Modified USAF MB-4 Flight Helmet With Red Bull Insignia?

[Grillo]

Gentlemen,

 

I frequent this forum and usually find the information I need quickly but this one has me at a loss so I am posting my first questions. I picked this MB-4 flight helmet up recently and can not find any information on it so I am seeing if anyone out there might be able to assist me. It is painted "OD" with what appears to be hand painted red bulls flanking each side. Helmet is dated 1957 and has had the leather for the oxygen mask press studs removed (neatly cut out). Has it been modified for low altitude prop aircraft or helicopters? Is the triangular shaped hardware on each side for a visor? What is the significance of the red bull? Where would it have seen service?

 

Thanks!

 

-Tim

[Bluespicker]

USAF politics in the late 1950s seemed to pit Strategic Air Command (SAC) against the rest of the USAF. Part of the issues involved personal equipment. SAC always wanted flight helmets that did not have a visor or visor mounting hardware.This was a problem when the P-3 and then P-4 helmets were spec'd out and both were equipped with a visor. SAC sort of rebelled and came up with the MB-4. It was a P-4 without the visor or visor mounting hardware. Bomber crews in cramped quarters had no need for the visor and many of these positions were not equipped with ejection seats.

Thing is, the P-4 was upgraded to the P-4A and P-4B and since the MB-4 was basically a P-4, it could and was upgraded to use a visor. So your original MB-4 was TO upgraded with the visor mountings (Triangular shaped mountings).

The helmet could be flown without the visor attached. The green color is interesting....

[Bluespicker]

The boom microphone is interesting as it seems more Navy than USAF or US Army.

The comms plugs are a bit odd. You have two female microphone plugs instead of the standard headset lead which should have a single pin U-93 (or similar).

[Bluespicker]

This looks very much like a Red Bull Malt Liquor logo.....just saying....

[Grillo]

Thank you for the information Bluespicker.

 

I am still curious about the oxygen mask leather connection points being removed? Wouldn't bomber crews still need masks for high altitude? Could helmets like this go back into stock, be re-fitted or upgraded then reissued to non SAC airmen?

 

I am asking because I am trying to put together a Vietnam era air rescue or prop pilot display and want to figure out if a helmet like this would work or should I keep looking for a APH-5 helmet? Were these helmets considered obsolete by the mid/late-60's and since it's a SAC helmet could it have even made it to S.E. Asia? I was thinking that the green paint, decoration, and oxygen mask snaps/hook removed it might be suitable for a USAF helicopter pilot? Maybe wishful thinking?

[Bluespicker]

Not sure u.s. flew these in vietnam although in the early part of the war, some usaf squadrons had them. I think aph-5 is better choice for army helicopter and fac. In helicopter use they could cut off omask tabs. Also removed the tabs when other omask hardware attached. Id find a nice aph-5 rather than this unit. Find a unit and check their photos to be sure. You can normally nail down a good config using this technique

[Grillo]

Okay! That's what I figured but just wanted to confirm it as flight helmets are not in my area of collecting.

 

Judging by the photos I posted does this helmet have any potential trade/sale value towards a VN era APH helmet? Just trying to decide if it's worth putting up here in the forum in the trade/sale sections or just going straight to e-bay?

 

Thank you, Bluespicker for taking the time to respond as you have been the only one thus far.

 

-Tim