Yugoslavian M1 Gas Mask

Yugoslav Issue Gas Mask

The M1, also designated M-59, was the standard protective mask for Yugoslav military and civil defense personnel from the late 1960s until 1995. Its layout follows the U.S. Army M9 field protective mask: twin eye lenses, a cheek-mounted filter and a downward-facing exhale port. Collectors, reenactors and anyone building out Cold War NBC kit (NBC meaning nuclear, biological and chemical) will find it a complete, matched set, with mask, filter canister and carry bag all stamped with the same 22-94-0030 marking.

Features

• Molded Rubber Facepiece — The one-piece body is formed in light greenish rubber that covers the face from forehead to chin.
• Twin Eye Lenses — Two clear lenses set in olive drab frames give a wide forward view through separate eyepieces.
• Internal Oral-Nasal Cup — An inner cup sits over the nose and mouth to steer your breath away from the lenses, which keeps them from fogging.
• Cheek-Mounted Filter Port — The canister threads into a ported fitting on the side of the mask, keeping it clear of the chin when you shoulder a rifle.
• Downward Exhale Port — A capped outlet below the chin points exhaled air toward the ground.
• 6-Point Elastic Harness — Black elastic straps with snap fittings anchor at six points around the head and adjust for a snug seal.
• Threaded Filter Canister — An olive drab canister marked 22-94-0030 comes with the mask.
• Canvas Carry Bag — The original olive canvas bag closes with a three-snap flap and has an adjustable cotton webbing shoulder strap with metal hooks.
• Matched Issue Markings — Mask, canister and bag all carry the 22-94-0030 stamp, so the three pieces belong together.

Origin And Specification

The M1 was made at the Miloje Zakić factory in Yugoslavia and issued across the armed forces and civil defense through the Cold War and the Yugoslav conflicts of the 1990s. The specification uses a rubber facepiece, metal hardware at the filter port and harness, and a canvas bag for carrying it on the hip. It is genuine government-issue kit with documented service history, which is what draws collectors to it over generic novelty masks.