Polaroid / Blind Flying goggles

[SammyT]

Can anyone give me some history on these. They are WWII issue, but I don't know what they were used for? What is blind flying? Also, could these have been used in any way during atomic bomb testing? Any idea of rarity or value? Thanks.

 

Sammy T.

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[Sabrejet]

I think they're just regular B-5s with a heavily tinted lens to reduce vision in order to simulate flying at night. The lens is interchangeable..if it was un-snapped and replaced with a clear or lightly tinted green/amber lens it would just be a regular flying goggle. Interesting that they issued it in a specific marked box rather than the regular issue goggle box, which came with several spare coloured lenses anyway. All they needed to do was include a blue one. :think:

[SammyT]

Thanks for the info Sabrejet. Is it possible that these goggles were used in any capacity with atomic testing? The private seller which I got these from said his father, who was a WWII US Marine, said that they were used to protect the eyes during atomic bomb testing. Do you think this is possible? Is this why they were issued in a special box with no additional lenses? Let me know your thoughts. Thanks.

 

Sammy T.

[Sabrejet]

Entirely possible!

 

[Gregory]

It is untypical item. Blind flying does not mean that pilot sees completely nothing (including instruments in the cockpit and even his hands) as it could be in the goggles with black-blue lenses. It is very well described in WWII era BuAer News how the USN trained pilots in blind flying. They used well known optical phenomenon where compilation of red and green gives black. Trained pilot wore the goggles with red lenses whereas cockpit canopy was covered with green film. Thanks to it he saw the instruments in cockpit but he saw nothing outside the aircraft.

[Sabrejet]

It is untypical item. Blind flying does not mean that pilot sees completely nothing (including instruments in the cockpit and even his hands) as it could be in the goggles with black-blue lenses. It is very well described in WWII era BuAer News how the USN trained pilots in blind flying. They used well known optical phenomenon where compilation of red and green gives black. Trained pilot wore the goggles with red lenses whereas cockpit canopy was covered with green film. Thanks to it he saw the instruments in cockpit but he saw nothing outside the aircraft.

 

 

I'm still intrigued as to why it's considered a "special" item when it's just a regular AAF / USN goggle with a blue lens. Actually, the info leaflet which is supplied with B-5 goggles says that the plastic lenses can be combined to increase the intensity of their colour. Green and red lenses were supplied as standard. If combined they would undoubtedly be as effective as the blue in reducing vision. There must be a good reason for declaring them "special" that we aren't aware of? Interesting. :think:

[sgtbrown]

USN instrument flying students wore these goggles. The "special" was the fact the blue lenses were included in the package. Blue was not general issue.

 

In use, the canopy of the training plane was covered, in this case, with orange film. The student wore the blue lensed goggles. He could see the instruments, but not out the canopy. The instructor, as he was not wearing blue goggles, could see out easily.

 

Now, come the end of the war there was little need for these goggles to train new aviators as things were winding down. Perhaps it was determined that blue lenses could be used for another purpose, protection from the colors produced by nuclear blasts. That might explain Navy training goggles showing up in a nuclear situation.

 

Someone here was looking for a pair of these late last year or early this year. Check the "Wanted" section for his want ad.

 

Tom

[doyler]

Agree with Tom as they are for instrument training.I have a set new in the box.No ohter lenses came with mine.

 

RD

[SammyT]

Thanks for all the great info guys. Much appreciated. Just to add some info , when you wear the goggles the color red is non-existant and appears black and to fade into the lens.

 

 

sammyt

[M1Marksman]

I bought a minty set of those awhile back. I don't remember what I paid for them, but it wasn't alot. As for rarity, I really don't think they're that rare. I could be wrong, but...I don't think so.

 

Edit: I looked up my ebay buying history & looks like I paid $15.50 for them. That was last year.

[pararaftanr2]

For what it's worth, the pinned thread by Dustin on Navy contracts in the Ships & Vessels section of the Forum states that contract N140s 71746 dates to June, 1945. Bearing in mind that these contracts were issued in numeric order, it would appear that contract N140s 281238 would have been issued well after WWII. The N140s contracts continue to be seen on items through the late 1950s and early 1960s I believe. Best regards, Paul

[SammyT]

thanks again for the great info on pricing as well as contract numbers!

 

 

sammy T.