Call it a MASK unit. This faux-military “Minor Surgery” kit from Voodoo Tactical® comes in a 7" x 5" x 2-1/2" OD canvas pouch containing: 6” wound probe; 3-1/2” stitch scissors; 3-1/2” tweezers; 5-1/2” bandage scissors; 5” straight and curved forceps; a #3 scalpel handle with disposable blade; pupil flashlight with mm gauge; alcohol pads; antiseptic towelettes; some 5/0 monofilament; and a gram of antibiotic ointment. And remember: reenacting actual combat surgery without a license is still not allowed.

The kind that you hammer into the ground for to hold up your tent. Make that shelter-half, because these are from Uncle. Measure 12" long x 1-3/4" wide in a V-shape, in olive drab steel with a 1/4” bore for your rope, and shoulders to wrap the rope around. Marked 97403-132227 E0136 MFR 92398, which is a lotta numbers for a tent stake, but that’s the gummint for you.

From the mid-20th-century German military, this is a fully functional field phone. Weighs in at 8.2 lbs, and comes self-contained in a 10-1/4" x 6-3/4" x 4-1/4" dark brown Bakelite case with a handset on a 4-foot cord, a 52” 2-pin jumper, 25” TT plug cord, ringer crank and a battery holder for the pair of D-cells you’ll need to add. Side has slots for the carrying cord that we don’t have, and the inside lid has a full schematic. Should work with standard stereo speaker wire, and we’d get a pair of these phones if we were you. Small quantity available.

Not actually a mystery--it’s one of (4) olive drab polymer paddle-ish things used to hold up mosquito netting over cots in the military. We’ve got the paddles, but not the stakes or nets, so we recommend creating a new game with these and whiffle balls or shuttlecocks in the woods. Or carry them as emergency canoe paddles for when you’re up a creek, or use them as props in a musical. Or you tell us. Measure 29-3/4" long with a 2-3/8” hole at one end, tapering from 3-3/4” down to 1-1/2” with a 6" dia round at the other end.

Talk inside the mask. This microphone, designed to fit inside an oxygen mask, is brand new, made for the US Air Force in the mid-1980s. NOS microphone, dynamic type M-133/U. Manufacturers part # 4500-WBC DLA900-85-C-098. Cable has MIL-C-5898C-WD-34U USAF and U-173/U connectors. Sorry, folks, that's all we know.

This single-earphone 200 ohm military headset straps around your head with a second OD strap over the top from ear to ear, all adjustable with hook-and-loop ends. Manufactured in the mid 1980s in the USA for the US military, we know not which branch. Part #s include DAAB07-85-C-E613 FSCM 80063. Has a 4-1/2" foot cord terminating with a BNC connector.

These gray rubber gas masks from the Russian military fit over your entire head and lend a very insectesque appearance. Eye lenses (you get some spares) measure 2-3/16" dia and the front of the mask ends in a snout-like fitting for a filter, which you won't get because we don't got. Includes a 13" x 5" x 4" OD cloth carrying bag with sundry pouches and straps. Don't wear these masks into any "situations"--they're for decorative purposes only.

But no tent. Or shelter half, as they say in the army, although we don't know whose army these are from.  You get a 3-section, 44" tent pole plus (3) steel stakes, all well used and all in an OD camo pouch. Your bivouac partner is supposed to have the other pole and pegs, so maybe he has your half of the pup tent, too.

Nope--we thought it was a theodolite-- a surveying instrument for measuring angles in horizontal and vertical planes, but it seems we missed the mark. With the help of a knowledgeable Surpie, we’re reasonably sure this olive drab apparatus is an artillery sight for a Chinese howitzer. (See, even we don’t know everything.) Measures approx 7-1/2" x 5" x 4" with a plethora of moving parts: optical head that pivots up and down; focal knob calibrated from 0 to -90 and +10 to + 80; horizontal and vertical adjustments with a locking lever; and a 1-5/8" dia ball with a 1/2" hole in the bottom for a mount. Weighs in at over 5 lbs. The paint is chipping, but you would too at this age.

Get in touch with your inner Schweizer with an aluminum Swiss military canteen cup. Surplus, and yours might even have a genuine Swiss dent or two. In a perfect oblong, unlike the U.S. kidney shape, they hold 14 oz and measure 4" x 2-3/4” x approx 4” tall with a pair of 2-1/2” folding handles that work better than the U.S. cup handle. All in all, the Swiss seem to have been way ahead of us, canteen-cup-wise.

These elbow pads feature water resistant digital camo cordura nylon sleeves, have thick foam padding on the exterior with plastic shells on the points for added protection and a full length neoprene sleeve on the inside of your arm for comfort and flexibility. Measure 10” long x a nominal 4” ID but are elastic and stretchy enough to slide over the largest forearms around here. Hook-n-loop straps on the ends tighten them. Recommended for skateboarders, dirt-bikers, riot duty, paint-gun fun and shopping those big-box store mega sales. Made in the USA.

These military surplus pop chutes are made to help open really big parachutes, but please don’t use yours to jump out of airplanes with. (That prohibition applies to all AS&S items, by the way.) This chute measures 26” dia x 21” long or tall, depending on how you look at it. It’s in off-white nylon and mesh with a big compression spring inside and a pair of grommet holes on the bottom. We think it would make a nifty post-modern holiday tree, or a spectacular hat with a tie through those grommets.

From the Hungarian army and headed your way, these helmets have padded adjustable leather inserts in olive drab steel pots with adustable chin straps. All are lightly used but in good condition.

This is our second Bulgarian army medic’s kit, but this time it’s full of Bulgarian medical supplies. The 12-5/8" x 10" x 5" hard-shell case has a fold-out tray with assorted serum bottles with caps (sans sera), cotton batting, gauze, a tourniquet strap, scissors, tweezers and bandages. Cold-war era, but in impressive condition. In dark green, with a leather red cross cut-out on the front, slide closures and adjustable shoulder and waist straps. A great collectible item!

These aluminum canteen cups are definitely from somebody’s army, we just don’t know whose. They hold 20 oz and measure 3-3/4” tall x 5-1/8” ID in a kidney shape with a pair of fold-out 3” x 2-3/8” handles on one side. Most of them have some rust-preventing grease on them, so a good cleaning before use is advisable, but when isn’t it?

Keep your powder dry and your canteen cold. Can’t help you with that powder thing, but this insulated camo canteen holder folds together and holds via hood-and-loop strips. Has a 5/8” ID grommet and a big hook-and-loop patch on the back to secure it. Measures approx 3-1/2" x 2-1/2" x 5" inside with room for adjusting.

US Navy Mk1 Mod5 gunsight reticle. In classic "ladder" pattern. Came to us in a lot of antique 1940's Eastman Kodak Military grade lenses and reticles. This unit was part of an illuminated cannon sight or gunsight. Might be a bit dusty or tarnished, but still looks pretty good for their age.

We really don’t think Canadians have smaller heads, but this black rubber gas mask from the Canadian military seems mighty compact at 8” tall x 6” wide. Cute, though, with a bag, and the straps are plenty elastic enough to fit around your big American noggin. Has filter canisters but hold on there, eh? You can’t actually use it to breathe through. Use it only to look like an insect in that sci-fi movie you’re making or at the costume party you’re going to--not to endure a gas attack. Like Canada itself, it’s only a novelty at this point.