DESCO Sporting Goods

After World War II there was a glut of surplus diving equipment on the market. DESCO was sold in 1946 to Alfred Dorst. Mr. Dorst decided to expand DESCO's product base and introduced products and equipment for the sports market. DESCO developed a SCUBA regulator called the Airmaster. It featured a double hose which was common at the time. Other items included water skis, masks and fins, and spear guns. The sporting goods line only lasted about 12 years from approximately 1947 to 1960. No sporting goods items appeared on retail pricelists after 1960.

Excerpt a from DESCO history page in a mid 1950's catalog:

After the war, the company branched out from the exclusive professional, commercial and Navy designs to enter the booming craze far underwater swimming and spearfishing equipment. This growth was so successful that it expanded even out of water to include aquaplanes and water skis.

DESCO Air Master Saf-T-Eye DESCO Water Skis Other DESCO Sporting Goods Products

DESCO Air Master and Lungs

For a short time in the 1950's DESCO produced a SCUBA regulator called the Airmaster. It was sold loose or mounted to a tank. A mounted unit was known as the "D" Lung.

A handout flyer for the Airmaster. One page Airmaster flyer

Front Back

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Air tanks and Back Pack

Saf-T-Eye Tank Pressure Warning System

In 1961 DESCO developed a SCUBA tank pressure warning device. The Saf-T-Eye was a device fitted to the yoke on the SCUBA tank. A micrometer style dial on the valve allowed the diver to check the tank pressure before donning the tank by dialing down until the indicator light came on. The diver would then set the device to a predetermined reserve pressure. When the tank reached that pressure the light would come on to warn the diver he had reached his reserve. The light was designed to be fitted to the Jack Browne DVM Mask, or any SCUBA mask of sufficient size.

In the left picture above you can see the battery holder and the indicator light in the left top of the mask. This setup is similar to the one shown in the four page brochure. The unit came with a Rego regulator, Saf-T-Eye, and DVM Mask.

In the right photo you can see the unit installed on a tank minus a mask. The setup in this photo is similar to the one shown in the two page brochure. The customer would supply his own regulator and mask.

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