![]() ![]() ![]() The improvement over Blitz cans was night and day. They didn’t leak, even when stored on their backs or sides, even in 110º Arizona sun. I ordered two surplus NATO cans from overseas at absurd cost-and never looked back. In fact the only effective feature we adopted was the three-handle design, made so one soldier could easily carry four empty cans, or two full ones, and so a line of men could easily pass full cans along without fumbling. The interior was lined with a rust-proof coating.įor misguided reasons of economy the American military, with their own Wehrmacht can to copy, decided to cut corners, and the result was the hugely inferior Blitz can. The perimeter seam was welded, not crimped the lid was a small-diameter hinged assembly that cammed tightly closed a generous breather and properly designed spout made decanting a fast and leak-free procedure. The Brits and, later, NATO were smart enough to copy exactly the design of the German cans they liberated during the North Africa campaign. Some time in the mid-1980s, after noticing NATO-style cans in photos in various articles (including, IIRC, one by Tom Sheppard), I did some research, and began to realize how superior the original Wehrmacht design was. I loathed the things but it was all we had. The Blitz cans leaked at the screw-in lid, they seeped at the crimped seams, and they took forever to decant into the main tank via the poorly ventilated flexible spout. Blitz cans with which I originally equipped my FJ40’s rear rack. overland travelers-after becoming disgusted with the poor design of the U.S. I can smugly claim to have been a very early adopter of the NATO jerry can-at least in terms of U.S. ![]()
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