For sale four "flimsies" 2 Gal Petrol cans 1943

[Mike Dyer]

I have four Canadian petrol cans "flimsies" all marked 1943 with "C arrow" on top and GSW-43 on bottom. Three are very original nice khaki color with white letters PETROL, one is a desert tan color with the same lettering. All have the screw top lids and are in very good shape with the tan in a faded desert color. All have no holes or rust and the inside are nice bright galvanized metal and all would hold liquid no problem. Best offer for all four. I will share half shipping anywhere in Canada, outside of Canada buyer to pay shipping.

[tankbarrell]

Nice cans but they are not flimsies. They are the standard 2 gallon POW can whereas the flimsie was the 4 gallon, use once can which once opened was thrown away. Or used for cooking purposes!

[Bob Moseley (RIP)]

As far as I am aware out here in Oz the 2 gallon can is considered to be a "Flimsy"
Bob

[Kent Aist]

What are you asking for these?

Kent

[alleramilitaria]

nice 2 gal cans

but flimsies are the 4 gal cans, reeeeal rare!!!
they were also used for the SAS and LRDG to hold bren or vickers K gun mags on the vehicles.

[Mike Kelly]

Originally posted by Bob Moseley
As far as I am aware out here in Oz the 2 gallon can is considered to be a "Flimsy"
Bob

This is probably a case of misappropiation of a colloquial British term .

Did the WW2 Aussie diggers actually refer to the ubiquitious 2 gallon cans as flimsies ? Maybe this is an example of the sort of thing us silly vehicle restorers have made up in our heads , we think/imagine that they called the cans flimsies . The 2 gallon cans don't appear to be flimsy to me , they are rather sturdy and solid in appearance . What is flimsy about them ? The old 4 gallon square kero cans I remember as a kid , yes, thin and flimsy they were .

Mike

[alleramilitaria]

i think thats part of it mike.
think about a restorer hearing about flimsie cans, looking for them and not finding any. well there are the 5 GAL / 20LTR cans and the 2 GAL cans.... well the 2 gal cans are flimsier than the 20 ltr cans so they are the flimsies.

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by Tanker mike
I have four Canadian petrol cans. I will share half shipping anywhere in Canada, outside of Canada buyer to pay shipping.

Just to clarify, are these cans free from Petrol vapour?, as Post services would take a dim view of such a thing being sent via Airmail.

Originally posted by Mike Kelly
This is probably a case of misappropiation of a colloquial British term .

Did the WW2 Aussie diggers actually refer to the ubiquitious 2 gallon cans as flimsies ? Maybe this is an example of the sort of thing us silly vehicle restorers have made up in our heads , we think/imagine that they called the cans flimsies . The 2 gallon cans don't appear to be flimsy to me , they are rather sturdy and solid in appearance . What is flimsy about them ? The old 4 gallon square kero cans I remember as a kid , yes, thin and flimsy they were .

Mike,

I have never seen a real flimsy and being of such thin metal and non re-usable or returnable, doubtless exceedingly few ever survived especially as the jerrican was adopted universally by the time of the Italian campaign.

The official history of the RASC records the use of the flimsy as a stop-gap measure; it was well known that at the time of the BEF only 2 gall containers were available and then in wholly insufficient numbers to support the BEF and local foraging was accepted as an enforced but unsatisfactory measure.

It was known that the 2 gallon standard army and domestic fuel can was inadequate and production/material intensive, so the flimsy of 4 galls and made of baking foil almost was the best solution having the benefit of minimum material, no return logistic demands and capable of being made by an Egyptian blacksmith. For transport they were contained in rough wood crates and even so, many didn't survive their initial rides in the desert but millions were rapidly produced and served their intended purpose being further used, after instant modification with a pocket knife, for many other things together with the handy supply of firewood from the carrying crate.

R.

[Gunner]

Hi Tanker Mike:

In all the educational postings the question, "how much?" didn't get answered.

I may be interested depending on cost.

Cheers! Gunner Mike

[Tony Smith]

Originally posted by Gunner
In all the educational postings the question, "how much?" didn't get answered.

Originally posted by Tanker mike
I have four Canadian petrol cans. Best offer for all four. I will share half shipping anywhere in Canada.

Arty Mike to send PAPA MIKE to Tanker Mike with offer!

[chris vickery]

Just remember lads, post is going to add quite a bit to the "base price" so bid accordingly...

BTW, no connection to the seller....

[Hanno Spoelstra]

Originally posted by tankbarrell
Nice cans but they are not flimsies. They are the standard 2 gallon POW can whereas the flimsie was the 4 gallon, use once can which once opened was thrown away. Or used for cooking purposes!

Here's a pair of flimsies, complete with wooden crate. Stil littering the desert. . . .
Source: http://www.fjexpeditions.com/frameset/history.htm

[Grant Bowker]

Originally posted by Hanno Spoelstra
Here's a pair of flimsies, complete with wooden crate. Stil littering the desert. . . .

Lovely, but do they still have period fuel in them?

[Godwin Hampton]

The real 'flimsy' as seen in Hanno's photo, was sealed at the factory with the petrol inside, much like a tin of canned fruit. No screw cap was provided, and to get at the contents two holes would be punched at diagonally opposite corners of the top. After emptying the cans were either flattened for return as scrap or used for 1001 uses.....

In Malta they were filled with earth and used to build protective pens for the aircraft on the airfields. Other uses were as basins, cookers, ovens, showers etc. They were popular for these 'do-it-yourself' projects as the gauge of sheet metal used was really thin making it easy to cut to shape with an army clasp knife or a sturdy pair of scissors.

I doubt if they could be manufactured by 'Egyptian blacksmiths' as some claim, as the filling with petrol and the subsequent rolling of the edge over the top would have to be done by specialized machinery to avoid spillage and fire hazards.

The wooden crate not only protected the two cans but also made them more manageable as a shoulder load for port workers and other handlers.

[r.morrison]

Mike.....pm me with what your looking for. I would have them shipped to Calgary. I have some trucks coming here on a large project. I just picked one up at a swap meet last month for $15.00, but that's not to put a knife in your back! Consider them sold.

Cheers.....Robert

[rob love]

Uh...you guys know this thread was from 2007, right?

On a side bar about the 4 gallon cans, not all were disposable. We have a pair of 4 gallon cans at the museum that have the regular brass caps on them.

[r.morrison]

Missed that Rob. So why did it it pop up again? A little enlightenment please Rob/Hanno. Kind regards.....Robert...... PS: Was in Calgary a couple of weeks ago and picked up 4 nice 25 pounder metal containers at our old friends at Ribtor, plus had a nice visit with Gordon from Crown Surplus. Bofors is still there. Cheers.....Robert

[Godwin Hampton]

Rob, yes sturdier reusable 4-gallon cans did exist - usually stamped B.M.B on the base, but for these reasons they do not qualify for the prestigious 'Flimsy' title!

[charlie fitton]

Interesting...

I have a tin similar to the flimsy in the shop...but with a pressed metal handle and screw cap....and NO army markings..might do to fill someones tin rack.