Flimsy Can / Jerry Can mounts / use

[Lang]

According to Philippe Leger in his excellent book "Jerrycan" ISBN 9782840482444

The British gathered German cans from the early French campaign because they realised the superiority of that container.

They sent some to USA and the Americans played with the design - one must ask why? - and US production began in 1941.

British production did not commence until 1942 despite the widely known failings and unacceptable fuel losses from the square flimseys.

Lang

[Mike Cecil]

I've got a reference somewhere to a directive from late 41/early 42 that all German fuel cans, ie jerry cans, located/recovered were to be turned over to Ordnance and not retained by individual units. It was an 8th Army directive, I think, but I'd have to locate it to be sure.

Mike

[maple_leaf_eh]

Originally Posted by Lang

According to Philippe Leger in his excellent book "Jerrycan" ISBN 9782840482444

The British gathered German cans from the early French campaign because they realised the superiority of that container.

They sent some to USA and the Americans played with the design - one must ask why? - and US production began in 1941.

British production did not commence until 1942 despite the widely known failings and unacceptable fuel losses from the square flimseys.

Lang

Sometimes a production method is inferior to available technology, or to available plants. Maybe the stamping plant making little pieces was at full capacity, but the one making one big all-encompassing piece had capacity?

[Owen Evans]

More flimsies. Note the difference in colour around the cap.

Owen.

[DaveBuckle]

The Germans also measured weights, volumes, distance, even heat in multiples of ten and called them things like: kilo, milli, metre, litre, etc., called a metric system or such - that'll never catch on ...

[Lynn Eades]

There is a story about an engineer who smuggled jerry cans from Germany to Mongolia under a car, and took them to the USofA, where the idea was rejected. (the enemy item had to be inferior)
Quite a story. If I recall, Monty estimated a 25 percent loss of petrol stocks as standard, from flimsies.
The German can was fully welded. The American can had a rolled seam at the bottom, that leaked.

[Lauren Child]

lol, I recognise that finger in the pamphlet photo

Here are some pics I posted on facebook comparing flimsy with others.

Yep, the screw capped one is returnable, and much better made. I’d need to look the pamphlet out again to check, but I’m 99% sure it was specifically on fuel, so yes it’s for petrol.

[Owen Evans]

Originally Posted by Lauren Child

lol, I recognise that finger in the pamphlet photo

Aha! So that's where that photo came from originally. Nice collection you have there.

Yet more hijacking of this post, but any thoughts on the attached photo? I've seen Canadian 2 gallon cans with this stamping before, but only 1940 dated ones. 1941 cans are usually blank, apart from the year and broad arrow C. I suspect the cap is non-original.

Owen.