Jerry Cans: The True Secret Weapon of WWII

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Jerry Cans have had a ubiquitous presence in our world for decades but where did they come from? We explore the incredible design, engingeering and history of the humble jerry can, as well as its roots as a secret weapon of WWII.
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List of Reccomended Reading on the Subjects covered! share-a-cart.com/get/TN55U
A lot of jerry cans these days are pretty cheap rubbish- here are some millitary surplus ones if you're interested in getting one with all the 'authentic' features: share-a-cart.com/get/VUBDU
Other sources:
Jerry Can Book:
sdkfz7.free.fr/update_book.htm
Thik Defence - The Amazing Jerry Can
www.thinkdefence.co.uk/2012/0...
Vinzenz Grünvogel and the astonishing jerry can
showme.co.za/lifestyle/vinzen...
WELDER Article
Part I: www.thefabricator.com/theweld...
Part II: www.thefabricator.com/theweld...
0:00 - The Amazing Engineering of the Jerry Can
3:56 - The Origins of Fuel Cannisters
5:08 - The German Secret Weapon
5:53 - Relentless Development
7:23 - The Original WhermachtKannister
10:50 - Thank You Share-A-Cart!
12:32 - The British Discover the 'Jerry Can'
14:19 - British 'Jerry Can' Duplicates
15:10 - US Attempts at a 'Jerry Can' Duplicate
17:32 - The American 'Blitz Can'
18:21 - Allies Finally Adopt the Jerry Can Standard
19:46 - The Jerry Can & D-Day
20:55 - Outro
22:14 - Waffling on for a Bit

[@xclaassen5463]

I am german, have some of these in my garage. I always thought its an american invention. Now i know the history of it. Thank you.

[@ML-sj3gi]

They are called Jerry cans but I guess in German they are called something like ...Kraftstoff.

[@davemccage7918]

I don’t think Jerrys call themselves Jerrys. Might even be a racist slur, like “Polack” or “Nip”. I’m a Pole, so can attest to Polack being a derogatory term, but we use it all the time!

[@ML-sj3gi]

@@davemccage7918 i expect that they do t call themselves Jerries, but might be aware of the term considering the prevalence of Hollywood. In regards to racism, Nip is certainly considered racist, and like Jerry it is simply a shortening of a normal word, Nippon, where Jerry is from "German", I believe. While neither of these innovations seem very offensive, those that didn't do well in the war seem to find such terms very offensive, while those that won seem to have no problem being called Tommy or Tommies, for example. In any case, I would guess that the British and German's are the same race.

[@rhesusfactory]

@@ML-sj3gi "Wehrmachtskanister"

[@kriley9386]

@@ML-sj3gi “Nip” is short for Nippon, which is actually used in Japan referring to their country. It's printed on Japanese money, precisely “Nippon" in roman letters. So “Nip” is just a short, slang term for someone from Nippon. Not a slur unless you use it as one.

[@stevemuller3324]

The other thing worth mentioning is the fact that the mass of the container doesn't stick out beyond where the handles are, which means when carrying them you can let your arms hang by your sides, instead of having to hold your arms away from your body because the handles are in the middle of a larger container. May seem like a small thing, but after you have carried 200 of them and put them on a truck, I can assure you it is not a small thing. :) Wonderful video.

[@SjplayinCODMO]

🥵😪🥵😁👍

[@Cyromantik]

Even having not done that, as a person who has to haul books and education equipment up several flights of stairs I can appreciate keeping containers close to my body!

[@GardenGuy1943]

Yes, the Nazis had really good ideas.

[@stevemuller3324]

@@Cyromantik Well said! Yes this idea applies to more than just jerry cans! Good luck moving those books and education gear around. :)

[@eekee6034]

This surprised me because my experience with bicycle panniers is the opposite. With a handle attached to one side only, the center of mass hangs outside and presses the bottom edge of the pannier into my calf. It gets painful before too long. Thinking about it, the culprit must be the reinforcing rib fitted to the bottom edge of the same side as the handle. On the bike, it presses against the mounting frame helping to keep the pannier from slipping around, but when carried by a person, it's a pain.

[@azarellediaz4892]

I spent 23 years in the US ARMY and must have handled hundreds of these cans but today I finally hear about what the features were for. Well done.

[@TillusxXx]

and rly noone cares

[@mide8845]

@@TillusxXx it's just a comment why are you so damn pressed

[@andydunn5673]

@@TillusxXxwhat does that mean?

[@cooldudep]

​@@TillusxXx I care.

[@GardenGuy1943]

The Nazis had some really good ideas.

[@phitsf5475]

1:50 What you failed to mention about the weld is the joint configuration, the way the edges are folded means that when the two sides are mated together you have a joint that is extremely easy to weld to a high quality. Welding around the edge of two pieces of sheet metal stacked on top of each other is much easier than two pieces of sheet metal butted together edge-to-edge

[@cheahyeah7134]

damn thats nifty

[@klackon1]

Having lifted one or two Jerry cans whilst serving in the British Army, I did not think I would find myself sitting through an entire 30 minute video detailing the history of said can. Well done, you have convinced me to subscribe.

[@leohughes6921]

Same, except in the US.

[@souly0741]

The more you know..! C.Brown

[@Beetless]

@Jesus has given you all. Repent or die. I dont like jesus

[@zforczek8653]

@@Beetless How can anyone not love Jesus? Mind boggling.

[@Beetless]

@@zforczek8653 he smells bad

[@SageThyme23]

I really thought the person with a torch looking through the window would come back somehow or cut to a advert but nah just never mentioned. Great video. I love finding out about all these details.

[@Oldsmobile69]

Creepy stalker spotted!

[@russellnixon9981]

I had to rewind to see it as thought was that some one or a strange refection.

[@paulhaynes8045]

So odd, I was left wondering if Callum had even noticed. Although, with all those takes and rewrites, he probably couldn't face going back and doing it yet again!

[@CannaCJ]

I thought it was a person using a torch inside the garage to illuminate the camera’s subject relocating to avoid creating glare on Callum’s glasses.

[@fwqkaw]

It's the someone in a gorilla costume test.

[@ristllin]

No one is going to mention the sneaky peeker at 2:20?

[@crunkambassadeur7837]

Came here for this comment. Who was that? :)

[@Itried20takennames]

Didn’t catch that before….hope that was a planned thing and not some potential thief casing the workshop room.

[@brentwakeling-ci1sq]

One design aspect of the German can was the slight "bulging " of the sides which the American cans never had (according to my uncle). As this enables cans to be removed from the centre of a line of cans. The flatter sides tend to stick together making it almost impossible with some other designs.

[@theapexsurvivor9538]

Probably also why they have the indented sections run right to the edge of the bulge: allows air to get in when they're tightly packed, so they come out easier.

[@thediddly]

We get army surplus here in Australia from overseas so no idea what gets used by our forces, but we get used German cans, and can say they last the distance and they do actually have that "bulge" that flexes. Similar to what you would see under a brake Reservoir cap, an accordion type of film that allows pressure or vacuum to be created whilst still sealing. Because of the swages (embossed seams) it allows for that flex. The ones without the square in the middle are very rigid. You will see this method on custom cars used to make flat sheets rigid over a span. TLDR: its hip to be square

[@amanofmanyparts9120]

During the desert campaign, the Germans found another use for their can. Since they knew that the enemy (mostly Great Britain) was foraging for these cans, it wasn't uncommon for a small stash to be 'left behind'. Touching any one of them could result in an explosion sufficiently violent to kill or injure any one close enough. In short, they had been repurposed as IEDs!

[@paullangton-rogers2390]

Yes I remember hearing about that, the Nazi's were sneaky like that. My grandfather served in one of the mechanised tank divisions of British Army in North Africa. He would tell me stories like that. He also said the German tanks were far far superior to theirs and our losses were astonishing, something like 5 tanks to every 1 German tank as their armour was good and their bigger longer range shells capable of going straight through allied tanks. The German's coined a name for allied tanks 'Tommy burners'!

[@MrRandyhk]

Yeah during my time in the Singapore Armed Forces, we learned how to make a directional explosion with 5 bricks of explosives tied around the Jerrycan with detonation cord and igniter.

[@windhelmguard5295]

you don't even need to make it blow up, just contaminating a few cans with water or just the wrong kind of fuel (like putting diesel in) would go unnoticed until it completely fucks up the engine beyond repair, one or even several enemy vehicles disabled because some guys pissed in a couple fuel cans.

[@amanofmanyparts9120]

@@windhelmguard5295 You're missing the point. The aim wasn't to inconvenience _the enemy,_ but to actually kill them. Both sides did similar things: The British 'Dirty Tricks Back Room Boys' manufactured fake elephant dung that incorporated anti-tank mines for use in the African Campaign! They even came up with explosives that were edible to enable guerrilla soldiers to carry them around on sabotage missions. Gentlemen don't wage all out war, bastards do, and they usually win!

[@Aikano9]

iirc they also hid bombs in the wall and covered it with a crooked painting, some poor soldier with OCD would then straighten the picture, detonating the explosives.

[@w.w.8823]

Great video. The air bubble hump at the back of the can may have other uses apart from allowing it to float. Any container that is 100% full of liquid will be incompressible and likely to fail if dropped. That air gap chamber acts like a shock absorber if the container is compressed. It also allows for thermal expansion and contraction along with the pleated sides.

[@SgtBeltfed]

It also provides a an air pocket for the vent line to go to, so that you don't end up with a vent line full of fuel and it failing to act as a vent.

[@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts]

I learned this the hard way when i hurriedly put down a plastic jug of milk. It went everywhere

[@jayandrusiak]

Good job nerds

[@DaibhidhBhoAlba]

@@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts Funny how Americans call milk bottles 'jugs'. English has so many regional differences!

[@mikeoglen6848]

@@DaibhidhBhoAlba I found it funny that they call 'jugs' , 'pitchers'....

[@SaxonSpooner]

I love the fact you film for a brief second the Gerry-Can Killer in the back window at 2:15

[@tastx3142]

As a child in the 60’s, we used these to carry water while camping. We had Army mess kits that we ate and cooked with, military wool blankets, military down sleeping bags and military canteens all obtained from military surplus stores some dating back to WWII. We had military canvas belts to carry the canteens as well as the right angle military flashlights. That stuff was durable.

[@Left4Plamz]

Were they fine for water? I want one for drinking water but I keep hearing they rust from water.

[@tastx3142]

@@Left4Plamz I don’t have the jerry cans any more, but I don’t recall any rust. As far as the canteens, there is also a separate piece that has a folding handle that can be used as a cup or to heat food in. We were always taught to clean everything well and turn the items upside down to drain. I am 65 and still have the mess kit and canteen. I bought modern plastic canteens that always leaked after dropping a few times. Metal is heavier to carry but the old stuff is thicker and constructed by workers who took pride in making them. Nothing is worse than going on a long hike and having your canteen drip leaving little or nothing for you to drink.

[@oceanceaser44]

Super cool, I inherited a WW1 mess kit that I used for camping for years until someone told me it likely had lead in it.

[@tastx3142]

@@oceanceaser44 It’s amazing how we all survived. Lead crystal has at least 24% lead in it. Older ceramic paint for pottery did as well. Lead does leach into food and the longer the food is in contact, the more lead is leached. The higher the acidity of food, the more lead is leached. People still drink from lead crystal glasses, but it’s advised not to store wine in lead crystal decanters. I doubt that eating food off of the mess kit occasionally would affect you since it’s probably consumed quickly unless you cooked the food in it. Older pewter contained lead as well. Several years ago, there was concern that children’s costume jewelry contained lead. Older buildings were painted with lead based paint and peeling paint caused issues in children especially by children chewing on it and it was banned in the 70’s. Our gasoline used to contain lead and other products such as solder contain lead. Lead toxicity builds up over time if exposed consistently so if you cooked with it, stored food in it, especially acidic food, and ate off of it daily you might eventually get lead to accumulate.

[@stevedoolan1540]

There's a section in the great book by Eugene Sledge (from the Pacific TV show) where he talks about the two different types of ammo crates his unit had to work with. One had nice robust rope handles and was fairly easy to carry over even awful terrain, the other had no handles and just a lip that you could hook your finger / fingers undo, meaning that when they were carrying heavy crates over rocks while being shot at, it kept slipping and falling. Sledge mentioned his unit spent a lot of time thinking up horrific tortures for the people who designed the bad one. Just goes to show how important the little design details are.

[@mwethereld]

Sledgehammers With the Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa, along with Leckies Helmet for my pillow, have been both amazing books to read!

[@n.harmonvilla7648]

Totally remember reading that and thanking God we had the gear we deployed with back in '08. It always amazed me previous generations of Marines made war with a t-shirt, helmet, a single action rifle, and an e tool. Semper Fi, hangm high at 8th and I.

[@kyleh3615]

The government was the ones who requested those worse crates. The side panel has a lip made by plunging a dato stack into it. No rope means quicker to make Quicker to make means cheaper Cheaper means more More more more All contracts were approved by some general

[@hoyschelsilversteinberg4521]

Haha yeah that part in the book I really sympathised. Given how exhausting moving around with your gear let alone those impractical crates. Logistics really does play a key role in warfare.

[@th0bse_]

I am astonished. I honestly would never have thought I would watch a 30min long video about fuel canisters which felt like it was 10 minutes long because it was so well made.

[@sparkyfromel]

It's an excellent demonstration of what good engineering is about , finding a way out of a problem scratch your head , try some ideas , select a promising one and relentlessly improve by little touch any stone tool maker would approve

[@hero_knightusp7416]

2:15 I love he is being spied on and doesn't even notice.

[@Valerie_Dawn]

“If this video get 100,000 views…” FOUR MILLION VIEWS LATER… Congratulations on the overwhelming success of this video. I had absolutely no idea that the story of the Jerry can was so compelling. Great job putting this together.

[@GardenGuy1943]

Yeah, I’m surprised so many people enjoy watching videos about the Nazis. They had really good ideas.

[@lyamschuss8786]

This remembers me of what a professor always told us: "Everything, for small and mundane that it may seem, has a reason and justification to be that way"

[@chengdogu6352]

This holds true so long as the item in question has been well designed! If not, the reason may be poor design or thought.

[@lyamschuss8786]

@@chengdogu6352 tbf he never said it was a good reason, or that said reason was valid. He only said that it wasn't just made at random, to make us think more about why thinks are the way they are instead of just accepting it

[@P_RO_]

@@lyamschuss8786 I don't know your Professor but I think we'd have gotten along famously; most people do not think that deeply. Much of the world around us has evolved into it's simplest or most useful state of design and much of it can be improved for specific uses, yet few bother to do that. In my trade I try to instill thinking into apprentices; when they ask me to show them how to do something I also show them why it is done that way because if you can't understand that you can't improve on it, and nearly everything can be improved.

[@jdinkorea]

" remembers me"... am I the only one who finds this to be more than a tad...odd? Isn't it "Reminds me", or is this one of those British idioms that they insist is 'the right way' and that America has corrupted? Seriously.

[@lyamschuss8786]

@@jdinkorea I'm not native speaker actually, so might just be me spelling it wrong

[@kimfucku8074]

If you open a completely full jerry can, you tilt it backwards and the liquid will fill the bubble while the outlet is free of liquid. This allows you to open it without spilling fuel. Specially important when pressure has been built up inside the can.

[@UnChannelDuVulpineX]

*Especially

[@Puddlesoak]

@@UnChannelDuVulpineX *'specially

[@ICanSeeYou247]

@@Puddlesoak You're fukin' special 😏

[@EvilNeonETC]

This is clever design, without wasting space since the handle takes the upper space anyways.

[@UnChannelDuVulpineX]

@@Puddlesoak *'Specially

[@vikto07081980]

So far so good. I’ve filled it twice and it’s great getting 13 gallons at one shot kzbin.infoUgkx-vlHjazTv30m_UAq9Ht-fuPo2jBx7tTx . It pumps out by using gravity so the bottom of the tank needs to be above the vessel you're filling. Not a drop spilled filling the generator three times. Let’s see where we’re at after 20 fills.

[@aussiepaul44]

Hi from Australia. I've really enjoyed watching this video and learning of the history behind the Jerry can. I have an old Jerry can in my garage that I keep fuel for my lawn equipment in. I was prompted, after watching this video, to have a closer look at it. The can is date stamped 1973 and was manufactured by a company called Sandrik. Apparently Sandrik still make Jerry cans in the Czech Republic using the original tooling from WW2. Great video!

[@brycebehnke9566]

Love whoever has the flashlight and is waving in the window around 2:07.

[@timothymulholland7905]

I grew up in the Brazilian outback in the 1950s where my parents were missionaries. We regularly used war surplus Jerry Cans for fuel and water on trips in our Willys station wagon on dirt roads. They were life savers.

[@umbrafigueroa9738]

Your life sounds like a book

[@epixtille7069]

did they like missionary sex?

[@mcfarofinha134]

Salve salve, comarada

[@kristianh2570]

I love how he decides to film 3 seconds of floating with the jerry can in freezing waters. Dedication

[@CS_247]

I have use Jerry cans for offroad racing for 30 years, and have ten VERY early Jerry cans, and the design is remarkably effective. I have had hundredsof knock-offs over the years, and none of them have been as effective or resilient as the old ones. My most treasured tools for sure.

[@sultanofsick]

I can't compare to the old ones, but Wavian is what you seek for new production.

[@jonhogblom9908]

The ergonomics are also very well thought through, besides the three handles already mentioned. The rather tall and narrow shape means you dont have to bend down very far to pick up the can, yet when you carry it, it hangs from a straight arm without touching the ground. It is narrow enough so that you can walk witout it bumping into your leg. A full jerry can in each hand is a pretty heavy burden, but it is absolutely possible to carry two cans for limited amounts of time. By carrying one can in each hand, the weight is balanced so that it is in fact easier to walk than with just one. Carrying weight is more than just a matter of mass, strenght and stamina. Weight distibution is extremely important. Again, the tall, slim shape means that the mass stays close to your own center of gravity, wich means you have to use less effort to keep your balance.

[@beeble2003]

No, the tall shape of the can means that its centre of mass is farther from yours -- the longer shape means that the cenre of mass of the can is farther from the handle. And the centre of mass of something held with a straight arm is not at all close to yours: the centre of mass of a jerry can is somewhere near your knees, and it's that low centre of mass tha makes it easy to balance.

[@ianmcnaney6528]

@@beeble2003 No, the tall shape of the can means it can smugly look down on all the other fuel cans in your garage.

[@curmudgeon1933]

Also having three handles means 2 people, who are not so strong, or on uneven terrain, can carry a full can between them.

[@random.3665]

@@beeble2003 I'm pretty sure he meant that the narrow shape means that you can carry it with your arm straight downwards, which means the force the canister's mass imparting to you is also pretty much downward (as opposed to a can you have to hold with your arms extended to any degree, which would mean there is a force pulling you away from your center of gravity). So in a purely horizontal sense, a slim shape DOES allow the mass to stay close to your center of gravity (imagine looking at it from a bird's eye perspective.)

[@beeble2003]

@@random.3665 Possible but he already made that point in his first paragraph. I doubt he'd try to make the same point again, and do so in a less accurate way (talking about height when it's actually the width that's significant for that point).

[@hobbitilius]

Jerry-Cans definitely are one of the greatest pieces of industrial design. Some other things like Shipping-Containers or Euro-Boxes and -Pallets are also great, but Jerry-Cans win on the magnificient amount of details they have.

[@marwerno]

Plus the latches can be used to attach a spout very easily and quickly.

[@MatthewJBD]

Check out Tom Scott's video on the UK plug. Also an engineering masterpiece

[@artsdomain]

The Jerry Can is so fascinating. The neighbor can’t help himself to take a peek around 2:12

[@virus7379]

I have two old Soviet canisters, from 60’s and 80’s. Both of them are exact copies of this German cans. And I still use them !

[@Archangelm127]

Speaking as a WWII reenactor who portrays a clerk, there can never be enough content covering the *real* way that wars are won: logistics and administration. This was a superb piece of work, Calum. Bravo! ❤

[@ZGryphon]

Around 20 years ago, I was working as a reporter for my small-town local newspaper, and my editor asked me to talk to as many World War II veterans around the area as I could find and put together a feature article for our Veterans Day issue. (Note to overseas readers: That's November 11, you may know it as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day or the like in your area.) One of the vets I found didn't want to take part, because he hadn't been in combat--he was a seaman on a Navy supply ship in the Pacific, and it was clear that even ~60 years later he was embarrassed about it. "Nobody wants to read about what _I_ did in the war," he said. "All we did was haul crap like socks and food to the Marines." I put it to him that the Marines were probably very glad to _have_ that crap, but since it wasn't an After-School Special, he remained unmoved. That was an interesting assignment. Oddly enough, the stories that have stuck with me the most are the ones I couldn't use for one reason or another, including that one.

[@alaric_]

"An army marches on its stomach". Few can appreciate how accurate that saying is.

[@jamesgillen2339]

Officers study tactics. Generals study strategy. Great generals study logistics.

[@CalumRaasay]

@@ZGryphon haha great anecdote, I'll met most army guys were often much more grateful for the sock delivery than the ammo delivery!

[@diamonddogie]

>won *Original canister made by German* Ironic

[@Indylimburg]

Never realized or appreciated how well designed the Jerry can was. The lid design is really cool.

[@GardenGuy1943]

Yes, the Nazis had some really good ideas.

[@glendamico9004]

Who knew a video about a can could be so fascinating! Great work Calum!

[@nonsibi1087]

Thanks! I have an old, but good-conditioned American Gerry Can in my shed that I use regularly. It's painted red and is stamped USMC into the base. I'll have to research it to see if it has a manufacturing year code or whatever! The screw cap & chain is a bit of a pain, indeed!

[@give_me_my_nick_back]

I've actually found out recently that my grandpa's canister is an actual WW2 relict found on the field after some German soilders have left it there... xD Obviously it has been fixed repainted over the decades and he still uses it.

[@dane1382]

i can imagine someone zealously protecting their wonder can from COs and confiscation following the war (no i dont know much about wwii military structures)

[@andyb2028]

Imagine something being manufactured to last

[@srcastic8764]

@@dane1382 not sure about jerry cans, but unlike today, during WW2 the military was allowed to keep much of what they found as “spoils of war”. Many, many soldiers mailed all sorts of items back home. Items including everything from clocks to guns to, perhaps, jerry cans. Can’t do it any more though. What used to be “spoils of war” would now be considered stealing. We’re much more aware of the victim status of the civilian populations now, regardless of whether they support their country or not. Unless they’re fighting, they’re generally just trying to survive and don’t deserve to have their shot stolen by us. So we look on it differently now just as we look differently on civilian casualties now. But in WW2 our guys brought all sorts of things back, including German women! 🤣

[@mariano7699]

Product quality appreciated 👌

[@JohnnyKronaz]

wtf is a "relict"?

[@michaelneuwirth3414]

The Jerry Can represented a logistical concept and was not only an excellent container for fuel. Faced with the question of whether it was better to supply the masses of vehicles with a few tankers or individually with canisters, the experts around like Adolf von Schell(1893-1967) came to the conclusion that it will be always easier to supply individual vehicles with a minimum of 40 to 80 liters of diesel than to move a full tanker across the battlefield. 2 to 4 canisters could easily be brought to a broken-down tank by a motorcycle with sidecar or a "Kübelwagen", the last few hundred meters on foot if necessary, but a truck full of gasoline on a platter would be a gift for the enemy. PzKfw. 1 B 146 Liter/140km(Strasse)/115km(Gelände) PzKfw. 2 A-C 170 Liter/200km /130km PzKfw. 3 E-N 320 Liter/170km /100km PzKfw. 4 B-H 470 Liter/200km /130km Tiger 1 540 Liter/100km /60km Panther A,D,G 730 Liter/200km /110km

[@SavageGerbil]

There's definitely good logic to that. Sending a full tanker on the battlefield kind of amounts to putting essential resources out as a target that functionally IS the broad side of a barn

[@Norsilca]

Shh, don't tell the Russians

[@spvillano]

@@Norsilca fuel is the least of their logistical problems. Their entire logistical trains started in disarray and lost ground once combat began. Once snarled by logistical issues, particularly fuel, getting fuel up from front to rear train of the stopped convoys was comically problematic. Indeed, their entire convoy could've been turned into disarray with just a couple of artillery batteries, with one strike taking out a half dozen vehicles, halting all progress until the burning wreckage was cleared from the roadway. The movement alone spoke of poor training and discipline, the action revealed that further and continues to do so. Let's hope that they keep making and repeating mistakes!

[@michaelneuwirth3414]

@@spvillano For me as a German who hopes to have learned at least something from history, it is clear that the greatest danger for the ordinary soldier comes from the great ideas and ingenious plans of his superiors. That this "special operation" became such a debacle is also the work of the brave Russian soldiers who knew this all along and sabotaged this bullshit in their own way from the beginning. These soldiers, the first to be forgotten in the current "fog of media war", are the only Russian heroes in this wretched story who have upheld the legacy of their brave ancestors. Let us give them a brief moment of recognition here. P.S.: Those who continue, of course, should go to hell.

[@spvillano]

@@michaelneuwirth3414 honestly, their operation looks like a uniquely Russian take on the German offensive on Moscow, partially reversed. Scorched earth along the way, preventing foraging for supplies and no logistical trains to keep the offensive moving, again, opposite of the German advance. The only thing they didn't do to further blow their operations was sniping themselves, which the Ukraine forces happily assisted them with. Still, they got their orders and followed them, some "only following orders" that they shouldn't have, the rest just caught up in their own meat grinder. For those who initially began, having no clue, I agree. For those who continue now, hell is a damned sight too good for them. And for the Wagner forces, they should be happy I'm retired from the military. Reprisals for Geneva and Hague violations can be bitch, as the Wehrmacht learned in France after executing Allied POW's and slaughtered villages. May their pieces rest in pieces.

[@vortega472]

I'm becoming a huge fan of these aspects of perfect (and not quite remembered) aspects of history. Thank you.

[@aussiefarmer8741]

I use these as the price of fuel goes up and down significantly here, I do have 1 of the old Blitz cans but it leaks. It hangs in the shed now with all the other old motor gear. Thanks for the vid, it was very interesting. The only problem with jerry cans is when you are over 60 they are starting to get heavy.

[@robhaver8704]

When serving in the army, i was stationed in Germany at a fuel-station. Because of too much time and too little to do, our superiors made us move thousends and thousends of these petrol-tanks from one place to another, just to give us a purpose. My overall lenght decreased, but my arms became longer then ever before.

[@srccde]

Should've moved them using your 'third arm'.

[@superchuck3259]

Rotating the stock, ha ha. like when the spouse wants to rearrange the furniture.

[@daleshelden8394]

Thousands you mean.

[@potterj09]

Have you seen the 2001 movie Buffalo Soldiers ? :)

[@jameswestover8403]

Yup, got nothing to do, go dig a hole then fill it back up, had a few bosses like that

[@normanperkel139]

I’m not sure how this found it’s way into my feed, but I’m sure glad it did! I never knew so much could be learned about the canister. Very well done Calum, bravo!

[@CalumRaasay]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@Go1US1Marines]

Of course, just add this to your extensive compendium of useless information. Too bad you can't take it to the bank.

[@kayhoww]

@@Go1US1Marines wtf

[@g60force]

@@kayhoww I don't think you understand him correctly... he is actually praising this video that it is WORTH something but for most of us this VALUABLE INFO will remain useless in our brains aka VAULT!

[@BiGDuke6Actual]

Quite possibly *the* most comprehensive video I've ever seen on this topic matter. Thank you, Callum and keep up the great work!

[@CalumRaasay]

Wow, thanks!

[@robertkeaney7047]

Absolutely loved this. Your video was presented really well. Just the kind of stuff I can't get enough of. Now, I have to subscribe, excuse me.

[@Reman1975]

Back when I was a long distance technical courier I used to keep my old Jerry can of emergency fuel behind the side door of my van. One day I'd just finished some work at a little old couples house, and was carrying my toolbox and a box of broken kit back to my van. The old guy had decided to help me by carrying my clipboard, so he was there when I opened my vans side door. He stood there squinting at the jerry can for a couple of seconds, then suddenly started calling out for his wife to come quick, and something about me "Having one of her Jerry cans" ?!?!? It was a bit of a shock because I was assuming that he was accusing me of stealing it, but it turned out that during the war, while this guy was out fighting, his wife had decided to do her part by taking a job to help the war effort, and had been one of the girls who worked making these cans ! My Jerry can's from 1944, and she said that she was working there all through that year, so there was an ever so slight chance that it could have even been one of the can's she'd assembled. Dispite these things being turned out in their thousands, She seemed genuinely surprised to see one still being used for it's intended purpose over 60 years later. We chatted for a few minutes about how they made them, but even though it was actually pretty interesting I had to cut the conversation short because I was already late for my next drop off. :(

[@theobserver9131]

This inadvertently brought me back to my youth in the 70s when there were army surplus stores everywhere. You could get all kinds of really cool stuff dirt cheap.

[@DFX2KX]

that continued well into the 90's and early 00's to some extent, and they did indeed sell Jerry cans, all of them Olive Drab for some reason. I thought it was an American thing, had no idea the Germans where the ones to design it.

[@BlackSoap361]

I miss the food surplus stores. Now all the good surplus gets left overseas, or destroyed as “too dangerous for civilians”

[@davesy6969]

I remember seeing an entire deep sea divers rig (copper helmet) with compressor in an army surplus store when i was a kid.

[@steventaylor3884]

@@DFX2KX The name Jerry can is big clue to its origins 😊

[@theobserver9131]

@@davesy6969 cool find! It would be awesome to have one of those!

[@HoboHunterRik]

I would like to just say thank you for that intro. It's so refreshing to see quick, straight to the information kinda intros but still with a bit of funny. Most of the time it feels like a 5 minute skit has to proceed every single video on KZbin.

[@isamuldn]

Great video. I would never have imagined watching a video about jerrycans, let alone one that was engaging…and with some subtle humour too. Great work and good luck with the house build

[@bfeezey]

As informative and well researched as this video is, no one is mentioning the various sight gags. The neighbor you stole fuel from looking in the window, the fact that you cut away just as you flick a lighter to light the supposed fresh gasoline you just poured everywhere. Don't stop with the little touches.

[@CalumRaasay]

Hahaha glad you noticed!

[@MastaChiefa99]

I thought I was going crazy! Nobody else seemed to notice the man in the back.

[@s.alpinus8395]

At what time does this happen? :)

[@benjaminliang8103]

@@s.alpinus8395 2min 10 seconds

[@robinvanlier]

Don't forget the little airtight "seal" popping up at 3:19 :)

[@EdgyNumber1]

As the phrase goes: "Infantryman win battles. Logistics win wars." ..and this was a prime example of that. The phrase is very apt today, as we see Russian forces bogged down outside Kyiv. You never aim at armoured tanks, you aim at fuel tankers. In the allies case, in WW2, Jerrycans would've been vital as part of their logistics tool.

[@PanduPoluan]

The Army of my country has a similar saying, "Logistics might not win the war (outright), but without logistics, wars cannot be won."

[@roguespearsf]

As a former infantryman from early to mid OEF/OIF who's married to a supply clerk, I completely agree. Though I still call my wife a POG all the time

[@cv507]

lite in vFäntree

[@HoorayTV21]

*Kiev

[@georue98]

@@HoorayTV21 looks like the spelling has become kyiv, as kiev is translated from Russian as opposed to kyiv from Ukrainian. So I don't think it can kiev just yet. You can ask where Leningrad is at the same time, perhaps?

[@Dahomey12]

2:13 who tf is in the widow

[@Bobmudu35UK]

I can't believe I found a video about the history of Jerry cans,that I was glued to! I have a WW1 gift tin that belonged to my Great Uncles,who died at the Somme in 1916. I also have a couple of post cards he sent to my Nan,addressed,"Somewhere in France". I love this channel!

[@nickcruickshank8243]

When I was in the Australian army we had a Jerry can from 1957 and another one from 1958 in my vehicles kit. This was in 2019. So at the time they were over 60 years old and still in circulation.

[@JRLdesigns]

They don't make them like they used to.

[@rickbear7249]

My dad, who was a senior army vehicle engineer, told me that those indentations and the angular bulge on the side of the Jerrycan were to give the sidewalls rigidity, preventing the metal sides from bulging from fuel expansion or being crushed when carried empty, it is actually the camel's hump at the top rear of the Jerrycan that allows for expansion. Surprisingly 20 litres of diesel can expand to almost 21 units of diesel in hot (e.g. desert) temperatures. So, an airtight 20-litre Jerrycan needs space to hold the additional volume of just under 1 extra litre of fluid (which, being a fluid, isn't compressible) by compressing the air held in that camel's hump. Those corrugations on the sides are simply for rigidity (as, where the sides to flex, as is suggested in this video, you'd have the risk of a massive fuel spillage when you opened a can that'd been carried to a tropical climate.) That camel's hump, as I term it, has is more about fuel expansion than floatation, although Jerrycans are actually designed to float as (I suspect) a fortuitous consequence of having that air pocket in the hump. Rick

[@JimWhitaker]

Both air and diesel are fluids. Right idea, wrong explanation.

[@dangerouslyuninformed6058]

@@JimWhitaker Air is a gas.

[@Ab-wv5df]

@@JimWhitaker Obviously Rick meant fluid lato sensu - liquids. What else seems wrong?

[@FallNorth]

Sounds very plausable, gas being hugely more compressable than a liquid + the fact it would be very hard to fill that hump. I'm not sure why having an indentation would make the metal side more "bendy", but might make it stronger, or less slippy if on it's side etc.

[@herrkulor3771]

Pay attention to the shape of the sides. The lines have nocommon center. This makes it stronger than an X.

[@louisoshea7677]

What a very interesting video. Thank you for your hard work in edifying us. Keep up the good work.👏

[@rezzophantasma]

I love the littlest details in anything, design, art, function, etc. It just goes to show that it is the little things that matter, whether we notice it or not.

[@tswdev]

About the shape... the first things that come to mind when I see the "bubble" on the back is the extra room for gas fumes from gasoline. If it was filled to the brim, gas wouldnt have a place to expand, making it much more prone rupture/explode. About the sides, the groves also make the jerry cans not stick to each other when wet. Imagine them stacked on a truck and rained on, a large flat side would make the cans really hard to separate because you would have the suction from two surfaces with water and also the weight of the jerry can itself. The angled "edges" also means you can throw them.. like literally throw... and they will align nicely with each other instead of the edges hitting other cans and you having to go on top of the truck to re-align them. It also means they can slide on the ground, so you can throw them and they will slide downhill instead of catch dirty and start rolling downhill uncontrollably

[@skat1140]

He never mentioned whether/if some of the specifications allowed them to be stacked easily? (eg, some sort of interlocking ridges)

[@seymour2113]

The stackability was mentioned a few times my friend

[@someonebald2022]

A much underappreciated part of the logistics chain, and a brilliant and innovative design. Thank you for the history lesson.

[@IIronyy]

Great video! The way you make such an odd and specific topic interesting is amazing.

[@thirstyear7]

Now, could you do a video on the Rescue Can that is used by lifeguards? Your videos are one of the few that I sit down to with a fresh cup of coffee and just soak up all the info. As an industrial designer, I really enjoy the design history of simple objects that made huge differences in the world.

[@Gravyballs2011]

2:09 is that a thief at your garage window? But seriously, this is a fantastic video. I didn't realize the many design elements that went into making that can.

[@ganymedewordsmyth4931]

Glad I'm not the only one to spot that!

[@nicknipper5621]

i thought i was losing my mind for a sec

[@aa-uq1qj]

It's probably that guy he siphoned fuel from

[@CalumRaasay]

👻

[@xtreemgamer129]

legit paused the video n scrolled down here just to see if anyone else waid anything about it. glad im not alone

[@Miata822]

I bought a new jerry can at the first of this year (Live in Texas, preparing against another winter power failure like we had last year). I stopped this video in the middle and got mine out of the garage to follow along with the discussion of the features. This brand-new production made in Latvia and sold on Amazon is almost identical to the late '30s German design. Interestingly, it is labeled as a "NATO fuel can".

[@JulianSildenLanglo]

Well Germany is a NATO country, so it is technically correct.

[@Mixz1890]

Huh...Did not know we produced and exported jerry cans lol. Nice

[@Miata822]

@@Mixz1890 I think it was made by Valpro. We make some things here too. Will be glad to bring them over if uninvited guests come your way. We got your back.

[@c0ldyloxproductions324]

I bought a used on from my old boss’s former bf for 25 dollars it was red and has a G on it labeled as gas (though it had diesel in it) this on is a formal military one from what I’ve been told but I’m gonna repaint it military green, unfortunately it doesn’t have this cool spout just a spin on cap but I have a unique fluid transfer pump that has a gas station style filler neck on it so u can manage lol

[@Miata822]

@Water King I lived in Upstate NY for years. Even there 0F with no heat or power would be considered tough conditions. For me the hardest part was finding generator fuel at a gas station that had both power to run the pumps and fuel left to pump.

[@caltrask130]

This video came up numerous times as a suggestion. I thought it would be interesting to see, just seemed like a long video "for a piece of metal". I'm glad I watched it. A very interesting video well delivered and well researched. I had no idea how much thought went into such a seemingly simple object. Many of the comments here were also interesting and thoughtful as well.

[@GoAndStay]

Very interesting! We so often use stuff without ever thinking about where it comes from or how brilliant the design is.

[@schrauber-stolln4445]

Really great explanation, I still use one of such similar canister till today (made by a East Germany Company that still exists and was former known as Blechformwerke Bernsbach). I think you forgot to mention two more great features: - the spout has a outward bended edge to make it impossible to let liquid run down the outside while pour out liquid (try this with a plastic canister) - the spoud is of one side of these canister halfes not only because of easier manufacturing, but also to make it easier to pour out a full can by hand. So if you hold it with the opposite flat side to the ground it is easy to pour out even small quantities of liquid.

[@bokkenrijder172]

When I started watching, I thought: “no way he’ll be able to talk for 30 minutes about a Jerrycan.’” Obviously I was wrong! Very interesting! 😃 👍🏻

[@Go1US1Marines]

mind candy

[@zona85255]

I can’t believe I watch 30mins on a “gas can”, but it was fascinating! Great video. Learned something new today.

[@TheGodpharma]

I'm so pleased this video appeared in my feed. I would never have imagined a 30 minute video on jerrycans could be so fascinating and enjoyable.

[@davidp520]

My great grandfather died at 35 in WW1 from drinking water from fuel cans in the trenches. Ulcerated stomach. Left a trail of hardship for my great grandmother, and still for my great uncle today. Living with the ramifications. Here's hoping that never happens to anyone ever again. Great video btw, very enjoyable!

[@CalumRaasay]

Wow what a horrible way to go, the conditions those guys had to go through is just unreal.

[@CATASTEROID934]

Mine died of cancer post-war, thought to be a product of chemical weapon-related cancer, possibly benzyl chloride or some other alkylating gas judging by the musty odour my grandmother says he described it and the people affected by it as having, a product of the alkyl groups being forcibly shoved onto the proteins in the skin and bits of fabric and leather.

[@JustAGooseman]

@@CATASTEROID934 Likely he died from gas mask filters. Back then they contained all sorts of gnarly chemicals, in some cases even asbestos which causes long-term cancers and what not.

[@P_RO_]

And the same thing happened to US Marines and Infantry in the Pacific during WW2 where drums which once held aircraft fuel were filled with water because they had nothing else to put the water in on their supply ships. Given the logistics of that war it took a couple months to solve the problem as all the new drums were back home.

[@derkeksinator17]

We do have a new and an old german one at home, they're identical, except for the paint and liner. Both accept the spout, but as you said, pouring works so well, it's usually not needed. The new one was gifted to me at my 18th birthday and was filled with diesel(cola and beer).

[@nickg3664]

Cola beer sounds delicious

[@dickJohnsonpeter]

@@nickg3664 That sounds like a disgusting combination.

[@nickg3664]

@@dickJohnsonpeter always has to be someone, doesn’t there? Who knew it’d be you?

[@Mondbirge]

@@dickJohnsonpeter what does sberadht mean?

[@sreekarpradyumna]

I think you just made my favourite video on KZbin. This is so well made. Subbed!

[@alpacaofthemountain8760]

“ Soldiers win battles, logistics wins wars” Great video!

[@tensevo]

The "Jerry can" is one of those design case studies, where everybody just agrees, yeah it was pretty much the best designed fuel can of ww2, still used today.

[@pinelord9616]

Dude you took a metal fuel container (that i had no real interest in really) and made me appreciate how much work actually went into it wow

[@fortwoods]

You made an awesomely far out claim in your title and you know what? You backed it up and made it make sense. I never knew the Jerry Can was so well engineered. Thanks!

[@spencerderosier6649]

Overlooked genius. Thank you for bringing this to light

[@EvilFandango]

I remember hearing about how good jerry cans were on the history channel many years back, but you've done an excellent job telling it's story. Thank you.

[@AdministrativeReload]

I wanted to get some metal fuel cans and a friend offered me a couple of Army surplus cans with the screw caps. Having used a couple of those monstrosities before I politely declined and kept looking. Ended up buying some of the NATO pattern cans (GLEG) that more faithfully reproduce the original German design. Absolutely perfect. They just don't leak, even if bouncing around the bed of a pickup truck on their side.

[@smilemore1997]

Did you get one with a screw on hose?

[@smilemore1997]

Did you get one with a screw on hose?

[@GameMaker3_5]

All my father has are the American style ones with the screw cap. And yes, they leak when on their side...

[@evinduggins2431]

Hands down best video on this can. The American model was lacking due to the heavy industrialization of the country gearing up for war. We had to build the army very fast so some of the can’s meticulous designs were traded for fast manufacturing. That’s all I would add.

[@CalumRaasay]

Thank you!

[@lady_draguliana784]

2:15 the target of your siphoning came-a-calling! 🤣

[@Faraonqa]

2:13 Well hello there person with a flashlight

[@nooblangpoo]

Jerry Cans are really one of the biggest unappreciated developments of ww2. People take them for granted but the moment you ask why it's called Jerry Can, you get to go into a great rabbit hole. Great work!

[@bunzeebear2973]

First off they were called Gerry Cans(German)Note similar spelling. No "J" in German. Gerry sounds the same as Jerry. > Gary uses a "hard G" sound like gasoline. So, I knew a Gerry who was British, and Gary who got his name from his German parents. . Comparing them to what the British were using which were simple sheet metal cans of an awkward size & shape & smaller capacity. They do not look strong enough to stand on. That bulge at the top of the original Gerry Can - it's main purpose would be to leave an airspace at the top for when liquids get warm, they expand so that air pocket would be enough space to allow the liquid to expand without distorting the metal can. The liquid also shrinks in cold weather, so the air space would be the cushion to prevent the Gerry can from distorting inward. The newer style Gerry cans do not have that bulge (because manufacturers are idiots) They also had a round opening for a large screw cap which means larger amounts of fuel can be poured out quickly, so spillage occurs. Unless you buy the screw on flexible spout. But U.S. military does not care about spillage as they had plenty of fuel. So they "GOOSH" it into the filler hole of a tank...and all over the tank and ground and they light up a smoke at the same time. If it really was gasoline they would be ON FIRE. TV movies so fake. . Metal Gerry cans are no longer allowed to be filled up at service stations because of a possible spark? They only allow red plastic gas cans that are somewhat similar in shape to Gerry can. Mine never had a plastic liner...or a flexible filler neck.

[@EtherFox]

Hmm, nice name.

[@BOBO-ut3mn]

There is a reason I have 30+ of them.

[@alanhat5252]

@@bunzeebear2973 I don't know where you're from but UK regulations specify a screw cap if you're filling from a filling station. (& the slogan "petroleum spirit highly flammable")

[@magni5648]

@@bunzeebear2973 It's Jerry. Literally any source you can find, both modern and contemporary to the world wars, it's always Jerry. Not Gerry. That goes for the cans, and for the nickname for the Germans alike.

[@RedRupert64]

The air space at the top, opposite the spout, is to allow for expansion, and not to enable a full jerrycan to float, as fuel floats anyway (even when the weight of the metal is taken into account).

[@MrKotBonifacy]

There's also this extremely handy addition to the jerrycan - detachable (or "attachable") spout that makes pouring the petrol out a breeze (no need for any funnel to fill up a car tank) and minimises any spillage - and thus, which is added benefit, minimising the risk of fire.

[@nickabbott6278]

1992, working in a F&V wholesaler, said to my manager, "if I replace that petrol can, can I have it?" "I could say it got run over by one of the forklifts." Two days after I did the swap, the brand new can was run over by a forklift,I still have my AMPOL stenciled can as one of my most treasured possessions. A 1942 Jerrycan, now joined by a 1960's Australian can. Hard to tell the difference.

[@51WCDodge]

Intresting note: For D-Day , some 8,000,000 Jerry cans were used. By the time of Operation Market Garden only some 2,000,000 could be found. I have a number of British WW2 dated Jerry Cans and 2 US cans. I still use the British ones, the American ones are 'For Display Only' Two of my British cans, which are , and have always been Sand coloured , were given to me some years back by an old farmer in Normandy, who had 'aquired' them post D-Day, at Goldbeach. Both go on my WW2 Dodge trucks, a WC51 Weapon Carrier and a WC54 Ambulance.

[@joe18425]

You were probably over there stealing them off the army so you can wait 70+ years to make a massive profit. Genius idea 👁👄👁🍿

[@riggingpots3453]

Brilliant video this is something you can't find on Netflix,hbo, or prime...all about the details, and this was sweet

[@neirez8326]

Clicked because i wanted to know what’s so special with these cans. Stayed because of your dialect. i love it! ❤

[@andreasheld2362]

Calum, you've an amazing talent to pluck somewhat obscure topics seamingly out of thin air and transform them into wonderful, interesting and, yes, entertaining video. Proud to be a Patron!

[@CalumRaasay]

Thank you Andreas! Really appreciate that.

[@charliepearce8767]

Im still using a 1941 Jerry Can in perfect condition. I wouldn't mind having all the fuel its had in it over the years . I have one i cut a hidden door in the bottom that i carry "Goods" that i want to be kept secret. It sitts with my other Jerry Cans in back of my truck not looking unusual. What an informative video. Stay safe everyone

[@NobodyCaresALot]

Mad Max coming soon to neighborhood near you?

[@charliepearce8767]

@@NobodyCaresALot I do live just out of an Australian outback desert opal mining town .. Mad Max lifestyle is just a normal part of living here. Take care man !

[@hexdoublexx]

@@charliepearce8767 Damn mate, how hot does it get in summer? It barely gets over 40 here in Sydney.

[@gezglobal1117]

@@charliepearce8767 Cooper Peady?

[@amazoniancustodian]

Not a secret anymore, mate.

[@ArturBad]

I would never have thought that I would see with interest a half-hour film about Jerry Can! Good job! Great movie!

[@sujitkumarsingh3200]

Awesome video. Thanks for creating it 🙏.

[@HU1212ICAN3]

I absolutely love these longer spouts about things like this! Almost like a debate or conversation. The format and tone of your videos keep me coming back! I normally wouldn't pay any attention to these things but if i miss a single word i find myself rewinding. Absolutely stunning how thorough you are with your research and history. Thank you Calum!

[@teaspoon1711]

The ingenuity is incredible. My wife's family lived next to the inventor, Vinzenz Grünvogel, in Schwelm Germany. His daughter still lives there. Lovely little town right next to Wuppertal, known for its Schwebebahn (a hundred year old hanging monorail system, still in use today). Also quite close to the also famous Neanderthal.

[@fosterkennel649]

I am very proud of the inventiveness of the German people. A country that tried to weather the storm of the Versailles treaties And turned itself around to the chagrin of Western societies.. While the Rest of the world was still in a depression financial state Germany became Paramount in Doing what they have always done best... Breaking away and creating their own system of banking could not and would not be tolerated by The Western Banking system. To this day The psychological warfare inflicted on the German people it's still running rampant and it's very sad.. Blessings

[@ScrubsIsee]

That‘s groovy. All of the region around Wuppertal is very nice. And the city itself has a great reputation for beeing the home of some great inventors and their inventions. It’s also called the craddle of German industrialisation.

[@thenevadadesertrat2713]

I lived in Hoesel/close to Ratingen. I passed Neandertal twice a day going to school by train.

[@skat1140]

@@fosterkennel649 You don't have issues, you have a subscription.

[@gordon1545]

@@fosterkennel649 This is frighteningly untrue and full of dangerous myths. German economic recovery after the Great Depression was fuelled by unsustainable military spending, encouraging workers to work longer hours (through ideology), slave labour from the huge numbers of political prisoners and stealing Jewish property. Hitler's Germany went massively into debt, which they expected to pay back from plundering the countries that they would occupy. You should cure your ignorance on these matters by reading some history. I suggest you start with The Rise and Fall of the Third Reich and the first two books of Richard J Evans famous trilogy. No "psychological warfare" was ever inflicted on the German people and this siege mentality myth was one of the causes of WW2. As for your claim it's happening today, I'm 99% sure that's a dog whistle and I know what hate you're promoting. Maybe if the "great German inventiveness" before 1945 had gone into improving society instead of preparing to wage war on an entire continent and more, millions of us would have got to spend time with our grandfathers and there would be a lot more Jews in the world today. Because the country that this video creator lives in was home to people who invented things like the telephone, television and penicillin; isn't that better than missiles, weapons and Zyklon B?

[@walterjunovich6180]

Wasn't prepared for this to be as interesting as it was. Amazing job. 👍👍👍👍

[@CalumRaasay]

Thank you very much! Really appreciate that Walter

[@stevemuller3324]

a wonderfully presented and researched video. Thank you. Have a subscriber. :) Blessings from Australia!

[@choo-choo4922]

Speaking from experience you can also increase the amount of Jerry cans a person can carry by putting wooden poles through the handle and carrying them between two people. Two or three wooden tent poles usually have the strength to carry 6 cans, and help spread out the weight so you can carry it on one shoulder. Helps if you though a rag or coat over your shoulder for comfort.

[@CalumRaasay]

Good point, but man people need to be carefuly carry heavy stuff on their shoulders like that, can fuck them up five ways to sunday!

[@michaelplunkett8059]

Merrill's Marauders did that in Burma.

[@olsonspeed]

An old US Army officer told me about the superior German fuel cans, now I know why he despised the Blitz knockoffs.

[@kimmerdkd]

As a child born post-war Ii my grand father built a lovely cottage on the shore of a lake in the wilderness of Northern Michigans Upper Peninsula. Without a well for drinking water or gas station to rely on for the Evinrude outboard boat motor safe transport of both the water and fuel was absolutely essential. I fondly recall schlepping Jerry Cans whenever our weekend plans included a trip to the lake, making for safe transport my Dads Willy's Jeep featured side mounts for safe transport. Those were the days.

[@billshiff2060]

Always appreciate well thought out products. Very rare.

[@badbiker666]

Great video! I was in the US Army for 14 years. Unfortunately, I can state, having much personal experience, that we are NOT using the superior Jerry Can design. I spent a lot of time using the inferior, fuel-only, American can design with the rolled seams and silly screw-on cap that needed a wrench to open. And to pour out of it you needed a funnel that screwed in place of the cap. Due to the shape, it is called a Donkey Dick. The cap was attached to the can via a small, short, chain that breaks easily and inevitably gets lost. Naturally, someone will troll me and tell me I'm an idiot, so as a caveat I will state that the can I described was being used in every field unit in which I served. There may very well be other units somewhere using the better can. Also, I left the service 27 years ago, so maybe the US Army has upgraded their fuel can design in the meantime. I super enjoyed your research, use of video, and your script. Your delivery was spot-on as well. I am looking forward to viewing more of your content! At the time I am watching (3 March 2022) this video has received 1,625, 785 views! Congratulations!

[@jerrycowan6828]

My first jerry cans were the screw on cap design purchased at a army-navy store in the 60's.

[@MervandtheMagicTones]

Everything you say is true. And even the newer poly cans suck.

[@garybarnes4169]

"so maybe the US Army has upgraded their fuel can design" to 1930s standards...

[@yummychips_]

as a US Army Veteran Cook. I often used that plastic one you mention, for field cooking. We trained using it pretty often. I got out in 2015, and served 6 years. The entire time we called it donkey dick. To add one, another important flaw. The issued donkey dick would often break. People would just tighten it to hard that it snaps the end. We actually just used makeshift funnels to fuel our burners for cooking, because of how often they snapped.

[@rondoclark45]

I got out the same year as you. Can confirm we were still using those crappy screw cap cans.

[@RGC-gn2nm]

In the US Army we still use very close versions in the field. In training and for day to day they use the plastic ones which are much cheaper and less sturdy. Due to high pilferage rates the metal cans are kept under lock and key used only during active deploymenst.

[@jfarill834]

In the military for the better part of 25 years. Never saw a metal one even in a transportation unit. I’m calling bullshit.

[@RGC-gn2nm]

@@jfarill834 28 years myself. Those really big rail containers at the back of the motorpools are where the supply nco locks up all the non serial numbered expendable items like driver toolsets, driver/mechanic coverallls, 100mph tape, 550 cord, the stanley thermos bottles, etc. to include the metal gas cans and 'donkey dick' pouring spots.

[@TheTeremaster]

You say that but every time i go to a hardware store, the plastic ones are always more expensive

[@CalumRaasay]

@@TheTeremaster hot take but plastic Jerry cans are better in most ways these days. Tough plastic is more resilient and lighter but more importantly accumulate less condensation

[@Devin_Stromgren]

@@TheTeremaster Are you crazy? Military grade metal jerry cans cost around seventy dollars. I have yet to see a plastic gas can of any shape that costs that much.

[@Winterfell1066]

Due to the density differences between water and gas or diesel in the jerry can, the can would float regardless. The extra air space is probably for expansion (since air is more compressible that denser fluids). If the can was full and heated in the sun, the air pocket would be compressed and allow for some liquid expansion.

[@karlramberg]

Fuel logistics of warfare is unfortunately very timely, seeing all the Russian tanks stranded without fuel. Great video as usual

[@CalumRaasay]

I know, didn’t realise how pertinent the timing war!

[@patchthesinclair5896]

@@CalumRaasay loving the Freudian typo!

[@evanray8413]

@@patchthesinclair5896 #MeToo

[@poopslots]

That's all I could think about haha

[@Gradymeister]

To be fair putin has sent in random lads that were forced into war or jail time if they declined. Many of these guys are operating old soviet tanks, untrained and it shows. Many have been captured and have said they'd rather be a prisoner of war than to go back to Russia and probably be executed /jailed for not wanting to go to war. Many have only been trained for a week or two, nothing more. A lot of them are realizing they are basically being sent in to die and are abandoning tanks and equipment.