P-51 Can Opener History and Information
OPENER, CAN, HAND, FOLDING, TYPE II
P-51 CAN OPENER
"John Wayne"
The P-51 can opener is the "big" brother of the P-38 can opener.
Many an "expert", has espoused as "fact" that the government never issued a P-51 can opener and that the P-51 was some aftermarket creation of the manufacturer to sell more can openers. To dispel any confusion and to set the record straight about the P-51 can opener - the P-51 is in fact an official Government Issue item. The P-51 was conceived, designed and produced shortly after the introduction of the P-38 can opener.
The P-51 can opener is still in the military inventory and is currently assigned NSN 7330-01-289-8827. The P-51 is somewhat obscure and elusive because military Mobile Kitchen Trailers (MKT) are currently issued a counter top mounted, hand crank, rotary, can opener and a Opener, Can, Hand, For Tray Packs and Round Cans (A-A-52202) as standard issue.
This can opener was designed to open larger cans such a commercial No.10 institutional food can with a lid diameter of 6-3/16 inches and food tray packs and T-Rats that are used in Mobile Field Kitchens (MKT) and mess halls.
Much like the P-38 can opener, the P-51 derived it's name from the fact that it took approximately 51 twists to sever the lid from a commercial No. 10 can.
(Above Credit: DogTagsRus dot com and Georgia-Outfitters where more information can be found.)
(Below Credit: Defense Media Network dot com, Article on Sept. 16, 2023 by Robert F. Dorr and Fred L. Borch entitled "The P-38 Pocket Can Opener Was an Army and Marine Icon.)
Although “Opener, Can, Hand, Folding” is its official Army nomenclature, it soon acquired the popular name P-38.However, historians disagree as to which of three theories explains the moniker. One is that soldiers called it the P-38 because it could open a can faster than the P-38 Lightning fighter plane could fly. A more likely explanation is that the “38” comes from the length of the can opener, which is 38 millimeters (or 1 1/2 inches). It also is possible that “38” was the number of punches (a “P” word) it took to open a ration can. All experts agree that P-38 did not derive its name from the Walther P-38 pistol used by the German military in World War II.
43 Uses for the P-38 & P-51 Can Openers