A Basic History Of The Jerry Can 1938-1945

Рет қаралды 13,722

17 күн бұрын

A brief history of the development of the jerry can and its uses between the allied and axis nations during the second world war.
Brought to you by Bulbasket living history group.

Пікірлер: 68

@geraldarcuri9307 3 күн бұрын

Gee, I was looking for the complete, exhaustive history of the jerry can. 😊

@nickabbott6278 7 күн бұрын

I worked in a warehouse in the early 90's, said to my manager, "if I replace that Jerry Can with a new one could we tell the boss if he asked that it was run over by one of the fork lifts?" He said "Okay". A week later the new one was run over by a fork on my day off. John asked me why I wanted it, the day I took it home, I just showed him the "Kraftstoff 20 Feuergefahrlich 1943" stamp, he understood. Yes it was in my lap as I transcribed that, still one of my favoured possessions.

@nedmccarroll8462 7 күн бұрын

Surprisingly and entertaining cool history 10/10 thanks

@nedmccarroll8462 6 күн бұрын

You all rock, thanks

@johncaldwell-wq1hp 8 күн бұрын

I find it extremely interesting,--these were everywhere in Sydney,Aust.--after the war,--when I worked in Darwin N.T.-in1971--there was heaps of W.W.2 stuff lying around-at the R.A.F.base there was an old warehouse-with piles old "Jerry-Cans"-stamped 1942--piles of "american-helmets"-without liners & old"dixie cups,that fold up. & heaps of other stuff.-I still have one of the '42 cans marked with a "kangaroo"--fantastic,simple,design !!

@DonWarfield 9 күн бұрын

I have 11 of the US issued cans in regular use on my farm. The caps are all still attached with their chains. I like the 4 inch opening because it is easy to empty rapidly.

@bryansmith1920 12 күн бұрын

I was on a tac HQ exercise in a German forrest, we were using Jerry cans, rather than a fuel bowser, a new guy was tasked with Burying the fuel for safety(in-case of attack)he dug the hole in the ground, and instead of laying said cans, in the hole in the ground, followed, his orders to the letter, and poured all 500ltrs into said hole and the back filled it, I'm not sure if the Deutsche Forestry Commission, were ever informed, and compensation, ever paid 😂😂😂

@bradfinn1552 12 күн бұрын

That's a great story!

@rexmyers991 6 күн бұрын

Very informative. I learned a lot. Thank you

@jeffcoulter7181 10 күн бұрын

I knew the Jerry can was a fantastic design. Enjoyed learning the history behind it. ❤

@rogerbradbury9713 15 күн бұрын

Not bored at all! Thank you.

@rebeccacumins2575 9 күн бұрын

This was really interesting. Thanks!

@0g.Ghost.7373 4 күн бұрын

Subscriber 139! Thanks for the great info!

@gotsloco1810 Күн бұрын

There is a great article on the History on the “The little Can That Could” by Richard M Daniel in the Fall 1987 Issue of Invention and Technology. And a letter in response in the Spring Summer Issue of 1988 by Ray Cowdery. One probably needs to go to the Wayback machine to recover the Invention and Technology website.

@SatelliteYL 10 күн бұрын

I liked the video and presentation. Subscribed

@bradfinn1552 10 күн бұрын

Thank you

@Qspecialman 14 күн бұрын

Very interesting video, thanks for taking so much trouble. So many people are not interested in what appears to be everyday things, mainly because they stop looking.

@bradfinn1552 14 күн бұрын

Thank you and very true, always good to keep a bit of history alive.

@josemoreno3334 8 күн бұрын

My late father had some jerry can's sitting in the garage for years. When we moved , He left them behind. I wished he keeped them. What country they were form i'll never know. I do remember they were painted olive drab. Good video and no I was not bored.😀👍

@philhawley1219 15 күн бұрын

I still regularly use a Valor can. It was my grandfather's or possibly even my great grandfather's. It still has the original leather washer in the cap. My headless running man type I bought new 30 years ago, made in Germany but with the update of a locking pin on the lid.

@cheefmynyon8348 15 күн бұрын

I bought a BMB can 40 years ago at a garage sale (or "boot sale" if you prefer :) in Western Canada. At the time I thought it was a German can and was mystified as to why there was a crows-foot arrow stamped into it.... Great work on the video!

@bradfinn1552 15 күн бұрын

It's surprising where you can find them. And thank you.

@aussie6910 15 күн бұрын

The 2 oldest jerries I've got are 1957 & 1958, still work fine. I always thought the US design was 2nd rate, no built in spout, exposed welds & a screw cap needing a chain.

@andrewcombe8907 11 күн бұрын

Three brilliant pieces of kit copied around the world: 1. Jerry can. 2. Poncho. 3. US M1910 steel canteen cup.

@kevincarrucan5328 10 күн бұрын

I walked past a Jerry Can this evening ( in the back of a utility) on the way home this evening.

@Zuludawn1 14 күн бұрын

This video answered all my questions in a precise and informative way. Now I want one.

@bradfinn1552 14 күн бұрын

Awesome glad to hear it!

@finnmanproductions9240 4 күн бұрын

I found a rusty one with wartime date on an allotment in the 1970’s - shame I didn’t keep it.

@davidbrennan660 13 күн бұрын

Fascinating, thanks for the gen.

@paulw068 15 күн бұрын

interesting video that you made, i am now member 35, greetings from Belgium, Europe

@bradfinn1552 15 күн бұрын

Thank you and welcome

@Nyllsor 15 күн бұрын

Great video! Really informative and i like your style of presentation. Thx for sharing! Subscribed.

@bradfinn1552 14 күн бұрын

Awesome, thank you!

@dukwdriver2909 14 күн бұрын

Once has a standard looking jerry can but with a much larger version of the hinged cap spout. No idea where it came from but my standard clip on spout would not fit, so got rid of it in favour of standard all round.

@cammobunker 16 күн бұрын

Around the late 80s or so the US went to making the water can in heavy plastic. They usually come in sand color and there's a matching very heavy insulator bag it fits into to keep the water cooler (or, I suppose, keep it from freezing).

@aussie6910 15 күн бұрын

Scepter they're called, rudely priced. 2 have come into my possession over the years. A bit rare here in Aust. They're quiet good, I prefer them if I have to pour fast. Didn't know about the insulator bag.

@obsidianjane4413 14 күн бұрын

It was to keep it from freezing. They also made a fuel/oil can in black.

@cammobunker 14 күн бұрын

@@obsidianjane4413 I forgot about the black ones yeah. I have one of the insulator covers in desert tan dated 1991 so they apparently were thought to be a good Idea for keeping water cooler in hot conditions also?. But yes the plastic cans are crazy expensive.

@jeffreycrawley1216 12 күн бұрын

Was probably quite interesting but couldn't hear it properly. Should we consider crowdfunding a mic?

@bradfinn1552 12 күн бұрын

Ha though that would be appreciated we have got a couple of new mics we plan on using in future videos.

@markaxworthy2508 10 күн бұрын

Thanks. Why the change from the diagonal cross to the "headless running man"? I presume it improved the bracing and robustness of the sides?

@bradfinn1552 10 күн бұрын

It was changed to improve the rigidity of the sides and to allow better expansion of the can in hot climates.

@markaxworthy2508 10 күн бұрын

@@bradfinn1552 Thanks.

@jvogel5027 13 күн бұрын

Nice video, searching for one, recently I bought myself a galvanised one at a car booth sale, never seen a galvanised one before.

@stockarboy 6 күн бұрын

If it is an American can, they were only galvanized in 1941 and part of 1942. Probably abandoned to save expense, material and time in production.

@zacktoby 8 күн бұрын

I heard a story that when Captain Robert Falcon Scott embarked on his second and last Antarctic expedition in 1910 he used the basic rectangular can to carry kerosene (for heating). The tin soldering failed in the extreme cold and may have contributed to the tragic outcome and deaths. Bad design can kill you.

@nickabbott6278 7 күн бұрын

Shortly later, a guy walked into a pub down the road wanting to make a phone call, they kicked him out because he smelled bad and was shabbily dressed. He had the advantage of being better prepared. He came back later after bathing and was allowed to make his telephone call alerting the world that he had returned from the South Pole.

@budwhite3570 14 күн бұрын

I love the history of jerry cans, own a number american of course, some european nato more modern types for current use, and I bought the book that was printed about german jerry cans,...hope to collect one or two of those someday. I sheetmetal mig weld, and even tig weld, so I previously considered collecting jerry cans that need some weld repair of holes.....within reason. Oh, I even own a couple chinese nato copies of jerry cans with metal spouts,...was keeping lawnmower gas in one and waste diesel for cleaning parts in another, they seem to hold their liquids at least.

@1joshjosh1 14 күн бұрын

This kicked ass EDIT : Canadian cans kick ass also.

@richardbrown6565 7 күн бұрын

You might add that the jerrycan was named after the British slang for Jerrys/Germans.

@jamerv86 7 күн бұрын

Got some modern made steel ones. Was supposed to be made in Canada. Cans were each in a box said made in China and then three put into two set, the box said Canada. Then the shipping box for everything. Was disappointed when I saw said china.

@ratheskin58 7 күн бұрын

The best jerricans ever are the 10 litre examples used by the French army - for wine!

@coorparootoo5142 7 күн бұрын

ooh la la !

@reginaldhowell2261 2 күн бұрын

I thought i read somewhere that the American ones were called Blitz cans during WW2 .R

@Arltratlo 11 күн бұрын

its like the Mauser rifle....stealing is normal for English speakers... no wonder we have an idiom wich is like... shopping the English way = stealing

@markaxworthy2508 10 күн бұрын

Who are "we"?

@markaxworthy2508 10 күн бұрын

Did they really send merchant ships full of cans from the UK swilling with leaking oil products, when oil for the Middle East Theatre came from the Gulf? Besides, tankers are for the bulk sea movement of oil products. The story about lowering a guy on a rope seems apocryphal to me. The slightest spark and the ship would have gone up at any point during its voyage.

@obsidianjane4413 14 күн бұрын

The US one is superior because it comes in Freedom Units(!). These are still in service. The metric one pretty much identical still and the US one is now in plastic.

@gowdsake7103 9 күн бұрын

Bloody horrible things almost impossible to carry

@wrsmith711 16 күн бұрын

very poor audio recording... use a better microphone.

@bradfinn1552 16 күн бұрын

We are only just starting out but improving our audio is our next planned improvement.

@gerardhogan3 16 күн бұрын

Greetings from Australia. I was in Army and the water jerries are heavy plastic with a single handle. So to carry four, place two under each arm and two in each hand....ie empty. Easy to ID. Water in plastic, fuel in steel. I got a couple of W Arrow Ds dated 1950s in Adelaide. No doubt from when the British Army was testing bombs at woomera range. My mate restored a British Army short wheel base rover so I gave them to him for CES. I still use my Australian Army 1970s dated steel jerries for diesel but I've repainted them Olive drab and added the modern aluminium plate to the handle to denote 'Diesel'. Then black spray painted my old service number, called PM Keys on them.

@bradfinn1552 16 күн бұрын

@@gerardhogan3 awesome to hear from you and great to hear how they developed even further and the difference around the world.