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B24 bombardier headgear


jfairclo
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Hey guys I recently purchased an eighth air force grouping, it is not in hand yet, and I had a question about bombardier's headgear. The grouping is from a gentleman who was a bombardier on B-24s in the eighth. It comes with two g.i m1 helmets... one a fixed bail and one a para... both with his name inside. Would these have been worn inside the aircraft? I assume not.

Thanks,

JCF

 

 

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In the early days of the ETO bombing campaign, numbers of modified M1 shells were used for ballistic protection over flying helmets. These are very rarely found today and are consequently very expensive. These gave way to dedicated flak helmets like the M3, M4 and M5. If you have a pair of regular GI helmets, then as Manay suggests, they are probably stateside issue. You say one is a "para"....?!

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manayunkman

I had a steel pot from a B-24 ball turret gunner.

 

He told me that he keep it after basic.

 

It's posted here someplace.

 

What kind of para helmet ?

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501stGeronimo

I have some photos in my archives somewhere that shows them wearing a M1 while flying on top of their A-11 in which the airman took the liner out, there was also a M1 modified for wear over the A-11.

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It's a regular m1-c swivel bail.. I wish I had some good pictures of it to show you guys... but I will in due time... it is being shipped. Here is the link. http://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/27390301_us-wwii-estate-lot-helmet-medals-8th-af. I am now having to sell about half of my collection that I have accumulated over the years because of it, hahaha

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pararaftanr2

JCF,

When the sweatband is removed from the liner (or the liner is not used), it is easy to fit a standard M1 helmet over the early B-6 or A-9 flight helmets, even when earphone cups are installed. This was a common practice before dedicated "flak" helmets, such as the M3, were available. A good example is seen in the original wartime color documentary "Memphis Belle". Here is a B-17 bombardier doing the same.

Regards, Paul

 

 

post-9787-0-39295800-1403052151.jpg

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Here's an example of a modified M1 shell which I photographed at the American Air Museum at Duxford. As you can see, the sides have been beaten out in order to fit over the receivers and the chinstrap bails have been re-positioned accordingly. There were a number of variations on this theme as they were made at unit level until the M3 dedicated flak helmet was introduced.

 

post-8022-0-28844500-1378659207.jpg

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Another technique involved "spreading" the shell's sides by means of a screw-jack. The liner also had its sides cut away to fit over the receivers. Flak helmets require no liners.

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