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New Helmet Project


viking73
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Hi Guys,

 

I know I haven't quite finished up my gold APH-5 and VA-164 APH-6 helmet refurbs yet but, I came across this woodland camo tape HGU-26 and I just couldn't pass it up for the price (less than $75).

 

Seems that at some point, someone removed all the military comm gear and replaced it with a civilian setup complete with a Roanwell boom mic and earphones. The mask receivers were also removed as well. The worse thing is the hole for the boom mic mount. I don't think I can do much about that but I'll check it out... I have already purchased the mask receivers and a few other bits. Still need a few things but this should be a pretty easy restoration.

 

I will repaint the mask receivers black when I get them. I may also paint the two visor knobs black as well although I do see that they were left white sometimes on these camo helmets. I assume they were white while in military use so I may leave them.

 

The interior of the helmet has some strange foam pieces, don't think it's military...

 

Here are some photos.

 

-Derek

 

 

 

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And finally, a shot of the interior and also a few of the bit I have on the way to me for this helmet.

 

Thanks for looking, questions and comments always welcome and appreciated!

 

-Derek

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northcoastaero

Nice project helmet! Often the straps and visor tracks were dyed green using Rit liquid dye. Sometimes they used a black magic

marker on the mask receivers and visor tracks. Since there is a thick rubber edge roll on the helmet, the liner was probably a

black leather covered two piece form fit type. The visors have a nose cut out for the MBU-5/P oxygen mask instead of the later

MBU-12/P nose cut out. I do not see any additional snaps on the sides of the helmet shell. The snaps would be for the nuclear

flash protective goggles used with the B-52, C-130, etc. The helmet ear cup cords could be dyed green also or cut off. The

ear seals for the ear cups would be gray (possibly black later on) without a bump on the bottom. H-143/AIC earphones with black

or silver fronts could be used along with black foam with a small circular cut out on the front (no black cloth). The mask

receivers could be painted olive drab or black also. The visor housing is the later HGU-26/P / PRK-37/P type

with the metal reinforcements on the sides. Hope this helps.

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Nice score Derek....your helmet collection is growing...should look good when done...dunno why but I always like the helmets with the draw strings on the earcups...maybe the era...maybe cause of the Phantom drivers still used them at Ramstein...which is most likely the case....

 

I like it a lot...still looking for the 55P for you too...

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Thanks for the info northcoastaero. Helpful as always.

 

Yes, the collection sure is growing John! So fast that I need to figure out how to add some more room to display them all in my "war room"! I do appreciate you keeping me in mind on that -55/P sir.

I've already removed the civilian comm gear on this one. I think I'll remove the visor and clean it up this weekend. I will try and carefully re-glue the edges of the camo tape that are coming up on it. I'll probably remove the visor sliders too, I think I'm going to paint them black along with the bayonet receivers (when I get them in the mail next week). Also kicking around ideas on covering up the boom mic mount hole...

 

I just need to track down a pair of H-143/AIC earphones and gray ear cup seals and I think I'll be all set for parts. I found a nice, complete early 80s MBU-5/P mask to go with this setup that I'm waiting on as well.

 

More later...

 

-Derek

 

 

 

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phantomfixer

Hey Derek,

 

Yep dig the idea of covering up the mic mount....will look awesome with the 5P...and a nice BUFF silhouette on the back side.. ; )

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Very good score Derek for that price .

Wen finished post a picture please .

And buy a gift for your wife with every helmet that coming after this helmet maybe you get away with it like i do☺️.

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Very good score Derek for that price .

Wen finished post a picture please .

And buy a gift for your wife with every helmet that coming after this helmet maybe you get away with it like i do☺️.

 

Thanks Niki, I will post some photos later today as I know how I'm going to close up the boom mic hole.

 

No worries about the wife. We just got home from an overnight trip. Had a nice dinner and saw a play she's been wanting to see. She also shopped until she dropped so I should be in the clear for the time being hahahaha! I didn't feel one bit bad when my MBU-5/P mask for this helmet was waiting for me on my doorstep when we got home today :)

 

-Derek

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Hi,

 

I have a few updates to share on this helmet restoration.

 

I have the boom mic hole covered up. What I did was to first put a piece of clear packing tape to the outside of the helmet covering the hole. Then I mixed up some 5 minute epoxy and filled the hold from the inside. When the epoxy was dry, I removed the tape and it was time to get to work.

 

It's not perfect by any means but I think it came out okay. The comm cord and metal hook will help hide it anyway I think. Here are some photos.

 

-Derek

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I happened to have a woodland camo visor cover from an HGU-39/P helmet I bought for parts a year or two ago. I simply removed a piece of the tape from it and glued it to my HGU-26/P. Again, it's not perfect but it looks much better than a hole in there.

 

Attached is a photo of the "donor" visor and also a shot with the comm cord and hook in place and they arrived in today's mail :)

 

-Derek

 

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Also today, I received the used set of bayonet receivers. I sanded, cleaned, and de-greased them to prep for the painting. I also have the visor sliders ready for paint as well.

 

Attached are some before shots.

 

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That's about it for today. My earcups and string arrived today as well. Tomorrow, I'm getting a box of dark green Rit liquid dye from Amazon (thanks for the tip northcoastaero). Then I will try my hand at dying the earcup strings dark green. I can just see my wife's face now as I'm heating it up on the stove hahahaha :)

 

More later...

 

-Derek

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Happy Friday to all...

 

I've got some updates to post on this one. I have the visor slides and mask receivers in place now.

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And finally, here is a shot of the interior components. I just need to buy a pair of gray earcup seals to complete it.

 

But before I can put it all together, I have to dye the earcup strings. I was going to try and do it today while my wife was at work so I could avoid "that look" but I didn't get around to it... :):);)

 

Wish me luck with the dye, more later.

 

-Derek

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

Good morning.

 

Well I'm calling this one done. I dyed the earcup strings last week and that worked without a hitch. They are dark green but look almost black. I bought a pair of NOS gray ear seals last week. The package was dated 6/78 and I don't know if they had shrunk over the years, but they were a real b*tch to get onto the earcups let me tell you!

 

Here's some photos of the completed interior.

 

 

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