Soviet masks: Russian models

[АлександрД]

Yes .. nice notice! Thank you!

but... if you read manual carefully - you will fing just one row:
ТУ 3-16Ц-84
and will NOT find any words ГОСТ
It mean, that production of that mask was made according Technical Specification (Технические Условия) - it is internal document of manufacturer.
It could be different than GOST, in case of special conditions declared (that brief example, it is more complex). But it is declared!
Не рекомендуем прыгать в маске с вышки и нырять на глубину более 5 м.
We do not recommend wearing your mask when you leap from the springboard or dive deeper than 5 m.
So, that mask fit all government technical requirements

Also!
According ГОСТ 20568—75 - glass of mask should be made from GLASS, not from plastic It is another reason, why 1С4-1007 does not fit ГОСТ.

P.S. г.Черкассы - it is a city Cherkasy - Wikipedia
but model name - Артикул 1С4-1007 - Partnumber 1S4-1007

 

[David Wilson]

Thank you for explaining what the difference in practice is between "ГОСТ", which is a National Standard for goods and services, and "ТУ", which is an individual manufacturer's technical specification or datasheet. And I'm grateful too for the explanation of the mask name "Cherkasy". I should have figured out that "г" stood for "город" or city. My Russian is a little basic, just one year of evening classes in the mid-1960s.

 

[АлександрД]

Right now we have some sales on our site, like craiglist: https://www.avito.ru/moskva/sport_i_otdyh/lastymaskatrubka_sssr_i_dr_1175992504

price for each - less than 10$

 

[David Wilson]

An interesting collection of gear, Александр. I certainly recognise the Ukrainian Kievguma Akvanavt mask at the top left of the image because I have one in my own collection and have snorkelled with it.

That's a good collection too of breathing tubes. I've seen almost all the models before, either in Russian diving manuals or on Avito, Russia's equivalent of eBay or Craigslist. The Ukrainian counterpart is called OXL. The snorkel with the orange mouthpiece at the top right is probably an "Amphibia" made by the "Red Triangle" rubber works in what was then Leningrad and is now Saint Petersburg. For me the most interesting snorkel is the one second from the right at the bottom with the valve at the top. My research has led me to believe that snorkels with valves were in not in commercial production in the Soviet Union, so I am left wondering whether the valve was home-made and then added to an existing snorkel. At Виноградов, the great spearfisherman Vitaly Vinogradov explains how a mushroom valve for a snorkel is made:

 

[АлександрД]

Виталий Виноградов (Vitaly Vinogradov) is very famous spearfighing man in Russia. He also try to participate in producing of government rules of spearfishing.

I think history of his valve you can find in Спортсмен-подводник magazine. All modifications...

but now is much more popular is valve from plastic bottle

I can not remember any manufacurers of valves for pipes.
Also - I think valve from picture with masks - is not proper installed It should be installed on hook, upside down

 

[Sbiriguda]

Awesome this is really something I was looking for!

 

[Yoram Neri]

Next up is the Volna mask, which is another Mosrezina product. The Russian word "Волна" (Volna) means "wave".

Volna
View attachment 410749
View attachment 410750
The name "Volna" is clearly visible on the top of the mask skirt and the two distinguishing features of this model is the rectangular shape of the lens and the bulbous ear-clearing bosses. Here is a contemporary review of the mask, taken from a Soviet diving book:

Original Russian:
Наиболее предпочтительной при занятиях спортивной подводной стрельбой отечественной моделью можно считать маску «Волна» московского завода №4. У нее прекрасная обзорность и за счет вогнутости резины внутрь сохраняется минимальное подмасочное пространство; маска имеет очень надежный хомут для уплотнения стекла, обеспечивающий полную герметичность. Но и эта модель имеет некоторые, правда, легко устранимые в производстве недостатки. Так, край маски у большинства экземпляров толстоват и тверд; полости для зажатия носа снаружи также грубоваты, толсты и узки, т.е. все время слегка сдавливают ноздри с боков. Если плавать в этой маске короткое время – недостатки эти не ощутимы, но если она находится на лице в течение нескольких часов, то на лбу и щеках останутся отчетливые красные «шрамы», а ноздри будут болеть.

Rough English Translation:
According to conventional wisdom, the domestically manufactured ‘Volna’ [Wave] mask from the Moscow No. 4 plant is the favourite model of underwater shooting sportsmen. It has excellent visibility and, due to the concave rubber interior, it maintains minimal space under the mask. The mask comes with a very robust clamp providing a completely leakproof lens seal. Yet the truth is that even this model has certain flaws that are easily removable during manufacture. For example, the margin of the mask in the majority of instances is thick and firm; the nose / pinch pockets are rough, thick and narrow on the outside, meaning that they are always slightly squeezing the nostrils from the sides. If you swim for a short time in this mask, these drawbacks will not be noticeable, but if you keep it on your face for a few hours, it will leave distinct red ‘scars’ on your forehead and cheeks and your nostrils will ache.

Note how the review is not uncritical of the mask's flaws. To make matters more complicated, the Volna appears to have come in another version with plain bosses:
View attachment 410751
View attachment 410752
I have been unable to determine whether the two versions existed side by side or whether one version followed another.

The next mask I will be presenting is the "Buratino", also made by Mosrezina at the No 4 rubber products factory in Moscow. This model closely resembles a famous diving mask that has been manufactured continuously in Western Europe for more than half a century.

 

[Yoram Neri]

Vintage Soviet USSR Russian Mosrezina Type III Oval Scuba Mask Dive made from Green Rubber. It has the makers name and logo. The item is for sale on eBay (item no. 282977051772)