Helmet Bag Question

[FtrPlt]

Need to free up some brain capacity so hoping to get an answer to one of my quickly-forgotten but decades-old nagging questions.

 

On the modern flight helmet bags (1969 thru present), what's the purpose of the small snap-hook between the tops of the two external pockets? I've used it to clip the bag onto things, hang stuff from the bag; etc, but I don't remember ever hearing what its official purpose was.

 

Hoping an answer will free up some space so I can remember where I put my wallet down.

[hawkdriver]

Don't know that it has ever officially been stated. For the last 26 years, used it to hook it to the seat cables when I didn't use a snap link.

[northcoastaero]

During my years of collecting, I have never heard of an official purpose for the snap hook. I always assumed the same-to clip/hang the helmet bag onto something. Maybe there was a special D ring or attachment on the life support room storage rack?

[Sully]

I've never used the hook on my flight bag. When ever I'm not actively carrying the bag it is either in a locker or stored in the sponson box of the tank.

[monsoon]

Never used it at all. When I used carabiners, they were always threaded thru the carrying handles.

[hawkdriver]

The problem with it is that it is to small to use. Either the item you are hooking it to is to large to get inside the hook and keeper, or if you do get it on, the keeper can't be pushed past and it gets jammed up. The only thing that I have found it works on is the cables of the UH-60 troop seats or on the Huey, I would hang it off the vertical seat support, more as a hanging hook instead of a clip.

Now, one thing it is good for. When we would get our overwater gear, I would use a spare bag to keep those items in and would hook that bag to my helmet bag with those clips.

[phantomfixer]

I visited the life support section of the 512 TFS at Ramstein AB back in the 80's....the helmet bags were clipped to the pilots assigned locker (with said hook), bag empty, helmet and G suit in the locker....the pilots usually walked out to the F-4s with bag in hand, helmet and o2 mask inside, along with other needed gear for the flight...maps, gloves etc....

 

the hook is a utilitarian feature.. used when needed to store the bag...some guys on the C-5 would clip it to the cargo compartment walls to get easy access to their checklists, hats gloves etc....

[mohawkALSE]

The clip on the newer bags for the 56/P helmet is way better being larger. Either they wanted a bigger clip for a bigger bag or they knew the smaller clip on the old bag sucked.

[FtrPlt]

Thanks to all for your replies! I'm sure somewhere in the official design, the snap had a purpose. I agree, it's too small to be of much practical use although I did manage to clip it to the mesh-type lockers we had. During my AH-64 years, I had a different style bag but a carabiner was fairly standard -- looped through one or both of the handles.

 

I only asked because I picked up a few surplus bags (circa 2009+/-) and noticed the snap is still there. Other than a change over to green nylon zips (my original 1980 and 1984 bags use brass) the bags are remarkably unchanged.

[phantomfixer]

I dig the bags...Use one for work now...same one I used when AD on C-5s...was a crew chief.....Ever see ones with the woodland camouflage lining...I just gave one away and am thinking it might have been historically significant or just one manufacturers liming choice....

 

 

I have three from the sixties..they have drawstrings as apposed to handles these are neat...well padded

[quack]

I wonder when the snap hook was added.... The helmet bag I was issued by the Army in 1973 did not have one. Or was this version service-specific?

[BagmanL6]

Morning,

Not a pilot but did use a helmet bag for various things during my career. Always wondered the same thing since it seems out of place. Is it possible we're looking at this the wrong way? I always figured the purpose was to hook something to the bag, not the bag to something else.

[FtrPlt]

To me, the hook attachment suggests the hook would be connected to something above it (bag connects to something else). If it were for something else to connect to the bag, you'd think the webbing it's attached to would be oriented so the hook would point downwards. For something to hang off the bag, the snap would rotate downwards and being pulling outwards on the webbing.

 

I'm fairly sure these are generic bags that were used, at one time, by all branches. Both my USAF and Army bags have the hook.

 

[BagmanL6]

FtrPlt - Valid point. I really am spit-balling here but I like the mental gymnastics to start off the New Year. Again, I was a grunt but in my mind I equate the hook to a snap link. If it was designed to hang the bag (which it very well could be) than to me the gate would face away from the bag so that you aren't hanging the bag "across itself'. With the gate opening towards the bag if you hang something from the bag the gate wouldn't rub against the material when it hangs down. ( Hopefully I described that correctly.)

With a helmet in the bag as designed I can't imagine there is much room for anything else. I see a 3-ring Flight Crew Check List attached or some type of maintenance tag on a similar type of ring.

 

Happy New Year to all.

[FtrPlt]

Jeff,

I can see your point. I guess I would also add that if the intent was to hang something from it, why have it on the same side as the external pockets? They're effectively blocked.

 

I just looked at my Army bag. Looks like I knocked a hole in the seam separating the external pockets and put the hook through it -- probably to keep the pockets from blowing out the seam connecting them. Mine also has a PRC-90 vest pocket sewn to the outside (added at the unit) which still has my funky laser-protective glasses in it (one lense oval; one rectangular).

[BagmanL6]

Touche and one of the great mysteries of life continues ... We'll eventually figure it out.

[FtrPlt]

Did some eBay research yesterday (looking at sold items). As alluded to in one of the previous posts, the bags from the late 70s and earlier do not appear to have the small snap hook on them. I recall spending a lot of the 1980s in MOPP gear so wondering if the hook is somehow related to NBC gear?

[FtrPlt]

A 1978 S&S Garment bag from a 1978 contract is the newest bag I found that does not have the hook. The listing had decent photos and it does not appear that the hook was removed -- i.e. it was produced without it. (image attached)

 

Along the same lines, 1979 is the earliest bag I've found, so far, which has the snap hook present

 

Learned something new. I never knew/noticed the earlier bags didn't have them.

 

[phantomfixer]

Guys it is all too easy!!! The Mil Spec engineer for the new production contract of helmet bags in the late 70's and on, was clearly a military collector himself...

 

And as such, knew that if his new spec called for a hook for no obvious reason spelled out in the mil Spec guidelines, he would have generations of helmet bag collectors hashing out the intended use of said hook...the old adage "engineer of the day"

[phantomfixer]

Maybe to clip on to the back of an aircraft seat...non ejection....facing the hook towards the bag might push the zipper out and away making getting into the bag easier???

[FtrPlt]

Anything is possible. The mil-spec makes mention of it but does not detail its purpose. Said engineer needs to be hauled in front of the people and made to explain!

[BagmanL6]

Some engineer somewhere is laughing his buttocks off saying to his buddies, "It' just a hook! I can't believe they're over thinking this!"

[FtrPlt]

Same guys are probably sitting around pondering what to do next -- "Hey, what if we reverse the way the zipper is attached!"

 

With all branches using these, we don't even know where the requirement originated, let alone why.