Scott SCBA

Well - its summer and, like everyone else, I seem to be finding very little time to post anything here due to all the other stuff that has to be done.

As I've started on fire gear I think I'll begin this cycle with the SCBA's that are in my collection and some that I would like to add to my collection.

As Scott Aviation pioneered the use of many of the innovations used in modern day breathing it is only appropriate that the first stop on this trip be the Scott SCBA's (Self Contained Breathing Apparatus).

I have four different Scott SCBA's in my collection. The first is called a SKA PAK and was made in 1957. It was designed for emergency use (SKA = Escape) and its small 2015 psi bottle made it ideal for situations in which quick donning and short term use were necessary as the entire apparatus was comparatively small and light.

While the next three SCBA's are all Scott Air Pak II's the designs of each of them (most notably in the masks) are slightly different. All used a similar 2015 PSI air tank.

The first version from 1972 has a full face mask with a wide window and the hose connection onto the regulator, which was worn at the waist, had the externally threaded (male) connector on the reg and the internally threaded (female) connector on the hose.

The second version in my collection from 1974, while similar, had the female connector moved to the regulator and the male connector on the hose. At the same time the mask had had the addition of metal connections reinforcing the area where the hose connected and the exhaust was located.

The final version from my collection from 1979 featured a new style, two window mask which they dubbed the "Full Vision" mask. Strange as this bug eye mask looks it is very comfortable to wear and does give excellent vision.

The one style I havnt yet added to my collection is the present Scott Presur Pak (They always seem to be out of range of my budget). Their full mask affords excellent vision and is very comfortable to wear. At the same time the mask mounted regulator system frees you from the problems associated with accidentally laying on the flexible air hose when having to crawl through confined spaces. (This image was taken from the net incidentally)