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Spalding stiff leather flyers helmet with padded cross on top


Bob Hudson
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This helmet is made of a a very stiff leather, much like the leather shells of some WWI era pickelhaub helmets. On top is a thick leather cross that I assume was considered "padding" in its day. It was made by the AG Spalding Co. but there seems to be very little information about these online - what's shown here is pretty much all of the info, so if anyone has more, let us know.

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The photo below is from a forum thread at http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/175574-spalding-flight-helmet/


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And this example sold on ebay a few years back:

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I just noticed the cross on the middle image above is not as thick as the other two.

 

This has a loop on the top. To fly m'lady's scarve in combat?

 

Amazingly the leather is still supple, even the thick shell.

 

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My guess is these were private purchase helmets to replace the standard soft leather helmets. Spalding was selling aviation helmets as early as 1916.

 

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Thanks to my friend Lee for letting me photograph this. It is perhaps the jauntiest helmet I've ever handled: the thick shell, even thicker cross, the loop, and long apron give something of a 19th century look and feel.

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Lindbergh wore a Spalding flight suit for his trans-Atlantic flight.

 

I found a 1916 article that says Spalding had been in the aviator's equipment business for two years, which means thay started in 1914.

 

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Interesting stuff, Bob. Thanks for posting. Assuming they operated under contracts, I wonder how big the Spalding contracts were?

Dave

 

So far it appears they may have only done private purchase aviator's gear, but their athletic gear was snapped up by the government for use in various camps at home and abroad. I did see that in WWII they made small arms and tank helmets under contracts.

 

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A great helmet AND painted insignia? Too much...

 

I've been looking at the aviator helmet in the Spalding add: I haven't found a photo of one, but it seems to have many molded leather pieces including a visor. It seems much closer to 19th century helmets than it is to the soft leather flight helmets most commonly seen.

 

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Here's a similar molded helmet without a visor or thick outer headband.

 

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