How it was in USSR:
as Sam asked me here about our diving Brief manual
АлександрД ---Russian Dive Manual 1968 - I will explain some pages from there:
This manual was published in 1968
Such compressor head still using and manufacturing by
ОАО Компрессор
Here is old photo of tank filling using "Start" compressor with gasoline engine.
But we had another compressor head - АК-150
It used mostly in tanks (yes, really!
) and airplanes.
Some people even had very nice design, with gear from car!
and water cooling
And water cooling still used for DIY compressors, based on AK-150
But we had also original water-cooled compressors
(Э)К2-150 , also was very popular for divers, but it used stationary:
This compressor mostly used on the ships.
And this compressor also described in the old Brief manual:
Also some people used special airplane (airfield) compressors for filling airplanes by air and other gases: (like
AKS-8)
But acces to all of this types of compressors was offered to the divers by assosiation
ДОСААФ - this is like YMCA, but offered by government and army. It was possible and was
very popular from second half of 1950`s. And participation in this organisation was free of charge!
Those time we used on the fire staions mostly oxygen regeneration equipment, and had not air compressors on the fire staions.
Now many of self-relliant divers used firestations for filling tanks by air.