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What is this Gentex helmet? Flight or something else?


Siamundo
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I picked up this set yesterday, but I am really not sure what it is. I am hoping some more knowledgeable helmet flight helmet collectors might be able to educate me. The helmet is a stiff yet lightweight plastic material, maybe like what a plastic bucket would be made of. It reminds me of something a spelunker or cave explorer might wear. It does have a Gentex label in it although the very top edge is worn away that might have had the description. The headset and mike are sturdily in place with an interesting installation design. The mike is dated Jan 1972. This came together with the MBU 5 oxygen mask. It looks like the mask would have attached to the front edge of each earpiece.

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With regards to the label, somewhere in the two different number codes, either the stock number The bottom line on the label does say US and the line above that has AF (Air Force maybe?).

 

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And finally the other side. You can see the slight remnants of a piece of leather sticking out of the front edge of the earpiece. There is a stiff wire loop around each ear piece and it appears the leather tabs with a snap end looped around the those which in turn connected to snap on the strap of the O2 mask but the leather ends have broken off. Any information or details would be greatly appreciated.

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Hi,

 

This is the USAF HGU-7/P helmet. It was typically used by cargo, tankers, and trainer type aircraft. There is a removable sun visor that was attached to the front these helmets, not sure how hard it would be to track one down?

 

Pretty cool score with the MBU-5/P mask and CRU-60/P connector! Does the mask have a 70s date on it as well?

 

Thanks for posting this.

 

-Derek

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The HGU-7/P was called a "bump" helmet and there are photos of C-141 Aircrew wearing the helmet when flying into Vietnam. There are also photos of the helmet being worn by a few FACs (forward Air Controllers) but it wasn't intended for that use. If you collect Vietnam Era flight gear, it is a nice helmet to round out a collection. The mask appears to be missing the outer shell and some have a device that allows the mask to hang down but be donned quickly if needed.

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Thank you viking 73 for the ID! The mask is actually earlier dated, maybe 1968? It has one of those circular date codes on the side. The connector might be dated 1971.

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Thank you Bluespicker. As far as who might have possibly worn this, I also bought this 1971 CWU-27 flight suit from the same dealer. They were from a dealer in an antique mall and no specific details were available. I was not sure if the two pieces originally came together from the same source since neither piece is named, or if they were just two random items this dealer had in his booth at the same time.

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You are right, some of the plastic shell is broken away and this is what remains on the underside. There is also this strap which would have helped connect everything together and hold it in place as well.

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Replacement hard shells are readily available for around $55. Your strap will snap to the shell.Check Ebay under flight helmets or oxygen masks.Your set up may have used a cantilever type retention set up.(do not know the proper terminology).There are a couple of sets like yours on Ebay now.

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northcoastaero

Nice helmet/mask and flight suit. The 66/67/68 silicone mask face piece appears to be manufactured during the 2nd quarter of

1968. I think all you will need for the mask is a Sierra mfr. hard shell. The sage green strap with white tabs with snaps

will route underneath the metal nose piece on the hard shell, with the two snaps on the sage green webbing snapping to the

bottom of the shell. You may have to find the two leather tabs with snaps to mate the mask to the helmet.

 

There is a wikipedia.org page on the USAF 8th Special Operations Squadron. They flew the Cessna A-37B Dragonfly during the

timeframe of your CWU-27/P Nomex flight suit.

 

Try flighthelmet.com for the HGU-7/P and MBU-5/P mask parts. Hope this helps.

 

Just noticed that the original round gray boom microphone element was upgraded with a M-87/AIC at some point.

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Thank you 72psb for the ebay tip, and notrthcoastaero for confirming. I did find them, along with the size I would need. It's good to know the part(s) is available should I decide to :)

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