27 replies to this topic

[shrapneldude]

These come up from time to time, often with weird camo patterns on them. I'm inclined to believe most of the "Special Forces" or "Delta Force" helmets out there that look like this are just rappeling helmets that have been played with.

Anyhow, found this one amid a big pile of US military surplus. There's a few more in there but I couldn't make my way to them.
What's the story on these? Is this for training purposes, or combat use? I saw one team of exceptionally shady looking characters wearing a similar helmet in Iraq once, but they may have been Civ. contractors.




*Has a detachable liner insert.
**There WAS an NSN Supply system label / sticker inside but it fell out and haven't found it yet.

Edited by shrapneldude, 24 October 2009 - 02:16 PM.

[gunbarrel]

Quite a bit of info on those, or similar, on this post:

http://www.usmilitar...d...t=0&start=0

[swmdo]

I've seen SEALS and EOD wear these as you described, when they were fast roping to our ship during training.

[swmdo]

These come up from time to time, often with weird camo patterns on them. I'm inclined to believe most of the "Special Forces" or "Delta Force" helmets out there that look like this are just rappeling helmets that have been played with.

Anyhow, found this one amid a big pile of US military surplus. There's a few more in there but I couldn't make my way to them.
What's the story on these? Is this for training purposes, or combat use? I saw one team of exceptionally shady looking characters wearing a similar helmet in Iraq once, but they may have been Civ. contractors.




*Has a detachable liner insert.
**There WAS an NSN Supply system label / sticker inside but it fell out and haven't found it yet.

Check this out Navy Seals!!

[MWalsh]

I believe that TPL assembly is strictly the liner portion of the helmet.

To my knowledge, the original TPL assemblies used by the U.S. military were as flight helmet liners. Vietnam era made flight helmets had web suspension, then the ones at the end of Vietnam and I think into the 1980's used styrofoam based liners, then in the 1980's and into the early 1990's (I think) all flight helmet liners went to TPL types. They came / come in different standard sizes for flight helmets. I think that TPL liners did not last too long as flight helmet liners, I believe they were replaced by custom molded liners unique to each wearer.

So... I am unsure if the military carried over and used spare / excess TPL liners in these other non-flight helmets, if some enterprising service member modified their helmet by the addition of a TPL liner, or if your helmet was factory new with a TPL liner. No reason to think Gentex would not have used TPL liners in non-flight helmets too.

MW

[hawkdriver]

I believe that TPL assembly is strictly the liner portion of the helmet.
To my knowledge, the original TPL assemblies used by the U.S. military were as flight helmet liners. Vietnam era made flight helmets had web suspension, then the ones at the end of Vietnam and I think into the 1980's used styrofoam based liners, then in the 1980's and into the early 1990's (I think) all flight helmet liners went to TPL types. They came / come in different standard sizes for flight helmets. I think that TPL liners did not last too long as flight helmet liners, I believe they were replaced by custom molded liners unique to each wearer.

The TPL came about around 1988 and has been used every since. There are other liners, like the Oregon Aero Zeta Liners, but the TPL is still the standard liner for Army flight helmets.

I've seen guys that have stripped the guts out of Kevlar helmets and used these as the liner.

[Cobrahistorian]

I've seen guys that have stripped the guts out of Kevlar helmets and used these as the liner.

I'll second that.

[swmdo]

Here are some more pictures of Explosive Ordnance Det U.S. Navy wearing similar helmets!

[Mercenary25]

Nice helmet. Just like Delta Force used in Somalia.

If it's from ebay, I wouldn't buy it but since you found it in surplus store in pile of other surplus items, it is legit. It would look nice with my modified DCU.... Hmm.....

[shrapneldude]

Nice helmet. Just like Delta Force used in Somalia.

If it's from ebay, I wouldn't buy it but since you found it in surplus store in pile of other surplus items, it is legit. It would look nice with my modified DCU.... Hmm.....

This one may be spoken for, but there's a few more in there.

I just acquired what could loosely be considered a 'treasure trove' of 1950s-90s era surplus items. Amid stacks and stacks of BDUs and Night Desert Camo and M51 ECW uniforms, there's a few more of these helmets, and some other screwball stuff.

[swmdo]

Bottom line these are Safety Helmets used during training. But, I guess someone could wear one into combat like a boonie hat if they wanted to. Not much protection. :think:

[shrapneldude]

Bottom line these are Safety Helmets used during training. But, I guess someone could wear one into combat like a boonie hat if they wanted to. Not much protection. :think:

That was my impression of them -- only ever saw stuff like this when we did fast rope and stuff in training. Then again, they seem to be all over the place as Delta Force...and some of them do look like spray-painted bike helmets moreso than anything military.

[doyler]

Danny

Does the area over the ear(s) look hand cut out or is the area factory molded/formed.Just curious as I could see a user/operator cutting off the sides to make them lighter and to be able to hear better or not interfear with communications gear.THe ones in the pics of the SEAL look to have sides.wouldnt surprise me if they were mod-ed/

RON

[swmdo]

Here is another cool shot of your helmet in action. Hope you are not afraid of heights. Awesome!

[swmdo]

That was my impression of them -- only ever saw stuff like this when we did fast rope and stuff in training. Then again, they seem to be all over the place as Delta Force...and some of them do look like spray-painted bike helmets moreso than anything military.

Roger that. In the right context this is as cool as an M1 or a M-1917 helmet.

[Misanthropic_Gods]

This looks like it might be a Pro-tec Classic Full Cut helmet that has had the ear cover cut off. Lots of the "High Speed, Low Drag" guys wear these in boarding operations on ships and the like, when you are more worried about slamming your head against a low hatchway than a fragmentation grenade.

USCG Boarding Officer teams, USCG Drug-Interdiction, SEALS/UDT, SFOD-D, EOD, etc... sometimes wear helmets like these, but they were more prevalent from the late 80's through early 2000's. Alot of these teams started upgrading to the current generation MICH/ACH/Lightweight Helmet that now are MUCH lighter than the PASGT helmet and have a neutral buoyancy.

I cant testify to them being used as a liner for other helmets, but I believe the guys that know way more than I do about it (Cobrahistorian and Hawkdriver)

Here is a pic of the "Pro-Tec classic Full Cut helmet" with the ear covers intact


Also remember that alot of Airsofters saw Blackhawk Down and wanted "To be just like Delta'' and bought these and modified the ones they found in Skate stores. Alot of the ones you find are in this ilk.

Edited by Misanthropic_Gods, 24 October 2009 - 09:56 PM.

[Mercenary25]

Misanthoropic, Actually, there are two versions. First one is old school with covered ears, just like you showed and second version is popular one, without ears cover. I know because I used to be skateboarder.

Pic of D-boy with modified protec in display at museum (not sure which because I pulled this photo from net).

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r9/mercenary25/Militaria/IMG_2995JPG.jpg

[hawkdriver]

Misanthoropic, Actually, there are two versions. First one is old school with covered ears, just like you showed and second version is popular one, without ears cover. I know because I used to be skateboarder.

Pic of D-boy with modified protec in display at museum (not sure which because I pulled this photo from net).

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r9/mercenary25/Militaria/IMG_2995JPG.jpg

Picture in the background is Sugart and Gordon with Durant, kinda places the timeline!

[Misanthropic_Gods]

Misanthoropic, Actually, there are two versions. First one is old school with covered ears, just like you showed and second version is popular one, without ears cover. I know because I used to be skateboarder.

Yup...me too! This really could be either one, but now that I look at it, I am leaning more twords the regulat cut because of how it was cut, but it could have been the regular one and he cut it so he could fit headset over it and it would actually sit over his ears. But..i dont own this little piece, so I cant say for sure.

Edited by Misanthropic_Gods, 25 October 2009 - 11:29 AM.

[Mercenary25]

Picture in the background is Sugart and Gordon with Durant, kinda places the timeline!

Affirmative. :thumbsup: I forgot to mention that it is display of Black Hawk Down.

[shrapneldude]

Found a different one today. This one has ears, though one is cracked and reenforced with OD tape. And velcro all over it. And velcro-in foam pad inserts instead of the TPL liner.
Shown beside the original one from post #1 for comparison.

Edited by shrapneldude, 25 October 2009 - 05:24 PM.

[shrapneldude]

*Interesting - the helmet from Post #1 has "NINJA" written on the back. haha Can barely see it in the photo, but same in person -- very hard to make out, but it's there.




Also found some more of these TPL liners in unissued condition w/ styrofoam helmets / protectors in plastic sleeves.
This was an old Army-Navy store inventory. I wonder if he didn't get the helmets in and the TPL liners seperate and stick them into the other helmets? Say this because the liners look fairly new and the helmets are beat up.

[mvmhm]

Here's some pics from the Dec 2008 issue of Airman Magazine...it shows a PJ during hurricane relief ops wearing one of the "bicycle" helmets....

Mark sends

Attached Images

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[mvmhm]

...and another view...

Mark sends

Attached Images

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[Mercenary25]

Cool photo of Seal VBSS. Note variety of skate helmets. Front guy is wearing more recent design, a guy behind is wearing regular cut, and last guy is wearing one with ear covers. :thumbsup:

http://i140.photobucket.com/albums/r9/mercenary25/Militaria/seals-vbss.jpg

Dan, I totally dig both of your helmets.

Edited by Mercenary25, 26 October 2009 - 05:11 AM.