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Vietnam Era Flight Helmet, Painted


wnewmanhp
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Looking to ID this helmet. Microphone is M-33A/AIC and the headphones are MX-2088/U. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

post-157547-0-73874400-1435264843.jpg

post-157547-0-00489700-1435264858.jpg

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I think you are probably correct about it being the APH-5A missing the visor housing after I did a quick search for that type on the web.

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phantomfixer

looks like an early APH-5 with the leather comm socket on the left side.... The white under the edge roll...?? the Comm cord is cool USAF marked.. has the 174 connector and a single PL-54 style (but longer) plug....why the two???

anyway cool helmet maybe a vet turned Easy Rider???...guess if MC used he would have taken off microphone....

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Bluespicker

Think the APH-5 ID is spot on. Interesting graphics. Just a few observations: the flag would be under the visor housing if it were applied to the helmet when in use so I would suggest that some of the graphics were placed on the helmet after it left the military. These helmets were surplused out in large numbers and they were available in surplus stores, often for not very much money.

It looks like the paint was applied after the helmet left the service and those in the antiwar movement often showed up at demonstrations with a variety of helmets. It actually could have been painted in this manner. The good news: It could be restored.

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I would leave it as is as well...there is always the chance it was used "in country". There are plenty of pictures showing helicopter crews wearing helmets without the visors.

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Thanks for the info everybody. That's interesting that some of the pilots didn't have the visor housing. I was thinking if it had been used for anything else after military use they would have taken out the mic and cords, so maybe the paintings are legitimate.

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Leaving the mic and earphones on made me think the same thing. I have also seen flight helmets used by vehicle crews as well....not sure if they changed the mic and earphones out though.

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Whether is was painted by a pilot or a protestor (no one will ever know which), the helmet is a piece of historic folk art unique to that era and should be left as-is.

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northcoastaero

The first helmet is most likely a pre 1968 U.S. Army APH-5A. Probably mid to last variation white painted version with thin black edge beading as opposed to the earlier thick rubber edge roll. The olive drab painted ones were introduced in 1967-68. Helmet has the issue U-93A/U communications plug and what looks to be a plug for a stereo system. I had a military headset at one time that was modified for civilian use in the same manner. I have known collectors who had military helmets that were modified by the pilots with plugs for tape recorders to record themselves and radio conversations during flight and also possibly to play music--yes, similar to the movie Iron Eagle. Believe it or not. Hope

this helps.

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