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Info needed on Flight Suits HGU-33 ?


c7zx
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Hello, recently picked up this flight helmet on eBay and thought I would ask members of the group as to its origins. Beautiful reflective tape job, the best I've ever seen. Interior is all leather. Chrome Oxygen Mask receivers (marked Flight Suits Ltd.)

Removing the ear cushions revealed a small cloth tag indicating the pilot's name / HGU-33 designation / and Size Medium.

Helmet is missing the visor knob, so wonder which type and color it should be ? Is this a civilian or military helmet ? and what are the black bumpers on the visor cover screws ? Any info appreciated, c7zx.

 

 

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The name Grumman is hand written on the inside of the visor cover. I thought it had something to do with the pilot's name. It would be cool if it had something to do with Grumman Aircraft. c7zx

 

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northcoastaero

Agree, a Grumman aircraft company pilot, etc. flight helmet most likely flown in a USN/USMC aircraft<br />because of the added reflective tape and Velcro patch for the survival strobe light. Most likely<br />from the late 1980s to the mid 1990s. The Flight Suits Ltd. custom HGU-33/P helmets usually used<br />a USAF style Astrocom mfr. white visor lock knob assy. with a smaller screw on the top. The helmet<br />that is pictured in the link probably has a USN/USMC PRK-37/P lighter blue colored tapered style<br />visor lock knob with a larger center screw that is covered with black leather. The helmet shell was<br />most likely manufactured by Gentex as a HGU-33/P shell (not modified HGU-22/P or PRK-37/P) along with<br />many of the other parts and assembled by the custom flight clothing and equipment company Flight Suits Ltd.<br />(now Gibson & Barnes). The black bumpers on the visor housing screws were installed to prevent the<br />screws from scratching the aircraft canopy. These rubber bumpers were issued with the PRK-37/P<br />quarter helmet assemblies and were popular with USN/USMC aviators flying training aircraft such as<br />the North American T-2 Buckeye, McDonnell Douglas TA-4J Skyhawk, and the Beech T-34 Mentor in the<br />VT-, etc. squadrons. The oxygen mask would have been a USN/USMC variant of the MBU-12/P such as<br />the MBU-14/P. The mask could be all green with green straps, all gray with black straps, or a<br />gray face piece with green hose and green straps. Possible Grumman aircraft that your helmet was<br />flown in would be the F-14 Tomcat, A-6 Intruder, and the EA-6B Prowler. Maybe even used with the<br />F-14D and A-6F programs? Also, your helmet has the later black plastic visor tracks which replaced<br />the white ones beginning around 1986-late 1980s with custom flight helmet companies. Hope this helps.<br />

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  • 4 weeks later...

Found an online picture of one of these helmets being worn by a Grumman Flight Test Aviator. This picture is in the back end of an E-2C Hawkeye and is from the Northrup Grumman website. Notice the boom mike on the O2 receiver.

 

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Well now I'm intrigued seeing that pic of the pilot next to the F-14 wearing a USAF style torso harness with ejector snaps yet equipped with Navy type Koch fittings similar to an adjustable harness for the Army MK-J5D seat in the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk. I wish I could see what the lap belt setup is like on that pilots harness.

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Yeah the display has just a MA-2 harness on, standard. Look closely at the picture of the actual pilot next to the jet. His harness has an ejector snap equipped chest strap like a USAF PCU series torso harness yet clearly equipped with the Navy Koch riser fittings.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I see what you are talking about now. Here are two more pics of Grumman Pilots wearing a similar setup harness chest snaps.

 

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mohawkALSE

Awesome! I love it, some sort of integrated torso harness and survival vest/LPU setup. I want one!

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  • 3 years later...

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