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2 Tanker helmets from my collection


sjw83071
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Yes indeed...though your throat mic appears to be missing its elastic neck-strap...unless it's out of sight within the packaging?

 

It is there. I took photos of the box and the strap and then put the T30 back up. Uploaded the pictures....and they were too big to post :)

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Cool how the basic design has been serviceable for so many years. Are the Polaroids WW2 correct?

Sandy

 

Yup...good to go..though be mindful of the elastic strap because 70 year old elastic often loses its elasticity and can become kind of "crumbly". Try not to over-stretch it. Let the buckle out to its practical max befor you slip it over the helmet.

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Yup...good to go..though be mindful of the elastic strap because 70 year old elastic often loses its elasticity and can become kind of "crumbly". Try not to over-stretch it. Let the buckle out to its practical max befor you slip it over the helmet.

 

Will do. Thanks for all the information!

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Not trying to hi-jack the thread here, but this conversation brings a couple of questions to mind: Were the M-1944 goggles actually used in the ETO before VE Day and did the throat mic's ever get issued to tank crews and if so, when and how much were they used?

 

Larry

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Drivers and gunners used the throat microphones since they had to use both hands for their functions.

You see throat microphones in the photos of the Demonstration Regiment and in photos of training/maneuvers in 1942/1943.

Commanders mostly used the "lollypop" microphones.

I think it all depended on what was available at that time.

 

As for M1944 Goggles, I Always thought they were put in use around February 1945.

Before that you had the Polaroid and Resistal Goggles, as well as USAAF and even RAF goggles.

Sometimes the anit-gas types were used as well.

And the occasional captured type.

 

Erwin

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Hi Ian, yes I've seen FURY twice now. I thought it was excellent, a lot of Hollywood drama for no appreciable reason, but the sets were super. Of course you can pick it apart if you want to, but how often are you going to see a good WWII tank movie?

 

Thanks Erwin, the throat mic's for the driver and gunner make sense. I don't recall coming across a photo of WWII tanker's wearing the M-1944 goggles.

 

Larry

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Larry, no problem, glad to be of a little help.

Btw, it should read "anti-gas", not "anit-gas" (really need to re-read what I type).

 

As for M1944 goggles .... I think I have seen a photo or two of them being worn.

The photos were made in Germany in 1945 (April or even early May).

I need to check my archives to see if I have saved them.

On the other hand, the goggles might well have been the aviation type.

 

Erwin

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Erwin,

 

I have always thought that the M-1944 goggles entered the supply chain too early to be widely used and if they were used it was at the very end of the war. I agree, any in photos were probably the USAF B-8 goggle but it would be very hard to tell the two types apart in a photo.

 

Larry

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I have a set of tanker coveralls but not the tanker jacket. Still- the helmet with the coveralls, a 5-button sweater, wool shirt, and pistol belt with FA pouch, .45 pouch and holster makes a great display. :)

Yep tanker jackets are getting pretty expensive as well as the helmets sense Fury came out, it was a very good movie but its making stuff like this pricy :(

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Erwin,

 

I have always thought that the M-1944 goggles entered the supply chain too early to be widely used and if they were used it was at the very end of the war. I agree, any in photos were probably the USAF B-8 goggle but it would be very hard to tell the two types apart in a photo.

 

Larry

 

Larry,

 

Yes, it is very difficult to tell what type is in use since both are alike, especially in b&w photos of that time.

I wonder if German motorcycle goggles were used as well?

Never saw a photo of that.

 

Erwin

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Apologies for re-posting these ( I added them to another thread some weeks ago) but as we're discussing goggles they seemed relevant. They replicate the selection of goggles seen in "Fury"...they include "Skyways"...AAF B7s...M-44s and Soviet Tanker goggles.

 

 

post-8022-0-39548600-1417425874.jpg

post-8022-0-70685000-1417425875.jpg

post-8022-0-98775700-1417425876.jpg

post-8022-0-28498800-1417425878.jpg

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These are the more common Polaroid 1021s. Alas, I don't (yet) have a pair of Resistals...increasingly hard to find in good shape and therefore quite expensive too!

 

 

post-8022-0-44658800-1417426051.jpg

post-8022-0-80135800-1417426070.jpg

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Resistals. Essentially similar to aviators' goggles. Unfortunately, the rubber cushions have a tendency to perish with the passage of time.

 

 

resitalfront.jpg

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Thanks for the goggle review, Ian.

What's the tank helmet? Rawlings? Wilson?

 

Photo seems of real ones to me.

The repros look to me more plastic-like.

 

Erwin

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Thanks for the goggle review, Ian.

What's the tank helmet? Rawlings? Wilson?

 

Photo seems of real ones to me.

The repros look to me more plastic-like.

 

Erwin

 

 

Thanks Erwin. My helmet is actually a Rawlings. Yes...I did wonder if the WPG pic was of an original headset. If the repro was that good, it would be worth getting for the "Y" loom alone to attach to some original R-14s.

 

BTW...some of the current repro tankers' helmets actually have Rawlings markings. There's no way you'd mistake them for originals because of their basically plastic construction, but it's yet another example of repro manufacturers plagiarizing original logos and QM markings.

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Very cool looking. You should check out that new movie 'Fury' - it's chock full of period tank gear (non-repop, as far as i can tell)

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The costume designer who is a member of this forum, as is the manufacturer of the tanker jackets, will be flattered to hear you say that. You should check out the long-running "Fury" thread in the movies forum. There's a lot to see and read, but it's all there!

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I have used WPG HS-18 wire loom sets with repro R-14 receivers as well as their repro M-1938 Goggles in a diorama at the Virginia War Museum, I will try and attach a photo to this post. The items were very well made and honestly are extremely close to the originals. I have never handled original unissued HS-18's or M-1938 goggles so it's hard to do an accurate assessment but for the money they are worth it.

 

Larry

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