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Sac Bomber Goggles for Nuclear Strike


Stiles
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Something different from my collection. NFS

 

Sac Bomber Goggle for Nuclear Strike

 

Goggles with gold plated lenses to help reflect the flash of a nuclear fireball and a monocular to prevent one eye’s retina from being burnt out by the nuclear flash.

 

Marked:
GOGGLE MODIFICATION KIT
ONE KIT
CONTRACT NO.AF36(600)-19540
FELSENTHAL INSTRUMENTS CO.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS
PART NO. FAA-150

 

Tagged:
8475-133-3742
GOGGLES, N/FLASH
WITH EYEPATCH

 

From:
McCoy AFB, FLA.

Inspection dated: 1NOV71 thru 9NOV71

 

Goggles Marked:
PIONER SCIENTIFIC CORPORATION
GOGGLES
M-1944

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post-166655-0-22727300-1534088884_thumb.jpg

post-166655-0-55740100-1534088892_thumb.jpg

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Nice piece. McCoy AFB tells you its old seeing thats now MCO / Orlando International Airport. I have a later 70s version of that kit that came from the KC-10 unit out of Travis AFB, CA. Ive wondered on my kit though if that later ones changed the type of lens not using gold or if the gold flaked off over time. Its a dark lens, but if you look through it its by no means a standard neutral grey lens, its very very dark. Looking in to it externally you cant see through but looking out of it as worn you can see very darkly. Maybe someone can answer that question on if they might have changed lens type. Maybe Ill post some pics to show the similarities and differences in the markings on the case.

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You gotta love the nomenclature:

 

GOGGLES, N/FLASH

 

Looks a lot less threatening than actually spelling out "NUCLEAR."

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phantomfixer

Maybe they changed the lens to the newer style, where the strap does not go through the lens....imagine the bright light might come through the slits???

 

We had boxes of these at Dover AFB...and I see the yellow tag is from another airlift unit...always wondered why airlift would be close to nuclear flash areas...aside from being on the receiving end...

 

Cool goggles

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That wasn't an airlift unit from what I can find. 306th was a Bomb Wing at McCoy, not sure what ALS was back then, maybe Air Logistics Sq? Airlift would be AS or MAS pre 1992? What kind of Squadrons would have handle life support equipment back then?

 

I do know what you mean about Airlift units having them though, not sure on the Dover stuff but I know KC-10s up at McGuire had them inside the cockpits til around 2011. The set I have is a USAF 1977 contract and the case is engraved 60th MAW (now 60th AW) at Travis, AFB and the green tag shows they were pulled in 2011. They were never used and apparently just left in the jets since those tankers were part of SAC til 92. Any SAC aircraft not equipped to handle the "Power" flash goggles were to have them as a Thermal Flash Protection Device. At the time only KC-135s and B-52s used the PLTZ power goggles, then later the B-1 and B-2. Maybe the C-141s and C-5s carried the regular goggles similar to these at Dover?

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  • 1 month later...

ALS is Aircrew Life Support as it was our responsibility to inspect and maintain the googles. I remember inspecting them at Rhein Main AB Germany 88-92. Never dealt with them again after I left Germany.

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Cool piece! I didn't know aircrews had flash goggles. Seems to me if you were airborne and that close to a nuke going off, you'd have bigger problems to worry about before trying to find and don your goggles (like the EMP shutting down the engines, or the shock wave ripping off the wings). But at least your eyes were protected.

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