Possible USAF HGU-26/P CAP helmet

[SAKO]

Came across some gear in an estate sale and this flight helmet was among it. I believe it to be Civil Air Patrol USAF HGU-26/P based on some initial findings, but that's about it. I'm trying to find out more about it and get a positive identification along with what the possible value might be. I'm a total neophyte when it comes to flight gear so I'm eager to learn more about it.

 

 

 

 

[northcoastaero]

Nice helmet! The HGU-26/P seems to be in standard USAF configuration except that the boom microphone

assy. would usually be mounted onto the left oxygen mask receiver. However, are no oxygen mask receivers

mounted to the helmet sides which leads me to believe the helmet may have been used in USAF helicopters

at one time or actually used by the CAP in a fixed-wing aircraft. Many CAP aircraft seem to use the General

Aviation civilian communications in their headsets, etc. Maybe the helmet was used in a USAF surplus

T-34 Mentor that was acquired by the CAP? I have heard of a CAP pilot that used a surplus Army SPH-4 flight

helmet in a T-34 Mentor for protection from air turbulence. I do not know if his SPH-4 and the CAP T-34 were

modified with General Aviation communications. The Army issue SPH-4 helmet used the same earphones,

boom microphone elements, and U-174/U cable plug as the USAF. The microphone boom on your HGU-26/P

seems to be from a USAF gray head set with the kidney bean shaped ear cups. The coiled communication

cable seems to be the type used with the USAF MBU-5/P oxygen mask or even the USAF/Army AFH-1 helmet.

The gray ear cups look like the USAF Gentex manufactured ones with the molded plastic ridge around the

outside like the white ones used in the USN/USMC/USCG APH-6 series flight helmets. Also, the gray M-87/AIC

boom microphone element looks to be an early Roanwell manufactured one. The helmet shell appears to be a

HGU-22/P because it does not have the three ventilation holes on the crown like the early HGU-2A/P helmets

had. The side actuated dual visor assy. mounted on your helmet was introduced by 1974. The clear and tinted

visors have a nose cut out for the MBU-5/P oxygen mask. The contract date and manufacturer can be found on

the lower back on the outside of the helmet shell if it has not been worn off or removed. Also, contract dates can

be found on the back of the earphone elements and on the yellow data sleeve on the coiled communications

cable. The helmet may have started out as an HGU-2A/P single visor helmet (HGU-22/P shell) and later

modified with a side actuated dual visor assy. and boom microphone assy. These helmets were also issued as

quarter helmets meaning the shell, visor assy, liner, and communications were separate and then assembled by

life support to the configuration of the aircraft they were to be used in. Your HGU-22/P shell can be as early as

the late 1960s. The visor assy. can be as early as 1974. A manufacturer such as Sierra, Gentex, or Scott can

also be found underneath the plastic visor housing. Later dual visor housings had metal reinforcements riveted

to the sides so that cracks around the screw holes would not spread with sections of the plastic breaking off.

Take a look for the mfr. and contract dates on the helmet. Also, the helmet bag seems to have a plastic zipper

installed which would date the bag from the 1980s or later. The decal/sticker on the visor housing is the

standard CAP Emergency Services emblem. It features a T-34 Mentor aircraft on it. The same emblem/patch

was worn by CAP members flying in various other aircraft also. Hope this helps.

[northcoastaero]

Forgot to mention that, in my opinion, the helmet and bag could sell between $175.00-$250.00.

[mohawkALSE]

Nice helmet. Doesn't look to be used much as the cord is still coiled a good amount. The old CAP Supply Depot may have sold those helmets back in the day to members. They used to get all sorts of nice surplus stuff, was located in TX. I remember when I was in CAP they had used and brand new Army SPH-4 helmets for cheap. I think my new one was 150 at the time and used were around 100. I bought one of the Mil to Civi impedance adapters from Flightsuits (Gibson and Barnes now) so I could use it in the Cessna 172 that our unit usually had. I didnt want to change out the head set and mic to civi, Always worked perfect. May have looked like overkill wearing an SPH-4 in a Cessna but it was great sound protection and even safer if we went down in trees. Later I ended up using a HGU-55 in the Cessna. The Supply Depot also had brand new USAF contract A2 leather jackets too for around 100 then too. Got my father one as a gift, had the nameplate and MAJCOM shield velcro on it. The CAP Supply Depot ended up closing in the early to mid 2000s.

[northcoastaero]

I forgot about those adapter cables equipped with inline the impedance converters! A

flight equipment dealer once told me that many of his customers had better communications

results by changing out the earphone and microphone elements along with the

communications cable instead of using one of those adapters. I guess that Gibson & Barnes

probably makes one of the better converters on the market. Changing out the earphone

elements these days is made much easier because of the greatly improved foam materials

that are installed inside the helmet ear cups (also soft ear pads and head pads/liners).

Do not have to deal with the older black, gray, white, and yellow colored foam that

deteriorates quicker and leaves a sticky residue mess which can also affect the condition

of the earphone elements and lead to stripping out the small screws that hold the cable

wires into place. Oregon Aero is one of the companies that sells these new and improved

foam products. Also, the three Velcro attached tan/brown fitting pads on the above helmet

are not cut into sections which leads me to believe that the helmet was used early on by

the USAF or the pilot/aircrew was with the CAP or a civilian. It seems that by sometime

during the 1970s, it was standard practice for the USAF to cut the pads. A black ink

stamped contract date can be found on the white nylon webbing of the chin strap assy.

Hope this helps.

[Lee Ragan]

I bought an HGU-2A/P in about 1983 to use while crewing on an O-1 Bird Dog in CAP.. Mine has the single visor and the inline converter. A buddy and I bought two of them at the same time from some place that had helicopter helmets. They both came with boom mikes and ready to plug in and go. Flying the O-1 with windows open was almost like going open cockpit and the helmets gave me protection from an antenna connection above my head. Best I can remember, we each gave over $300 for each helmet and I later found a helmet bag for cheap somewhere. Used this rig until out squadron had to turn in the Bird Dog cause CAP was getting rid of all it's tail draggers. I even used it some in Cessna "Spam Cans" (172's and 182's).

[northcoastaero]

mohawkALSE and Lee Ragan,

 

Interesting stories about CAP helmets in actual use. I have also seen a USN/USMC PRK-37/P based helmet

with a side actuated dual visor assy. that had CAP markings applied. Also heard of the SPH-4 and HGU-39/P

helmets being modified to the SPH-4B configuration and sold to CAP members to fly with. SPH-5 helmets

too.

[mohawkALSE]

I mostly used the SPH-4 as that was the first helmet I actually ever bought. Wasn't going to try and use my fathers APH-5 from Nam at all as the fitting pads were shot. I later used the HGU-55/P that was a OV-1 or a USAF Airlift setup with the boom mic and the boom/mask cable. Even a time or 2 I tried out my HGU-56 in a 172 which looked funny but hey they used those in C-23s and then the USAF V-22 uses the 56 as well so wasn't too strange to be in fixed wing. Id really love to join CAP again they just meet during the week while I'm working so hasn't worked out.