Soviet masks: Russian models

[iamrushman]

the plastic rim is very interesting...did i miss the year of production? love the bright colors...thanks for sharing such interesting information that us Americans are unaware of.

 

[David Wilson]

No year of production, iamrushman. I've checked all my pictures and "Red Triangle" hasn't embossed the year of manufacture on any mask or fin they manufacture. In the third image below, upside down, there is a date:

However, it's the date of the Soviet Standard for underwater masks, 1975, not the year of manufacture. So all that can be said is that "Red Triangle" made "Amfibiya" masks with plastic rims after 1975. And speaking of plastic rims, yes, they are interesting in the case of this mask. "Red Triangle" apparently used a blend of plastic and rubber when moulding their fins. I have no information to tell whether the same blend was used in masks too, but doutbtless the plastics expertise was present at the Red Triangle plant in the 1970s and enabled them to make a viable plastic rim as a substitute for stainless steel.

 

[iamrushman]

thank you and i really enjoy your in-depth analysis.

 

[David Wilson]

Thank you for your kind words again, iamrushman.

Onwards and upwards. This time I am focusing on a nose-pocket mask with no name and I don't have any information about the manufacturer either. Anyway, here we go:

Mask

The box it came in on the Russian auction site might provide some clue to provenance:

The text on the back of the box reads as follows:

УВАЖАЕМЫЙ ПОКУПАТЕЛЬ!

Легкая и удобная маска для подводного плавании сделает Ваш отдых у реки и на море более интересным и познавательным, поможет Вам увидеть красоту и раскрыть тайны подводного мира.

Оригинальная конструкция маски позволяет легко и точно подогнать её к лицу:

— оденьте маску, вдохните воздух носом и выдохните ртом, чтобы создать разрежение во внутренней полости,

— если будут обнаружены места неплотного прилегания, снимите с маски резиновые детали, погрузите её в кипенную воду на 10-15 мин. и, вынув маску из воды, осторожно деформируйте её в нужном месте,

— когда маска остынет, соберите её и еще раз проверьте плотность прилегания к лицу.

Советуем хранить маску в полиэтиленовом пакете и предохранять от длительного воздействия солнечных лучей.

Не рекомендуем прыгать в маске с вышки и нырять на глубину более 5 м.

ОТК № 15

Цена

Дата выпуска:

ТУ 3-16Ц-84

Октябрь 1992 г.

Артикул 1С4-1007

Г. ЧЕРКАССЫ

And here is my very rough translation:

DEAR CUSTOMER!

A light and comfortable underwater swimming mask will make your holiday more interesting and educational when you are by the river and at the seaside. It will help you to see the beauty, and uncover the mysteries, of the underwater world.

The original design of the mask enables it to be adjusted easily and precisely to fit the face:

— Put on the mask, inhale air through your nose and exhale through your mouth to create a vacuum inside the mask,

— If an ill-fitting spot is found, remove the rubber part of the mask, dip it in boiling water for 10-15 minutes and after you take the mask out of the water, bend it gently into the correct position,

— When the mask has cooled down, reassemble it and check again how perfectly it seals against the face.

We advise you to store your mask in a polythene bag and to protect it from prolonged exposure to sunlight.

We do not recommend wearing your mask when you leap from the springboard or dive deeper than 5 m.

Quality Control No. 15

Price

Release date:

ТU 3-16TS-84

October 1992

Reference 1S4-1007

G. CHERKASSY

The distinctive feature of this mask has to be the nose-shaped protuberance in the lens. It's not unique, though. Typhoon, which must be Britain's longest-trading diving equipment manufacturer still in business had a similar diving mask back in the mid-1950s. See the "Sea Star" below, from the company's 1956 catalogue:

More masks from unknown Russian manufacturers in my next posting.

 

[iamrushman]

this is a very interesting design...i see a semblance to a welders mask (not to be insulting)...I like this customizing feature .."— If an ill-fitting spot is found, remove the rubber part of the mask, dip it in boiling water for 10-15 minutes and after you take the mask out of the water, bend it gently into the correct position,"....thanks for sharing this info.

 

[David Wilson]

Indeed. The Russians come across as a nation of "do-it-yourselfers" and I wonder how their wives react when they find a pan of boiling water on the cooker with a soggy mask skirt inside...

Anyway, back to vintage Russian mask models. Here's a dual-lens mask, manufacturer unknown, but the mask name appears to be "Zvezda" (Звезда), Ryssian for "star":

Zvezda

The mask name can be seen clearly on the fourth picture above. The mask resembles a cross between a pair of goggles and a conventional mask, taking the look a step further than Cressi Pinocchio lookalikes.

This may be the last in the vintage Russian mask series, but I still have vintage Ukrainian masks to explore. We'll see.

 

[iamrushman]

This looks like a significant change in design compare to the above masks shown...do you have an idea as to the year this one was turned out....your hard work does not go unnoticed. thank you.

 

[David Wilson]

This looks like a significant change in design compare to the above masks shown...do you have an idea as to the year this one was turned out....your hard work does not go unnoticed. thank you.

Indeed. Unfortunately, I have no idea about the mask's date and manufacturer, not even an embossed reference to the Soviet Standard for masks, which came into force in 1975. The mask is not mentioned in any of the Soviet diving books I have. The embossed Russian word "Zvezda" (Star) was the only clue that the mask was even Russian.

 

[dmaziuk]

At this point googling here (in Ukraine) only returns Mares Star. Searches were much easier back when google didn't know звезда means star...

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for trying, dmaziuk. The present posting may be the last in this very long thread, but I have two more threads to go when it comes to basic gear in Russia and Ukraine. I still have to post something about Soviet-era Ukrainian masks and also about snorkels in the USSR and its successor states.

Anyway, onwards and upwards. It's a little frustrating that I again have so little information about the name and manufacturer of today's offering, full-face masks:

I've put these in for the sake of completeness. The full-face masks pictured above come as part of a Soviet drysuit, notably the recreational Sadko or the the military type outfits. Here's one of the masks with a Sadko helmet:

And here's what a whole Sadko suit looks like, minus the mask:

We'll likely move on to Ukrainian Soviet masks in another thread soon.