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technology where high-altitude high-
intensity burners had been used since the
turn of the century. The trick was to keep
the vaporized fuel extremely hot. Hotter
vapor moves faster. More fuel in a small
space means more intense flame. The
solution included a funnel-shaped burner
sleeve surrounded by a heat shield.
Within 50 days, the first working model
was successfully field-tested, a process that
might normally take a year or more. The
stove was presented to the Army two
months from creation, tested, and approved
to operate reliably in temperatures as low as
minus 60 degrees F, as high as 120 degrees
and burn any gasoline from 50 to 100
octane. Production went full-on using steel
for subsequent fuel tanks.

mOVE ‘EM OUT – wAY OUT
In October 1941 more than a thousand
stoves were shipped to the Quartermaster
Corps. From 1942 throughout the war,
A couple of G.I.s enjoying their A couple of G.I.s enjoying their many thousands of the G.I. Pocket stoves
hot coffee before heading out.
hot coffee before heading out. were put in use by military personnel
throughout Europe, the Far East, Africa,
Building a stove by committee can create a fire-breathing and the Pacific to warm food, make coffee, boil water for drinking, and
monstrosity of arms and legs. Yet, the experienced team of engineers heat a cold bunker or foxhole. Coleman gradually improved the 520
and designers set to work April 1, 1941, to produce what would be over the course of pro-
called, thanks to war correspondent Ernie Pyle, the “G.I. Pocket stove.” duction, reducing
the number of
INNOVATION, INNOVATION, INNOVATION
The Model 520 stove design included hinged levers that fold out
from underneath the tank as stabilizing feet. It would have fold-out tabs
to expand the cooking surface to more than six inches. The filler cap WWII Vintage
was attached by a short chain, the wrench/handle clipped on securely. Cookstove
To prevent a soldier from causing an uncontrolled blaze when refilling Coleman Model
the fuel, the tank was depressurized when removing the fuel filler cap. 520 Pocket Stove
Folded, the little stove would slide into an aluminum canister the G.I. US 1945
size of a quart can of beans. The canister protected the top of the stove photo: John
from damage in transport and served as a pot for heating a meal, boiling Rugotzke
water for washing and shaving or, in a pinch, sterilizing a surgical
instrument. The design came along quickly.
The engineering team faced three problems. First, Coleman had a
history of using brass for many components including fuel tanks for
lamps, lanterns, and stoves. Brass was on allocation for commercial
users by the government who required it for gun cartridges. It was in
scarce supply for almost anything else. Switching to steel required new
tooling or a new source of supply for the fuel tanks. Second, Coleman’s
instant lighting generator, the vaporizing doodad that converts liquid
fuel and compressed air into a vapor, was unsuited for use with leaded
gasoline. The added chemicals in anti-knock
gas clogged the traditional vaporizer fairly
quickly. Third, coaxing 5,000 BTUs out of
a little stove burner was, well, kind of like
cooking with a blowtorch. fold-out feet from four to three,
The engineers solved the issues on the run, adding a small funnel attached
making the first 1,200 stove tanks of nickel- by a chain to the stove and an
plated brass. For the vaporizer, they tightly aluminum cup that fit onto the
rolled a piece of fine mesh metal canister to fully enclose the
screen snugged into the inch stove. Coleman did not patent
long vaporizer tube which could protect the 520 nor any of its
be easily removed, washed in any components for at least 18
available solvent (in a pinch, soap months (patent application
and water) and returned to action. filed in August 1942), opening
A backup vaporizer was packed the door for other manufactur-
into a slender tube that clipped ers to jump in and make similar
onto a burner support. To get stoves, hopefully increasing the
irst Aid Kit Box the desired heat at the burner, total supply during the war
and selling at Coleman took inspiration years. In 1942 at the request of The M-1942 model,
$99.95 not made by Coleman
from well-established Swedish the Quartermaster Corps, a

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