UD 6-81-7 E

A Guide to Cold Weather Operations

Booklet 7

Cold Weather Equipment

HEADQUARTERS DEFENCE COMMAND NORWAY THE ARMY STAFF 1988

UD 6-81-7 E (English edition) A Guide to Cold Weather Opemtions - booklet 7 Cold Weather Equipment has been issued for use by the allied wintercourses and foreign units exercising under Norwegian Command.
Oslo October 1988.

D. Danielsen Major General Inspector General of the Norwegian Army

A. Pran Brigader Inspector of Infantry

UD6-81 E A GUIDE TO COLD WEATHER OPERATIONS includes: UD6-81- l E UD6-81- 2 E UD6-81- 3 E UD6-81- 4 E UD6-81- 5 E UD6-81- 6 E UD6-81- 7 E UD6-81- 8 E UD6-81- 9 E UD6-81-10 E

(Booklet {Booklet (Booklet (Booklet (Booklet (Booklet (Booklet (Booklet (Booklet (Booklet

1) 2} 3) 4) 5) 6) 7) 8) 9) 10)

Winter Conditions

Personal Clothjng Food Frostbite and Other Injuries Movement

Bivouacs Cold Weather Equipment Field Works and Camooflage Snow, Avalanches and Rescue Weapon effects

CONTENTS

Para Page
Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Skiing equipment General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Fitting skis and poles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Adjustments of bindings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Waterproofing the skis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Quick-waterproofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Burnt-in waterproofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ski wax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Removing wax . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The ski rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ski repair kit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Show-shoes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . l 6

5 8 10 12 15 17 20 23 25 28
29
33 35 37

7 7 9 9 10 II 12 13 13 15
16
17 18 19

The pulk Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Securing and using the harness . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Using the pulling ropes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Loading the pulk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Carrying a pack while pulling the pulk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 40 Maintenance of pulk M38 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
The ski sled The auxiliary sled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The optimus stove Lighting up . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Extinguishing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Maintenance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the cleaning needle . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Changing the spindle gasket (graphite gasket) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . The pump . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Batteries

20 21 21
22

43

45 49 52 53 56 59 60

25 26 26 26 27 27 27 29 29 29 30 30 30

General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 62 Radio equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 64 Accumulators and dry batteries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 66 The effect of low temperatures . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 67 Landline equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68 Storage of communications equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70

Para Page
Optical and electro-optical instruments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Handling of weapons General . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cleaning . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Some advice . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

72

31

75 77 79

31 32 32

F1GURES
Figure l. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. II. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. 21.

Page
Cambering a pair of skis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Reducing the camber in a pair of skis . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Fitting the poles . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Adjusting the toe piece to the boot . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Quick-waterproofing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10 Waterproofing with open flame . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Using the toe strap to obtain grip . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 Removing wax or klister with scraper . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Skis placed in ski rack . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 The use of block to maintain the camber in skis . . . . . . . . . . 15 Use of spare tip for ski . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Snowshoe M85 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16 Pulk M38 with standard equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17 Underview showing securing of side stoppers and braking ropes on pulk . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Correct fastening of pulling belt . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Tying together the pulling ropes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Securing the pulk cover . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Auxiliary sled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22 Assembling the auxiliary sled . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23/24 Optimus 111 stove . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Replaceable parts of Optimus 111 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28

INTRODUCTION

1. It is the responsibility of the officer in charge to see that the equipment is used and maintained in such a manner as to give it maximum durability. 2. At times maintenance is neglected by the user in wintertime. This may be due to carelessness, but often it is caused by ignorance and thoughtlessness. Officers in charge at all levels in the field must therefore emphasize their unifs responsibility for first and second echelon maintenance. Good maintenance improves the unit's combat efficiency.
3. Maintenance of weapons, vehicles, optical instruments and communications equipment is described in detail in the proper maintenance manuals. The maintenance described in this booklet mainly concerns equipment used during cold weather operations.

4. Coid weather equipment, such as skis, pulks and snowshoes, are checked into the depot in springtime and checked out again when the snow returns in autumn. You should ensure that the equipment is properly maintained before storing it.

SKIING EQUIPMENT
General 5. Skiing equipment ought to be maintained regularly. Careless handling will ruin the equipment in a short time. Instruct the soldiers to be careful in their hand-

ling of the skis, so that the running surfaces are kept even and sraooth, and the vertical camber in the skis is preserved. Poles and bindings likewise ought to be kept in good order.
6. The skis are to be tken off in places where there is little snow; as walking over stones, sand and gravel ruins them. Never strike the tail of the ski against a hard surface, nor strike the skis against each other to remove snow. Water can then penetrate the cracks which causes damage when the water freezes. 7. The soldiers should clean the snow and ice off the skis after use. The skis should be put into a designated place, under cover or in ski racks.
Fitting skis and poles. 8. The skis have two standard lenghts, 2.10 m and 1.85m. The amount of vertical camber varies from pair to pair. If the skis become rtner worn in the middle,

it means that the skis have too little camber. If the skis become worn at the front and rear, it means they are too stiff. Both conditions reduce the usefulness of the skis, and must be corrected in the following manner. To increase the camber in a pair of skis, put a wooden block between them and fasten them together with the toestraps as shown in Figure l. In the opposite case, tie the skies together without anything between them, as in Figure 2. If the camber in a pair of skis is to be altered, the skis ought to be heated up, for example by using a burner. The skis have to be heated on both sides, over and under, when the new camber is to be put into them. To check whether a pair of skis has the right camber, the following method can be used: Place a sheet of paper underneath the skis, and let the user fasten the skis on. With the body weight evenly divided on the two skis, you should be able to move the sheet of paper freely underneath the middle of the skis. When the entire body weight is put on one of the skis, you should not be able to move the sheet of paper.
9. The standard lengths of ski poles are: 140 cm, 145 cm 150 cm. The poles should be fitted as shown in Figure 3. If the poles are too long, it is difficult to bring the arm muscles to bear in uphill slopes; furthermore, they make it unnecessarily hard on the shoulders, especially when a rucksack is carried. Poles that are too short often, on long trips, lead to pain and stiffness in the back. The wrist strap should be tightened so that when clasping the pole the hand should be just below the strap attachment.

Figure l Cambering a pair ofskis

Figure 2 Reducing the camber in a pair ofskis

correct Figure 3 Fitting the poles

wrong

Adjustment of bindings 10. The binding toe piece can be adjusted to various widths with the help of the wing screw in front of the toe piece, without loosening the screws that fasten the bindings to the skis. The toe piece is adjusted to the boot as shown in Figure 4. By increasing the toe piece angle somewhat, toecaps and overboots can be used without adjusting the bindings.

correct

wrong

Figure 4 Adjusting the toe piece to the boot

11. The heel straps must not be tightened any more than necessary to keep the boot firmly within the toe piece. The purpose is to give the skier freedom to move his boot, and at the same time prevent the heel straps from falling off, If the heel straps are tightened too hard, it will cause the sole to dent, which in turn leads to blisters.
Waterproofing the skis 12. The purpose of the waterproofing is to: - protect the skis against humidity

- make them more durable - form a good foundation for the daily waxing.
13. Two kinds of waterproofing are used, one that is applied without the use of heat or flame, and one that has to be burnt into the skis.

10

14. Before waterproofing, the skis have to be dry and old wax must be removed. For removing old wax or klister a ski burner or white spirit ought to be used. If the running surfaces have deep scratches in them they ought to be gone over

with a ski scraper. Openflame must be used with great caution on skis, as too
hot aflame easily leads to the charring of the running surface. New skis come with a coat of waterproofing or laquer underneath, which has to be removed with steel wool or fine sandpaper before use. If this is not done, the skis will be sluggish.
Quick-waterproofing 15. Quick-waterproofing is used to protect the running surface of the ski. It does

not have the same durability as waterproofing burnt into the ski.
16. The waterproofing is carried out in the following mannen - clean the skis as described in paragraph 14 - moisten a piece of cotton waste with quick-waterpoofing, and move it back and forth over the running surface until it is covered with a thin, even coating - rub the waterproofing with a clean piece of cotton waste until the waterproofing ceases to stick to the fingers when touched - clean the edges and upper sides of the skis with white spirit - let the skis dry for 4-8 hours at room temperature before waxing and use.

Clean with cotton waste and white

""
Rub until the waterproofing does not stick

Apply the waterproofing using cotton waste

Clean the edges and the top with white spirit

Dry 4-8 hrs

in room temperat

Figure 5 Quick-waterproofing

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Burnt-in waterproofing

17. This waterproofing, which is more durable than the quick method, is used before long ski marches are undertaken, and before the skis are put in storage at the end of the winter.
18. The waterproofing is carried out as follows: - clean the skis as described in paragraph 14 - moisten a piece of cotton waste with waterproofing, and move it back and forth on the running surface until it is covered with a thin coating - use open flame on the running surface until small air bubbles (boils) appear in the waterproofing. Then remove with a clean piece of cotton waste the waterproofing that has not been absorbed into the running surface. - apply another coat of waterproofing and repeat once more the use of the flame and a clean piece of cotton waste until the waterproofing no longer sticks to the fingers when touching - clean the edges and the top of the skis with white spirit - let the skis dry for 8-12 hours at room temperature before waxing and use - two or three coats of waterproofing will normally be enough.

Clean the skis using cotton waste and white spirit

Apply the waterproofing using cotton waste

Open flame until air bubbles form

into the surface is

removed with clean cotton waste. Repeat until the waterproofing does not stick
any more.

The waterproofing not yet absorbed

Clean the edges and the top side with white spirit

Dry
8-12 hrs in room

temp

Figure 6 Waterproofing with open flame

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19. When open flame is used, the skis ought to be heated gentiy on the top side to keep the caraber from changing, and to prevent the skis from becoming warped.
Ski wax 20. A correctly waxed pair of skis glide over the snow on flat terrain without sticking, and make it possible to move up a slope without backsliding. The wax mkes the skis smooth and at the same time as it gives them grip.

21. For ski marches outside broken trails no more than three different sorts of wax are needed; green wax for conditions below -10 degrees C; blue wax for conditions between O and -10 degrees C; and red wax for conditions above O degrees C.

22. Waxing of wooden skis. The skis have to be waterproofed and dry before waxing. Although it is better to do the waxing at room temperature it can also be done outside in the cold. The wooden skis are waxed from tip to tail. It may be enough to apply grip wax underneath the middle of the ski, on the part of the ski used for the next kick ahead. Most often the best thing is to apply hard wax to the entire running surface. The coats, 1-3, have to be thin and must be thoroughly rubbed in; if possible use a burner or a waxing iron. The grip wax is to be applied only under the middle of the ski, in the area from a little behind the boot heel to a little in front of the toe. This mkes the skis smooth for easy gliding, at the same time as it gives them a good grip. It also mkes it easier to clean the old wax off the skis when the conditions change, making it necessary to apply another wax. In extreme cases the toe strap can be used underneath the ski to give it grip (Figure 7). This method might be useful when pulling a sled up a steep slope.

Figure 7 Using the toe strap to obtain grip

13

Removing wax 23. Wax is removed with a scraper, with white spirit and cotton waste, or by heating

and cotton waste. When heating is med, apply the heat to a small part of the ski until the wax becomes nearly liquid, then remove it with the cotton waste. Repeat this process until the whole ski is clean.

Figure 8 Removing wax or klister with a scraper

24. In field conditions great discipline has to be exercised when it comes to the waxing of skis. The officer in charge of the unit should decide on the wax to be used. It is better to use wax that is too hard (for cold conditions) than wax that is too soft (for O degree conditions), as it is easier to change over from hard to soft wax than the other way around.
The ski rack

,25. The ski rack must be made so that the camber of the skis is not altered. The rack may be movable or fixed to a wall. A movable rack ought to have a roof over it to protect the skis against precipitation.

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Figure 9 Skis placed in ski rack

26. If a ski rack is not available for storing the skis for a lengthy period of time, each pair of skis should be bound together, using the toe straps at the rear and front. A rectangular block of wood (5x10x2 cm) should then be inserted between the running surfaces at the toe piece, so that the skis are 5 cm apart. Then the skis should be stored in a dry place.

Figure 10 The use of block to maintain the camber in skis

27. When the skis are stored away at the end of winter it is important that they are properly cared for: - that they are stored in a dry place - that the camber is maintained, in a rack, or bound together (as in paragraph 26) - that the wax is removed and waterproofing applied - that the whole ski is cleaned, and re-painted if necessary - that the correct number is marked on the skis.

15

Figure 10 The use of block to maintain the camber in skis

Ski repair kit 28. A unifs equipment includes ski repair kits, sufficient for carrying out small repairs in the field, such as: - patching together ski poles - repair of bindings - repair of broken skis - rapair of carrying and pulling equipment - sharpening or replacing pole points.

Figure H Use of spare tipfor ski

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SNOWSHOES

Figure 12 Snowshoe M85

29. Ski heel bindings are used on the snowshoes. The snowshoes have the same form for both feet. When pulling a sled, or carrying a rucksack, it is best to use poles.
30. Before use and before storing away, the following things ought to be checked: - that the attachment for the toe strap is not warped or defective - that the attachment for the heel bindings is in order - that the ribs are whole and without cracks Before storing away snowshoes they should be cleaned with warm water.

17

THE PULK
Introduction

31. The pulk used by Norwegian units is designated M38. It is made of wood, with the running surface of wood or polyethylene. 32. The M38 pulk has the following standard equipment: - permanent canvas cover with wooden poles for closing and securing - two securing ropes (one at the front and one at the rear of the pulk) - one harness - two pulling-belts - two pulling ropes for the assistant puller(s) - one brake rope fastened at the rear end of the pulk - two straps (toe straps) for securing the harness
33. The pulk weighs, without the harness, about 12-13 kg. The harness alone weighs 41A kg.

Pulk M39

two oak poles

securing rope

Brake rope

Rulling belt

Figure 13 Pulk M38 with standard equipment

34. In addition to the standard equipment the following ought to be provided. - sidestoppers for the harness, to prevent it from becoming dislocated in the towing ftxtures - brake rope secured to the harness, either on the cross bar or on the side bars (see figure 14).

18

BRAKE ROPES

(two types)

The brake rope shouid be of the same length as the pulk

Sidestoppers

Figure 14 Underview showing securing sidestoppers and brake ropes on pulk

Securing and using the harness 35. The securing straps, holding the harness crossbar in place In the half-moonshaped towing fixtures underneath the pulk, ought to be tightened as hard as necessary to keep the harness in place. The securing straps will stretch after sorae time of dampness and usage, and they ought to be tightened sufficiently from the outset. To ease the tightening and adjustment of the securing straps, a round stick (broom stick) ought to be used on top of the pulk board.

36. The pulks are issued with pulling beits. It shouid be worn around the hips without being too tight. It shouid be attached to the pistol belt with the straps provided for this, so low as to avoid pressure against the abdomen, and at the same time so high that it does not hamper the movement of the legs. The assistant puller wears his belt in the same manner.

19

Figure 15 Correct fastening ofpulling belt

Using the pulling ropes 37. The two pulling ropes are used when two soldiers pull the pulk. The ropes should be of such length that the skiers can move freely without clashing their skis together. When the pulk is pulled by only one man, the assistant puller carries the pulling ropes in a coil arround his neck, in such a manner that they can speedily be made ready and attached to the rings on the harness. It is a good idea to tie the pulling ropes together in the middle, to keep them from getting in the way when using the poles (see Figure 16). Downhill the pulling rope can be fastened in the rear of the pulk, making it possible for the assistant puller to brake. On a slope where the pulk may skid sideways, the braking rope at the ar of the pulk is used. The pulk construction is reinforced at the rear end and has two slots where the poles can be placed, when pushing the pulk up a steep slope.

20

K- ca 1 m -H

H- ca 1 m ~*J

Figure 16 Ty ing together the pulling ropes

Loading the pulk 38. The long low bed of the pulk is well suited for the transport of equipment. If the load is wrongly distributed in the pulk, it can lead to needless use of energy when pulling it. The load ought to be evenly distributed, with the center of gravity low and somewhat to the rear of the pulk; this mkes it easier to maneuver and to turn. 39. Securing the load. When the load has been distributed and placed as described in para 38, the battening down and securing is done in the following manner: The oaken sticks are put together, and rolled into the tarpaulin cover until it is stretched tight over the load. The sticks are then fastened in front and rear, by taking the ropes a couple of turns around the sticks in the opposite direction from which the tarpaulin has been rolled. The ropes are made fast by forcing them in between the two sticks sticking out through the tarpaulin. Finally the ends of the ropes are fastened by passing one of them through the eye of the other, so as to make a slip knot.

Figure 17 Securing the pulk cover

21

Carrying a pack vvhile pulling the pulk 40. It is recommended that the pack ought to be worn, and not placed on the pulk. On uneven ground and on long slopes it is easier for the pulk puller to carry the

pack. There might be exceptions to this; e.g., on flat, cleard and hard roads it might be easier to place the pack on the pulk.
Maintenance of pulk M38 41. When the running surface is made of wood, the pulk is waterproofed in the same way as skis. The waterproofing should be burnt into the wood, to make the running surface durable and smooth. To make it glide even better, paraffin wax has to be rubbed on to the waterproofing or the polyethylene layer. 42. The following items must be looked after, and repaired or renewed if necessary: a. The pulk - the tarpaulin cover must be whole - the oak poles in the tarpaulin must be serviceable, and of sufficient length - the securing ropes must be in order, and of sufficient length - the braking rope in the rear should be at least as long as the pulk, and in good order. - the bottom of the pulk should be without leaks, cracks or hoies, b. The harness - the fittings for hitching up the puller and the assistant puller should be in order - the sidestoppers should be in place - the braking rope should be made fast as shown in figure 14, c. Pulling beits - the fastening clasps on the belt should be in order - the D-rings for fastening the harness and the pulling ropes should be in order; likewise the fastening points d. The pulling ropes - shouid be serviceable, and without any weak points.

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THE SKI SLED

The auxiliary sled

43. If a pulk is not available, Magnussen's auxiliary sled can be used, together with a pair of skis and ski poles, for casualty evacuation, and other transport that happens to be needed. The instructions for assembling the sled, with illustrations and desription, can be found on the sled harness. The sled with skis and poles weigh about 3,5 kg.

Flgure 18 Auxiliary sled

23

A braeket is fastened round a ski pole and fixed to the left ski about 20 cm in front of the bindings, with the fastening screw on the inside of the ski. Tighten the screw with the right hand. Be sure that the teeth have a good grip. Another braeket is fastened to the pole and fixed to the left ski about 30 cm in front of the tail of the ski. The pole is moved forward and backwards in the brackets until the disc is close up to the rear braeket. Be sure that the teeth have a good grip.

Put the point of a pole or some other metal object into the fastening screws and give them another 2 or 3 turns.
Instal the brackets on the other ski, having first placed it next to the first ski, so that the brackets can be installed at the same height.
Insert the cross bars through the brackets, first on one ski then on the other. Put on the straps and tighten them.

24

Roll out the canvas so that it comes to within

5 cm of the rear crossbar, after the rolling-up rod has been fitted onto the ski tips.

Hitch the rear strap clamps

onto the right rear corners of the skis, and tighten

the straps alternately.

The canvas is normally tight enough when the bulge over the forward crossbar disappears, and the rear crossbar is completely covered

by the canvas. Tuck the strap ends up between the canvas and
the rear crossbar to keep them

from hanging loose. Thread the sideropes around the

poles, and let the second to

last turn go through the wrist

straps to keep them from hanging

loose. Tighten the ropes as much as the poles can stand.

Make the ropes fast with 2

half-hitches.
The pulling-rope hooks are made fast to the ski-tip fittings., and each rope is led underneath the ski-tip after which it is fastened with two half-hitches round the rolling-up rod, which is thereby firmly secured to the ski tips. If the skis do not have skitip fittings, each rope is

to be passed through the forward pair of grommets in the canvas, after which
they are fastened with slip knots to the toe pieces. With the help of the slip

knot and the stopping pin a bight can be put into each rope, so that two men can pull the sled. Both ropes can be joined together to allow one man to pull
the sled.

Figure 19 Assembling the auxlliary sled

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THE OPTIMUS STOVE

44. The stove is used for heating the tent/bivouac, and for preparing hot food and drink. Methylated spirit is used to heat up the burner, and kerosene is used for fuel.
New type
Metal container Isolation plate Metal container

Old type
Isolation plate Burner
Rme spreader

Burner

Fastening

wrench
Control knob

Fastening wrench Control knob

Kettle stand Fuel container

Kettle stand Fuel container

Wind shield

Figure 20 Optimus
Lighting up 45. The tray is filled to the top with spirit (or comparable liquid), and lit. If the temperature is especially low, the tray ought to be filled twice to make sure the burner is properly pre heated. Caution: Ensure that the alcohol is completely burnt up befare refilling. The new type of burner has to have the windshield fitted before lighting.

46. When the alcohol is nearly burnt out, pump 10 to 15 strokes. The control knob is not to be in place during the pumping. When the alcohol is completely burnt out, the burner is opened by turning the knob gently to the left. The gas that then streams out of the nozzle has to be lit at once. If the new type of burner is iighted with the flame remaining in the alcohol tray, it often sets fire to the gas inside the nozzle. The old type of burner can be lit with the flame in the tray, before this has burnt completely out.x
47. The gas should burn with a blue flame. If it burns with a yellow flame, the burner has not been sufficiently pre-heated. The control knob must then be turned off at once, and the whole procedure of preheating repeated. A yellow flame leads to considerable sooting of the stove. Soot close to the nozzle is the most frequent reason for poor performance and failure to function.

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48. If a stranger flame is desired, the knob is turned further to the left. If a weaker flarae is desired, the knob is turned to the right. The flame is not to be adjusted with the cleaning needle ie, not with the control knob in the cleaning position (to the left of the mid-position). As the kerosene in the tank is gradually reduced, the pressure in the tank is also reduced. It is therefore necessary to maintain the pressure by pumping.

Cleaning 49. The nozzle ought to be cleaned each time, befare the stove is put out. This has to be done also if the flame is small and / or unclean despite high tank pressure and the control knob fully opened.

50. Cleaning is carried out, with the stove lighted, by turning the knob all the way to the left (anticlockwise) to small flame, and thereafter quickly back to the burning position. A lit match should be held at the ready, in case the flame should be extinguished.
51. The cleaning should not be done after the burner has gone out, because the cleaning needle can get stuck in the upper position, (the nozzle contracts on cooling down).

Extinguishing 52. The control knob is turned all the way to the right (clockwise). Do not use too much force in shutting off. When the burner is cold, the pressure is let out of the tank by slightly unscrewing the filler cap. When the pressure is out, the cap is tightened again. If it is not possible to wait until the stove is cold before letting out the pressure, the burner has to be screened, with the hand or other means between the tank and the burner, while the pressure is carefully released. Maintenance 53. The most important forms of maintenance are cleaning and the replacement of parts.
54. The cleaning ought to be done at once after use. It is especially important to remove dirt on the burner. Scraps of food etc. have to be removed from the burner at once, and soot wiped away at intervals. Warm water and soap, gasoline, kerosene or other cleaning fluid can be used for the job.

55. Minor repairs, such as changing the gasket in the refueling lid, changing the pump gasket, or softening up the old gasket with the help of oil (kerosene can also be used), are things that every soldier should be able to do. This also applies to the changing of nozzle and cleaning needle. The changing of gaskets is normally not very difficult. On the other hand, it can be complicated to get out the nozzle and the cleaning needle, especially on the new type of burner.

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Changing the cleaning needle 56. The flame ring, or the burner assembly, and the windshield are tken off. On the old type of burner the nozzle is screwed off with a nozzle wrench that comes with the stove. On the new type of burner the nozzle has to be screwed off with a combined control knob/multi-purpose wrench, or with a pump valve wrench. The knob is turned to the left (anticlockwise) and the cleaning needle comes up. It is tken out with a match or with tweezers. Thereafter the knob is turned back to the closed position.

57. The new cleaning needle is inserted. Turn the knob counterclockwise, at the same time as the needle is pressed down towards the spindle cogs, You should hear 4 clicks before the needle is in the right position, i.e., 4 cogs should have passed. This amounts to about 1/3 turn of the knob. The knob is thereafter turned back to the closed position.
58. If the cleaning needle has been set correctly, the knob should be moved about 1/3 turn to the left from the closed position before the cleaning needle appears in the nozzle opening.
Changing the spindle gasket (graphite gasket) 59. The nozzle is screwed out and the cleaning needle removed as described in para 56. The gasket chamber is tken out with the help of the nozzle wrench or the control knob/multi-purpose wrench, and the spindle is tken out, after which the gasket is changed. The small brass washer that goes with the gasket has the form of a cone on the inside. Be sure that the cone always faces the gasket. If it begins to leak at the spindle, the gasket chamber should be tightened up somewhat. If it is tightened too much, the spindle gasket, which is quite fragile, may break, and will have to be replaced again. The pump 60. If the pump does not work in a satisfactory way it may mean that the pump gasket has dried out. The pump rod is then tken out, the pump gasket is saturated with oil or kerosene to soften it up. The gasket must be handled carefully in order not to damage it when putting it back in place. The operation can be carried out without any risk also when the burner is in operation, as the pump valve will prevent the air pressure in the tank from being let out. 61. If the tank does not hold the pressure which has been pumped into it, the pump valve has to be changed. The spindle knob/multi-purpose wrench, or the pump valve wrench (which also fits the nozzle) has to be used. The pump rod is screwed off, and the valve at the bottom of the pump cylinder, is screwed off and changed.

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Spindle Brass washer Spindle gasket

^ Gasket chamber
^*

Pump valve

Pump rod Pump valve wrench

Windshield
Spindle knob

T
Refueling cap with gasket

Figure 21 Replaceable parts of Optimus H l

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BATTERIES General 62. Low temperatures and changes in temperature make it difficult to use and to maintain communications equipment. Preventive maintenance is therefore of the greatest importance. Communications equipment which is brought from the cold into a heated tent or room, will start to sweat until the equipment has come up to room temperature. The condensation sticks to the equipment in the form of water drops. The equipment must be kept dry at all times so that the condensation does not impair the metal or the vital parts. 63. Cold weather reduces the efficiency of communications equipment. It is therefore necessary to keep the temperature of the equipment as near as possible to room or body temperature.
Radio equipment 64. The indicating knobs may be difficult to turn at low temperatures. Do not use force, and be caref ul when handling connections and plugs, because the material they are made from often becomes brittle and fragile in the cold. Snow and ice must not be let into the plugs and connection points. Remove ice and rime from the antennas so that the range is not reduced. If ground planes are used at a radio station, the snow ought to be removed, and the ground planes placed on the bare ground. Microphones and headsets ought to be handled carefully.

The headsets must always be kept dry and free of snow and ice. When a cold radio station is to be used, turn on the radio, but wait at least one minute before transmitting. Transmitting at once on cold equipment can damage the radio seriously.

65. When speaking into the microphone in very cold weather, the moisture will form into condensation and stick to the microphone. This will cause the modulation to be poor, and moisture will get into the microphone itself. When the moisture freezes to rime or ice, the microphone may in the worst case be burst apart, lb avoid that, put a piece of cloth or a plastic cover over the microphone, and fasten it with a rubber band or a piece of string.
Accumulators and dry batteries 66. In low temperatures the capacity of storage batteries and dry cells is much reduced. In the worst case they may become useless. The storage batteries must be kept fully charged at all times. Otherwise they may freeze. When used out of doors in wintertime they ought to be dry stored in snow, which normally holds a higher temperature than the air above it.

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The effect of low temperatures 67. When the temperature sinks, the chemical process in the dry cell is reduced, and its capacity sinks. If we say that the capacity is 100 per cent at 20 degrees C, the following table can be made;

Temperature
20 C 10 C OC - 10 C - 20 C - 30 C

Zinc 100% ca 75 % 60 % 40 % 10 % 0%

Alkaline
100% ca 95 % 85 % 70 % 30 % 20%

Lithium 100% ca 95 % 90 % 80 % 60 % 50 %

Try to make the battery warm before using it (room temperature) and keep it warm while in use. Small auxilliary batteries may be carried in the pocket or on the body to prevent them from becoming cold.

Landline equipment 68. Telephone and telephone exchange equipment should be kept as dry, clean and free of snow as possible. Field telephones must be treated in the same way as other telephone equipment. The insultation of the field cable will become stiffer and more brittle in very cold weather; avoid bending the cable too sharply, to avoid damage to the insulation. When reeling in the cables, the snow and the ice must be removed from the cable, before it comes on the reel.
69. When the earth is frozen, the grounding of wires is frequently poor, even if a ground spear is driven well into the earth. Insulation tape ought to be kept dry and preferably carried in the pocket. It will then keep soft, and be easier to work with.

Storage of communications equipment 70. Communications equipment ought to be stored in a heated tent or room. To prevent sweating, the equipment brought in from the cold ought to be covered up so that it very slowly gets up to room temerature. The equipment must never be put close to a heater or be exposed to excessive heat. It must be thoroughly dried before it is tken out into the cold again. Reels of cable ought to be placed in such a manner that the melting snow runs off. When storing equipment in a tent, a tarpaulin or other similar cover ought to insulate the equipment from the ground, to ensure that the equipment keeps an even temperature. The insulating tarpaulin ought to be raised off the ground by placing boxes etc underneath.
71. The maintenance of communications equipment is described in greater detail in the respective communications manuals.

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OPTICAL AND ELECTRO-OPHCAL INSTRUMENTS

11. Optical and electro-optical instruments such as binoculars, telescopes, night vision devices, rangefinders and the like ought not, if possible, be exposed to great changes of temperature. If, for example, a pair of binoculars is brought from the cold into roorn temperature, there is a risk that condensation may form inside it. The condensation freezes when it is tken back out into cold, and may ruin the binoculars. If instruments have to be tken in, they ought to be wrapped up in some thick clothing etc. (jersey, blanket), so that the temperature rises slowly. Any condensation to speak of will then be avoided. Store the instruments outside, well wrapped up, so that they keep an even temperature, and adjustments and movable parts do not freeze. Remove telescopes from weapons. Moreover, attention should be paid to the following factors: - Avoid breathing on lenses and movable parts - lee that forms on the lenses, especially after the instrument has been in use, should not be scraped off, but carefully thawed - Never warm an instrument over a source of heat - Don't use force on switches, handles and adjustment screws which normally are hard to operate in cold weather - rubber parts must be coated with glycerin to prevent cracks - lenses should only be cleaned with the proper brush, cleaning fluid and lens tissue. The cleaning fluids used in cold weather are isopropanol and Kodak Lenscleaner. The cleaning fluid is removed by gently wiping it off (not rubbing) with lens tissue.
HANDLING OF WEAPONS

General 73. In very cold weather, but especially in snow, sleet and wet weather, the weapons need to be looked after with care and attention. Continual inspections and function tests are necessary. The soldier must always keep the weaponfree of snow, particularly the barrel, sight and mechanism. /f snow gets into the weapon it must be removed at once.
74. Weapons, ammunition and other metal brought from the cold into a warm tent will sweat considerably. Such changes in temperature must be avoided. If a weapon is brought into the heat and then back out into the cold, ice will form in the barrel, and the mechanism will freeze. If the weapon is fired the barrel might explode. If the tactical situation and security permit, the weapon can be left outside, as long as it is protected against the weather. In sleet and rain the situation is qutte different; then the weapons have to be cleaned in the same way as in summertime.

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Cleaning 75. On account of sweating, as mentioned in paragraph 76, the weapon raust have reached room teperature before it can be praperly cleaned. deaner lubricant (9150-25-135-2060) is the only oil to be used in forward echelon for weapons cleaning. This oil is also used on the weapon exterior as a preservative coating against all kinds of weather. 76. The various weapons raanuals should be consulted for details on the maintenance of weapons.
Some ad vice 77. - before loading a weapon, always rehearse without ammunition, pulling the trigger to ease the mechanism and making sure that it functions correctly - if the mechanism is frozen, don't use force. Work it carefully, apply lubrication - when in firing position, the loading process should be rehearsed in order to keep the weapon in working order. If the tactical situation permits, a shot ought to be fired once in a while - While shooting be sure that hot parts of the weapon do not touch the snow, for when the weapon cools off ice will form on it. Do not put a hot barrel on the snow when changing barrels. It might warp and become useless - make sure that no snow or water gets into the barrel or into the mechanism. If the weapon is fired with snow or ice in the barrel it might explode. Ice may be removed with warm oil if it is impossible to thaw up the weapon - use a muzzle cover, and a cover for the weapon. It is easy to improvise such things, and they protect the weapon. Don't leave the weapon with its mechanism open - always keep ammunition boxes, magazine pouches, cartridge pouches, spare parts pouches etc. closed and buttoned up, if possible. The contents must be controlled, cleaned and lubricated. Protect the magazines against snow and moisture - keep the weapons in their protective covers or casings as long as the tactical situation permits.