Cookset, 20 man

[Jon Skagfeld]

Has anyone here had any practical experience in the operation of this unit?

AKA Outfit, Cooking, Small Detachment.

Measuring about 18' x 20", it has two units clipped together. The bottom section is a sort of combustion chamber into which a drip feeder feeds gasoline or light diesel oil. The top section contains pots, pans and cutlery.

There is a collapsible 5 piece smokestack which is part of the unit.

I've fiddled with this rig but, not fully understanding the principle of drip feeding, I'm very leery of proceeding to lighting stage for fear of leaving the Earth at a high rate of knots and meeting my Maker on the dark side of the moon.

Stencilled on the side is "R Regt C" (Royal Regiment of Canada). During my tour with the Royals, I can never remember such a unit being used on any exercise. We either had IMP hard rations or M37 Field Kitchen meals. (Mark Tonner: any recollection of this item during your RSS tour at FYA?).

Any help appreciated.

Regards

[Jordan Baker]

Hi Jon

Is this what you have. Its called the Cooker, Portable, No1

If so I have a manual on its use and maintenance.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Jordan...thanks for your reply, but that's not the one.

The one in question was made in 1944 by Chrysler Airtemp, and, as previously posted, is composed of two sections stacked up.

Regards

[Richard Farrant]

Hi Jon,

I came across several unissued ones in Australia, released from their army. Shipped one back home and subsequently sold it to a re-enactor / collector. It was wartime dated. There was a TM with it, a poor photocopy, but I made a note of the number, it is TM10-703 Outfit, Cooking, Small Detachment.

A jerrican with a pipe and special adaptor was used to supply the fuel, the can being used on it side, filler to bottom. The are rated as 15-40 men units.

Richard

[chris vickery]

So John, you're the one that ended up with this rig from the Adamiak auction?
I was interested but missed that one.
If ya can't figure out how to use it, maybe you'd like to sell or trade it to me???
I've got some FN wood to trade! LOL
Seriously though, it only requires a jerrycan with a tube to attach to the cooker, as a matter of fact there was one that sold at the auction. You could make one easy enough with a jerrycan screw lid and a length of copper tubing.
Let me know as I am serious about buying it should you decide to part ways...

[rob love]

I had one of these kicking around forever, also made by chrysler in 44, and finally gave the dam*** thing away. I got tired of moving it around. There were one or two more in the surplus yard I got it from.

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by chris vickery
So John, you're the one that ended up with this rig from the Adamiak auction?
I was interested but missed that one.
If ya can't figure out how to use it, maybe you'd like to sell or trade it to me???
I've got some FN wood to trade! LOL
Seriously though, it only requires a jerrycan with a tube to attach to the cooker, as a matter of fact there was one that sold at the auction. You could make one easy enough with a jerrycan screw lid and a length of copper tubing.
Let me know as I am serious about buying it should you decide to part ways...

No, Chris...I didn't get the one from the auction. That one slipped under just about everyone's radar.

I've had two for a few years now...one virtually mint and almost fully kitted out (just missing a couple of original cutlery items), the other is about 90% complete but with no cutlery.

I'm open for dealing with the second one.

I'm still not too sure exactly how to drip feed this beast. Does the mere dripping of fuel into the combustion chamber when lit create an oven effect, or is the combustion chamber supposed to be awash with fuel, replenished by the drip action??????

[Jon Skagfeld]

Originally posted by Richard Farrant
Hi Jon,

I came across several unissued ones in Australia, released from their army. Shipped one back home and subsequently sold it to a re-enactor / collector. It was wartime dated. There was a TM with it, a poor photocopy, but I made a note of the number, it is TM10-703 Outfit, Cooking, Small Detachment.

A jerrican with a pipe and special adaptor was used to supply the fuel, the can being used on it side, filler to bottom. The are rated as 15-40 men units.

Richard

Richard: The manual that I have is TB 10-400-2...(same description). It was kindly sent to me by Brian Asbury.

No-where can I find at any stage in the manual, or other reference material, the actual application of flame to fuel.

That's what's got me puzzled. There is a round burner unit which feeds from the jerry can via a rubber siphon hose. Could the drip be lit at the burner?

[Richard Farrant]

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Richard: The manual that I have is TB 10-400-2...(same description). It was kindly sent to me by Brian Asbury.

No-where can I find at any stage in the manual, or other reference material, the actual application of flame to fuel.

That's what's got me puzzled. There is a round burner unit which feeds from the jerry can via a rubber siphon hose. Could the drip be lit at the burner?

Jon,

I have since remembered that I copied the manual before selling the cooker, in case another came my way. It is noted on the cover as superceding the one that you have. after reading your message, I am looking at the procedure to light a cold burner and briefly it is as follows;
1/ Lift draft gate.
2/ Remove burner from well.
3/ Open valve until fuel appears in crack between burner cap and burner body.
4/ Close valve.
5/ Ignite burner using one of the following methods;
(a) Ignite rags or paper in burner well, keeping face and body away.
(b) Ignite burner with match when smoke from rags or paper may reveal position to enemy. Keep face and body away when lighting burner and when inserting it in the burner well.
6/ Set flame shield opening toward wind to trap more air and thus shorten the time necessary to warm up the burner.
7/ Open valve to allow a slow drip for at least 3 minutes.
8/ Gradually increase the flow to an almost solid stream. When gasoline or kerosene is used, the burner should be ableto take an almost solid stream of fuel without smoking. (Smoke indicates waste of fuel)
9/ Close draft gate.

Shutting off the burner

Close the drip valve and allow the burner to remain in the burner well until the flames are fully extinguished.

There is a superceded fuel feed from the can mentioned. If you need any more info, PM me.

Richard

[Col Tigwell]

Hey Jon,

You are not thinking of putting Karmen out of a job.

I mean 20 men cooking, doubt if Karmen can get that high a number in one go.

Regards

Col Tigwell
Downunder

[Jon Skagfeld]

Hey, Herkman:

Speaking of cooking, you're really enticing a frying pan head shot with that comment! LOL.

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Jon Skagfeld
Stencilled on the side is "R Regt C" (Royal Regiment of Canada). During my tour with the Royals, I can never remember such a unit being used on any exercise. We either had IMP hard rations or M37 Field Kitchen meals. (Mark Tonner: any recollection of this item during your RSS tour at FYA?).

Hi Jon;

Yes, I remember these, the Regt had two on their DA account which I eventually had taken off and they were returned through R&D for disposal. They were never used, like the bipod for the 60mm, they just took up shelf space in QM. If I remember correctly, the lighting of the burner was something along the lines of the Yukon stove.

Cheers

Originally posted by herkman
Hey Jon,

You are not thinking of putting Karmen out of a job.

I mean 20 men cooking, doubt if Karmen can get that high a number in one go.

Regards

Col Tigwell
Downunder

Ooops, however did I miss this until now?

Here's for your cheek, Master Herky

[Mark W. Tonner]

Originally posted by Vets Dottir
Ooops, however did I miss this until now?

.... your short and couldn't see the screen until you got a telephone book to sit on for height....which was after you got the 50' extension ladder out to get onto the chair in the first place......