Description
Physical description
Backless waistcoat-style inflatable life preserver of mustard coloured rubberised canvas, featuring a stole-type inflation chamber to the front and around the neck. The vest is fastened across the front by two thin straps of canvas which secure to corresponding metal rings, and a larger canvas waistbelt fitted through belt loops to either side of the waist. The upper section of the back terminates in between the shoulder blades, where a stitched-on canvas strap runs down the back and under the groin, intended to be fastened to a metal loop on the lower front. To the front lower left is a metal carbon-dioxide canister with valve for auto-inflation secured by a wide loop of canvas, while above on the left breast is a vertically-oriented rubber pipe with plastic mouthpiece for means of manual inflation, secured by a thin canvas loop.
Label
The B-1 and B-2 variants of the Schwimmweste Type 10-30 were developed as a response to a design fault in the original Type 10-30 that led to unconscious or wounded aircrew to float face-down in the water, which during the Battle of Britain led to a high rate of drowning in the English Channel. In addition to minor changes such as the position of the front straps, the main change was the introduction of a stole-type chamber which allowed for the inflation of the front of the vest as well as around the neck. This was complemented by the removal of the previously-inflatable back section, replacing it with a vertical strap which secured to the front as well as a detachable waistbelt. Introduced in late 1940, the B-1 was soon followed up in 1941 by the B-2, an identical type but with plastic fittings to the carbon-dioxide canister and self-inflation mouthpiece.
History note
Recovered from the wreck of a Junkers Ju 88 which collided with a Wellington operating from RAF Bassingbourn in 1941. This aircraft is likely to have been Junkers Ju 88 C-4 'R4+BL' of Nachtjagdgeschwader 2, piloted by Leutnant Heinz Volker and crewed by Unteroffizier Herbert Indenbirken and Feldwebel Andreas Wurstl (Volker and his crew had already shot down five RAF aircraft over Britain from October 1940 to April 1941). The occurred at 1:30 AM on 22 July 1941, shortly after Volker had fired on Vickers Wellington R1334 of 11 OTU. It is believed that the flames from the stricken Wellington briefly impaired Volker's vision, causing him to manoeuvre too close to his prey, which led to the collision and explosion of both aircraft. All eight of the Wellington's crew and all three of the Ju 88's were killed.