Optimus 181 F FOTOGENKÖK 1-LÅGIGT (Kerosene stove 1-flame) M2824-102010-3, date of introduction un-known. The Optimus 181 F was used in the KANTIN 25 /S (Canteen 25 with accessories). Apart from the stove the Canteen 25 /S contained all that was needed to serve 25 soldiers; plates, cutlery, mugs and so on –all packed in a wooden box. (16) It is known that at least some of the Optimus 181 has a “Three-Crowns” stamp on the underside. The stamp can be found on the flat iron that supports the burner assembly. (16) The Optimus 181 F was only used as a substitute for the military Optimus 535 in the Canteen 25 /S and therefore it is likely that the Optimus 181 F was originally used in another kit that presently is unknown.
Optimus 182 FOTOGENKÖK 2-LÅGIGT (Kerosene stove 2-flames) M8210-151010-9, date of introduction un-known. Know uses for the Optimus 182 are in medical evacuation trains and minesweepers type M57.
Optimus/Primus 1 (and 5) FOTOGENKÖK 1-LÅGIGT (Kerosene stove 1-flame) M2824-211010-1 A typical example when not only Optimus stoves hide behind the same designation. According to the data-base it was introduced in 1971, but it is reasonable to assume that this kind of stoves has been with the armed forces for more then a century. At the beginning of this millennium there were a few examples still in storage and a decision had been made to the effect that none should be bought again if the stove was lost (and that would not have been possible, at least if it should have been bought from a Swedish company as they were not produced any longer.) Most likely there were very few in storage for the last decades, since they hardly ever turn up in the surplus stores. The author has seen just a single brass Primus 1 S:or certainly being ex-military; un-used and still sealed in its military plastic bag, marked “AR H” (i.e. 1952) at the bottom of the tank. This stove had a “Primus Sweden” burner. One nickel plated Primus 5 is kept at the Army Museum. This particular stove originally came from Stockholm Ordnance Station in 1947. (17) At the same time a brass Primus 1 was also handed over to the museum. (17) Stockholms Tygstation
Optimus 00, Radius 21 and Primus 210. FOTOGENKÖK 1-LÅGIGT (Kerosene stove 1-flame) M2824-212000-1, introduced before 1966. FOTOGENKÖK 212 B MT (Kerosene stove 212 B with accessories) M2824-212021-7, introduced before 1966 The first designation is the older one, and the second is the one still in use. It is hard to say why that second designation came to be, but it could have happened when a new set of spares was included with the stove. (18) There is so far no document to support the order of introduction described here but this is probably how it happened: The Primus 210 was procured by the Swedish Armed Forces in the late 1930’s and early 1940’s and they are almost always well-used before being sold as surplus. Definitely indentified years of manufacture are 1938, 1939 and 1940. The Primus 210 were packed in the olive-green Primus “Sport” tin with the “Primus” sticker on the lid, but without the inner tray. All these Primus 210 seems to be nickel-plated. When the Radius 21 later on was procured, many of the Primus 210’s were re-packed to that same standard, i.e. in a Primus 41 tin . (19) In the mid 1950’s a new procurement resulted in Radius 21 being bought. Apparently at the same time the original Radius tin included with that stove was deemed much to flimsy for military use, and the Armed Forces instead bought a much more sturdy, of-the-shelf box; namely the tin for Primus 41. The P41 boxes are both the older brownish olive-green with the fittings for straps to make it possible to hang the stove under a bicycle bar, and the newer blue-green ones without the strap fittings. These Radius 21’s from this first batch bought are of the type sometimes referred to as Type 5. (20) In a final procurement from Optimus (probably somewhere in the span 1963 - early 1966) both Optimus 00 and Radus 21 type 6 were bought, this time packed in Optimus own box especially made for the Armed Forces, the olive green one clearly with a lineage from the Optimus 111 case. The Radius 21’s were probably included in the deal as Optimus had bought the Radius Company in 1963. (21) In the 212B guise the stove, regardless of type and casing, should include a small tin bottle for alcohol, a package with three cleaning needles, a pump valve key, a wrench for the burner, instruction sheet, two filer lid gaskets, two pump valves and two leather pump gaskets. All these accessories can be of a number of types. You can for example find a Radius wrench with an Optimus 00. VÄRMARE FÖR PATRULLTÄLT JÄGARSJUKVÅRD /T (Heater for patrol tent, Ranger, Medical) M2822-213011-1 introduced in 1998. This is the Optimus 00 stove simply stored in the largest pot and the lid from the ENMANSKÖK JÄGARE MT (one-man stove Ranger with accessories) and packed in a green canvas bag. As the name implies it was used by the ranger medic to heat their small patrol tents. Originally designated FOTOGENKÖK 1-LÅGIGT (Kerosene stove 1-flame) this un-used Primus 210 (1940) has later been re-packed as FOTOGENKÖK 212 B MT (Kerosene stove 212 B with accessories). Although it keeps its original Primus steel box, the instruction sheet, the plastic bag with spares and the Radius alcohol bottle are tell-tale signs of the 212B kit. A FOTOGENKÖK 212 B MT (Kerosene stove 212 B with accessories) variant; Radius 21 Type 5 in a Primus 41 steel case. The normal configuration for Radius 21 type 6 or (as in this example) Optimus 00 as FOTOGENKÖK 212 B MT (Kerosene stove 212 B with accessories); i.e. in the Optimus made steel case clearly based on the Optimus 111 case. (18) One can only imagine what happened when the administrator had to come up with a new designation – “not another ‘Kerosene stove 1-flame’, let’s use 212 as in the M-number and B as commonly for the second type. (19) It could also be the case that the first Primus 41 tins were originally bought already for the Primus 210, with the purpose to make room for mores spares in the tin. Still, when you find an ex-armed forces Primus 210 in a Primus 41 case it will very often be with a “Radius Sweden” burner. This indicates that this combination is a result of re-packing after that the Radius 21 was bought. (20) For a description of the different types of Radius 21, see a post here on Spiritburner in the stove reference gallery; “Six variants of Radius 21” (21) Could the whole lot of Optimus 00, Radius 21 type 5 and 6, the Optimus case and the Primus 41 case not have been part of just one single procurement since Optimus apart from buying the Radius Company in 1963 had bought the kerosene stove/lantern part of Primus in 1961? Maybe, but if that was the case you aught to find a random mix of stoves and cases. But you almost only find the Radius 21 type 5 in a Primus 41 case and the Radius 21 type 6 and Optimus 00 in the Optimus case, not the other way around. The odd ones contradicting this (and the author can actually not recall seeing any of those) could be the effect of later re-packing.
Punker D.2 SPRITKÖK (Alcohol stove) M2824-201000-4, introduced before 1966. The two-flame, gravity fed, Punker D.2 alcohol stove was probably mainly used by the Civil Defense reserve hospitals. These reserve hospitals consisted of part of the medical crew from a regular civilian hospital augmented by Civil Defense personnel in time of war. Typically they were located at a boarding school in the countryside, for example a forester school. (22) Apart from the regular, gloss beige painted type, there was also a flat medium-green variant. This green type was probably only used by government agencies and not sold to the public. A Punker D.2 originally belonging to a Civil Defence reserve hospital. A Punker D.2 “military edition” belonging to a Civil Defence medical unit with a war time location at a forester school. (22) The author has in his collection two different surplus Punker D.2 in their original cardboard boxes and both have their shipping manifest still on the box. Both were originally sent to two different forester schools and clearly marked as property of Civil Defense medical units.
Optimus 8 RF BENSINKÖK MT (Petrol stove with accessories) M2824-217011-3 introduced before 1966. Very little is known of its use. The database used only states that it’s removed from registry and thus no longer kept in storage. I could be that they were used by Civil Defense units. The few Optimus 8 R that with some plausibility can be identified as ex-Civil Defence are all regular off-the-shelf stoves with the embossed lid “Optimus Made in Sweden 8R” and the round metal-foil Optimus sticker in the lower right corner. The case is painted in the ordinary medium blue-gray. Included in the kit is a spare burner-bell, instruction sheet, the typical small fixed key and a flat aluminum case with spares. That aluminum case was normally used by medical units to keep syringes in, but in this case contains; two filler lid seals, two jets, three cleaning needles and possibly another small fixed key. (23) (23) The spares stated here just an estimate built on the few Civil-Defence Optimus 8R that have been examined and not a quote from any spare part list.
Primus 341 Sp The Primus 341 Sp is known from the sealed pattern specimen preserved at an Armed Forces unit. (24) Most likely it was procured in the 1940’s, when kerosene was scarce in Sweden. The sealed pattern specimen is marked “AJ8” (i.e. 1945). Unfortunately the military designation is un-known and the sealed label is not preserved, but a guess could be M2824-055001-9 SPRITKÖK M VINDSK (Alcohol stove with windscreen) introduced before 1966 or possibly M2824-055119-9 SPRITKÖK (Alcohol stove) also introduced before 1966. The preserved Armed Forces sealed pattern Primus 341 Sp. (24) At the same location the sealed pattern specimens for Optimus 00, Radius 340 and other liquid fuel appliances are kept.
Optimus 111 FOTOGENKÖK 1-LÅGIGT (Kerosene stove 1-flame) M2824-214011-6 introduced in 1974 . The military Optimus 111 is known in two variants. They are both painted in olive-green but the first has “No 111” embossed on the top of the lid (as well as the round gold-foil Optimus globe sticker) and just the M-number stated on the plaque riveted to the front of the lid. The second type has just the silver-foil sticker on the top of the lid, both M-number and FIV-number on the plaque riveted to the lid and finally a “utgåva 2” (edition 2) in the upper right hand corner of the instructions plaque on the inside of the lid. Otherwise, the only difference from an ordinary off-the-shelf roarer Optimus 111 is the screw in the flame-ring that keeps it in place and prevents it from being lost. Typically the Optimus 111 was part of the M8210-101000-1KANTIN 5 /S (Canteen 5, Kit) and M8210-104000-8 KANTIN 10B /S (Canteen 10B, Kit). These were wooden crates containing everything you needed to serve meals to 5 or 10 men respectively (i.e. cutlery, plates, mugs and so on). FOTOGENKÖK 1-LÅGIGT (Kerosene stove 1-flame), M2824-214010-8 introduced in 1982 and FOTOGENKÖK 1-LÅG MT (Kerosene stove 1-flame) M2824-214012-4 introduced in 1982 (or earlier for both – the database is a bit hazy on this point). Both these m-numbers are registered as being Optimus 111 used by Civil Defense Units, but the difference in un-clear. To make things even more complicated the M-number associated with the Armed Forces Optimus 111 appears to have been used on the Civil Defence variant as well sometimes. Anyway, the well known (but not often found) Civil Defence Optimus 111 looks pretty much like the military type 2, but with a “Cfs” plaque on the front of the lid instead of the M/FIV-number plaque. (25) The military version of Optimus 111, in this case the type 1. See below for a comparison of the three main types, including the Civil Defence type. Optimus 111 Military type 1 (photos courtesy Kjell Andersson). Optimus 111 Military type 2 (photos courtesy Kjell Andersson). The Civil Defence Optimus 111. Apart from the plaque at the front, it is identical to a military type 2. (photos courtesy Kjell Andersson). Optimus 111 from left to right; Miltary type 2, Military type 1 and Civil Defence (photos courtesy Kjell Andersson). (25) Cfs = “Civilförsvarsstyrelsen” (Civil Defense Board), the Government authority responsible for civil defense issues, renamed in 1986.
Optimus 111B BENSINKÖK 1-LÅGIGT (Petrol Stove 1-flame) M2824-222010-8, introduced not later than 1982. The petrol variant of the Optimus 111 was only used by Civil Defence units, and probably in very small numbers. The only specimen that the author has seen that without doubt is Civil Defense surplus is an ordinary off-the-shelf Optimus 111B; medium blue-grey box with the embossed Optimus globe and “Optimus 111B” embossed on the lid, as well as the small Optimus globe gold-foil sticker in the lover left comer. Optimus 111 B known to have belonged to a Civil Defence unit. As can be seen, this is an ordinary of-the-shelf type.
Svea 158 The M-number and designation of this one is still not known, but it was only used by Civil Defense units (or possibly some other government agency – but not the Armed Forces) and they turn up now and then as surplus - often un-used.
Furnaces Optimus 510 FOTOGENKÖK 4-LÅG MT (Kerosene stove 4-flames with accessories) M2824-219011-1 introduced earlier then 1977. These furnace-type heaters were typically used by medial units for heating large amount of water, sterilizing surgical instruments and so on.
Optimus 515 FOTOGENKÖK 6-LÅG MT (Kerosene stove 6-flames with accessories) M2824-216011-4 introduced before 1966 This six-burner is another example of a furnace mainly used by medical units.
Optimus 531, Radius 39 FOTOGENKÖK 215 MT (Kerosene stove 215 with accessories) M2824-215011-5 introduced before 1966. FOTOGENKÖK 1-LÅGIGT (Kerosene stove 1-flame) M2824-218010-4 introduced before 1969. A good example of when military administration does not really care who actually produced the equipment as long as it fulfil the requirements. In the database only Optimus 531 is mentioned, but the Radius 39 is well known on the surplus market along with the Optimus 531. The Optimus 531 normally has the late metal foil sticker instead of having the type number engraved. The Optimus 531 and Radius 39 were mainly used by medical units. A Radius 39 to the left and an Optimus 531 to the right.
Sievert “3-burner” Although it’s hard to trace their origin at this time, the Sievert furnace with three burners is most likely surplus from units of some government authority because when they turn up they are normally un-used. The mix of burners can vary, but two larger and one smaller seems to be the most usual.
Radius 340 and Primus 349 SPRITBR BARTHEL MT (Alcohol burner Barthel with accessories) M2824-295011-8 introduced before 1966. The Radius 340 was used as a Bunsen burner by medical units. For some reason this type of burner was so strongly associated with the german Firm Barthel that that they were used under that designation. It is presently not know of any burners of this type made by Barthel were actually used by the Swedish armed forces. Apart from the Radius 340 the Primus 349 was most likely also used as SPRITBR BARTHEL MT. There are also “no-name” burners of this type marked with the armed forces three-crowns and the cross of medical units. To complicate matters there are three other “Barhel Burners” known and they were all removed from storage in 2000 or earlier. They are: SPRITBR BARTHEL 1 M2824-295030-8 introduced before 1968 and removed from storage in 2000. SPRITBR BARTHEL 2 M2824-295020-9 introduced before 1968 and removed from storage in 1993. SPRITBR BARTHEL 3 M2824-295040-7 introduced before 1969 and removed from storage in 1993. Which models they respectively actually refer to is not known. Radius 340 to the left and Primus 349 to the right.
”The odd ones” Meta 75 In the same way that Trangias was bought locally, so was Meta stoves (but to a much, much lesser extent). One Meta 75 of definite military origin is known to the author, and it is engraved “F6”, i.e. the air force unit Västgöta Wing (now disbanded). That stove was found in Karlsborg that is the town where F6 was located, so it’s fair to assume that the Meta 75 once was used in that unit.
Primus 3 One primus 3 (with an impressively large kettle) is preserve in the Home Guards Museum at the National Home Guard Combat School west of Stockholm. It was not unusual that Home Guard units received all sorts of equipment as donations, and this is most likely the case here a well. The Home Guard Primus 3… … shrinking under its kettle.
“The really, really old ones…” In the summer 2014 several old collapsible Primus stoves turned up on the Swedish Ebay-site “Tradera”. The stoves included Primus 10’s and Primus 16’s. The seller stated that they were ex- military stock. When I asked him he said that he had bought them all from a man who said that he in his turn had bought them when a military mobilization stores building on his land had been disbanded. Although this it third-hand information, it may very well be true. It is a rare occasion that an un-used Primus 10 from around 1910 turn up on the market, and several at the same time is un-heard of. So, it is very likely that they all come from government storage and in this case probably a military one. The military designation of these is un-known. All these stoves were among the ones from former military storage, appearing in 2014. From left to right: pre-1911 Primus 10 bun-feet and with a silent burner from the period, 1914 (marked “D”) Primus 10 bun-feet with a 1940 replacement roaring burner (“Primus Sweden” marked “AE5” with original asbestos washer) Pre-1911 Primus 16 with a silent burner from the period.
“The unsolved ones…” The following items are not yet identified: SPRITKÖK M VINDSK (alcohol stove with wind screen) M2824-055001-9 introduced before 1966. SPRITKÖK (alcohol stove) M2824-055119-9 introduced before 1966. SPRITKÖK (alcohol stove) M2824-061000-3 introduced before 1966. FOTOGENKÖK,ENLÅG MT (kerosene stove, one-flame with accessories) M2824-221011-7 introduced 1979.
The end Ok. That’s about it. As I said in the introduction I do not pretend to be able to present the once-and-for-all complete list. This is just an attempt to provide some information to the community of stove collectors. /Stefan Järkeborn
