.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Michael R.

I do see some national pride in your comment, Robert. With our neighbours capacity to produce items like B-24’s every two hours, almost 50k M4’s, how many Liberty ships... our POW can production adds to the Canadian wartime forge.

A single wee virus having the capacity to bring the global economy to its knees.

Well, ya....but...at least our cans came in two tactical colours. Despite their manufacturing power the yanks could only manage aluminum coloured B-24s and monochrome O.D. M4s.

There's utube videos of wartime B-24 and B-29 manufacturing, and also one for Lee tanks in Detroit I've found. Simply amazing to watch. I'm going to search for our POL assembly plant film, surely it's out there somewhere and will be fascinating.

[Colin Alford]

Gents,

There is an eBay.uk auction ending shortly. https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/224111402165

The listing includes the attached images.

A couple of years ago there were two of this style of can sold on eBay out of the Northern United States. The US seller claimed that the cans were issued with T16 Carriers. The painted part number was clearer on the cans from the US and I seem to recall that there was a letter prefix to the number (not readily visible in these images)

These cans do not conform to the standard colour scheme for Commonwealth water cans, and they have an added “Made in Canada” embossed on the base of the can which does not appear on most of the G.S.W. production.

Can someone with access to a T16 parts list determine if the painted part number/ designation is correct for the T16?

Colin

[Michael R.]

B-241295
T16 issue, quantity “2”

Page 110 of SNL G-166


.

[Colin Alford]

Michael R,

Thanks for the confirmation!

An interesting variation for the T16 owner/ water can collector.

Colin

[Michael R.]

trivia...
containers marked in the T16 contract method dated 1944 are found with incomplete capacity narrative, i.e. no numeral ‘2’, the ‘Imperial’ dropped, an additional part number added.

Here is a 1943 dated base marked “Made in Canada”, with a 1944 top showing a variation of the stencil from 1943, sans capacité.


.

[Lang]

Michael

That can seems to have been repainted.

Do you think it is a replacement stencil error rather than a change in factory markings?

Lang

[Michael R.]

Could it be a repaint ? You may be correct.

It is unused, the gasket appears new. The paint scrapes on the bottom and signs of corrosion starting show as per the attached image. There is reason to believe the container came direct from a company who resold large quantities of Canadian surplus military vehicles and parts (Levy). Did they repaint the container?

Other NOS containers from the same supplier were found in stiff paper wrap with labels, image included.


.

[Michael R.]

Originally Posted by Lang

Michael
That can seems to have been repainted.
Do you think it is a replacement stencil error rather than a change in factory markings?
Lang

Here are more from the same lot. Their characteristics suggest to me they may be New, Old Stock.

Each one has the same 1943 base married to a younger 1944 top. Along with the atypical “Made in Canada” of General Steel Works. The leather gaskets are as new, the insides bright with their coating. The stencil used appears consistent across the lot.


Are they factory new or repainted? Lang, how can I say other than to view the item itself?





.

[David Dunlop]

Michael.

Is it possible, these are as made by GSW from available parts to fulfill an unexpected urgent order request? If they had tops and bottoms on hand, they may have been able to meet the order deadline faster than doing a complete build from scratch.

David

[Michael R.]

Originally Posted by David Dunlop

Michael.
Is it possible, these are as made by GSW from available parts to fulfill an unexpected urgent order request? If they had tops and bottoms on hand, they may have been able to meet the order deadline faster than doing a complete build from scratch.
David

I am convinced they are left over from the T16 contract.
How would one explain the T16 SNL G-166 parts number for it to be otherwise?

[Jordan Baker]

Here is one of the T16 issued water cans in use with......a T16.

[Michael R.]

Originally Posted by Jordan Baker

Here is one of the T16 issued water cans in use with......a T16.

... the atypical font and spacing between the first two letters found on the containers stenciled with the T16 part number, when compared with an NOS ‘WATER’ container in grey colour with white lettering.

The sample container as well as the container currently offered through eBay displaying a font similar to the wartime image.

[Ed Storey]

This adds a whole new meaning to 'gas operated'.

[Bruce Parker (RIP)]

Originally Posted by Ed Storey

This adds a whole new meaning to 'gas operated'.

Attachment 116218

High octane Vickers!!! Water is so less volatile and non-aromatic. No fun at all.