Phfly1010 Posted March 3, 2017 Share #1 Posted March 3, 2017 First time that I've seen the small attached odd shaped lens overlays on this pilot's goggles. Anyone know what they were for, the usaaf model#, what theater used and years of use? Very interesting. Sorry if pic quality is bad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted March 3, 2017 Share #2 Posted March 3, 2017 They are Brit The lens is a sun shield Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted March 3, 2017 Share #3 Posted March 3, 2017 Helmet looks Like a British Type C as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Navybean Posted March 3, 2017 Share #4 Posted March 3, 2017 Helmet is a first pattern type C with the 4 goggle straps, goggles have the hard to find sun flip shield like Doyle said This setup was popular with 8th and 8th AAF fighter pilots early in WW2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
northcoastaero Posted March 3, 2017 Share #5 Posted March 3, 2017 Looks like the pilot may be in the ETO wearing a variant of the British Type C flight helmet with British Mark- series goggles modified with or manufactured with some sort of flip lens to block out the Sun. May originally have been goggles used by gunners? Will have to take a look through Mick Prodger's book for proper ID. The life preserver appears to be a B-4. Sorry for the repeated information. I guess we had the same ideas around the same time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted March 3, 2017 Share #6 Posted March 3, 2017 Those are RAF Mark VII goggles and they were manufactured with a polarizing, flip down, "sun screen". The same feature can also be found on RAF Mark IV goggles. Very useful when trying to spot "the Hun-in-the-sun". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted March 3, 2017 Share #7 Posted March 3, 2017 Photo shows a 9th AF F6 Mustang Recce pilot. This image turned up in my grandparents drawer, found when I was a kid. Turned out to be a guy from Milbank South Dakota. Years later I ran into the actual helmet, goggles and mask at the Minnesota Air Guard Museum where he'd donated it. Small world I guess Mk VII goggles. His don't have the shade on but you can see where it's attached. He's also wearing an RAF Type C helmet, with the ANB-H-1 receivers taped in. Because of this image, I spent years as a kid trying to track down a Type C. Found one all beat up, that is now restored and the pride of the collection that now includes 5 type Cs including two that were USAAF used and one with taped in receivers just like this guy's. That's second to my first in terms of pride of the collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted March 3, 2017 Share #8 Posted March 3, 2017 Great photo Fairly common to see the MkVll with the sun shade removed or broken off.. Had a chance to by a box set at the old Desmoines military show and passed.Havent seen a set since. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted March 3, 2017 Share #9 Posted March 3, 2017 It's been a while but that helmet goggles and mask were displayed behind glass at the Minnesota Air Guard museum. This guy flew with the 109th when they were flying recce in Mustangs on the continent. This image was dated August 44. Took me years to I'd him, and it was by chance as my son and I volunteered at the museum and I happened upon the named helmet and it matched the name on the photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phfly1010 Posted March 3, 2017 Author Share #10 Posted March 3, 2017 Great response guys. This why I love this forum! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted March 3, 2017 Share #11 Posted March 3, 2017 38Driver, That's a great image. Looks like he's standing by the right nacelle of a P-38. Any chance he flew them before F-6s? Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted March 4, 2017 Share #12 Posted March 4, 2017 38Driver, That's a great image. Looks like he's standing by the right nacelle of a P-38. Any chance he flew them before F-6s? Regards, Paul This is the complete image. No doubt it's a Mustang. As I imagine most of us do when we are trying to solve a mystery, I spent a lot of time staring at the details trying to get a hint of what unit. All I had was the August 44 date. The Mustang in the background is a Malcom hood equipped razorback. The one he is by is an OD/Gray bird which means early Merlin Mustang. Then I noticed he has no Mae West. That puts him on the continent which meant 9th AF. Most fighter units had D model Mustangs for the most part by August 44. That pointed to these being F6C Mustangs that were flown by 9th AF recce units. That's as far as I got until I ran into the actual helmet in the photo which lead me to the unit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted March 4, 2017 Share #13 Posted March 4, 2017 Driver, Thanks for the full image and thanks for the correction, as I was way off base! Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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