Desco A-lung

 

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DATASHEET OXYGEN REBREATHER

Desco A-lung

Date: 03 June 2003

  Sports diving model

JW. Bech

Manufacturer

Desco

50’s

Model

A-lung

 

Land of origin

USA

 

Special Note: 

Pendulum principle

 

User group

Sportsdivers

 

Part no:

 

 

Working principle

Manual addition by lever operation

 

Gas type

Pure oxygen

 

Cylinder volume

?

 

Max. cylinder pressure

150 bar

 

Material of cylinder

steel

 

Counterlung inspire

Yes volume 8 ltrs?

 

Counterlung exhale

-

 

Dive time duration

?

 

Operating temperature

?

 

Magnetic signature

No-antimagnetic constr.

 

Weight ready to use in Air

?

 

Weight ready to use in water

?

 

MOD

?

 

Scrubber material

Protosorb?

 

Colour

Gray/white

 

Price

 

 

Worn

On the chest

 

Mouthpiece

Single hose with valve

 

Backpack

-

 

Extra

-

 

Extra

See text

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you have any information to add this sheet please mail it to jw.bech@quicknet.nl References to source and names will always be added!  

 

Info found:

 

Origin: http://www.therebreathersite.nl

 

Info:

 

DESCO general information.

Received from:
Ric Koellner
President
DESCO Corp.  

Mr. Bech,

Unfortunately our information on the rebreathers we manufactured is incomplete. 

I can tell you DESCO was contracted during WWII to produce rebreathers for the
U. S. Office of Strategic Services (forerunner of the CIA) and the first production run went to them.  

The U.S. Navy also purchased them during the war.  

After the war DESCO adapted the B-Lung to commercial use and marketed them.  A simpler A-Lung was developed for sport diving. When the dangers of oxygen poisoning became apparent in the early 50's DESCO discontinued production of rebreathers. 

In the book "Mask and Flippers The Story of Skin Diving (Publisher: Chilton Company 1960)", written by Lloyd Bridges (the actor from Sea Hunt) and Bill Barada, the rebreather is covered and its falling from favor due to the poisoning problem is mentioned.   

I have included photos from our files.  

The A-Lung is the unit with the bag in front and the single hose mouthpiece.  

The B-Lung was a double hose unit with a face mask. The early B-Lung used the oval mask with the nose bumpout. Later B-Lungs used the Jack Browne Mask adapted to accept the rebreather hoses. Coincidentally a early B-Lung was offered for sale on ebay and misidentified as a Momsen Submarine Escape Lung.  

DESCO also offered a C-Lung unit which was a rebreather mounted to the DESCO Lightweight Suit to make a self contained unit (see photos). 

 Over the course of years and several moves to new buildings sales records were lost or discarded. The reason we know about the OSS contract is a few years ago a CIA historian contacted us for information. I hope you find this information useful.

Best regards,

Ric Koellner
President
DESCO Corp.

diveq@execpc.com

 

 

 

 

 

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