VA-65 HGU-43/P

[Wayward Son]

This HGU-43/P from the US Navy's VA-65 / "World Famous Fighting Tigers" was rescued from a pawn shop in Georgia. Everything is intact including the unique inner "NEODYNIUM" green visor specified for the B/N position in the TRAM Intruders. This helmet dates to the mid to late 70's when VA-65 was assigned to CVN-69 / USS Eisenhower. I have tried to research what the symbol on the rear of the helmet means, but am unable to find a solid answer. I am assuming it is Japanese Kanji. If you know its meaning, post it here! 

[hink441]

That’s a true beauty for sure. I really like tape job. 
 

I can’t remember what that symbol is for. 
 

Chris

[Vark_07]

In addition to being rare with the EEK-3/P visor, this helmet sure looks particularly gorgeous with its integral two-tone taping and patina !

The round distress strobe's velcro, the neatly taped ideogram / kanji and matching squadron picture are genuine assets to it, congratulations for this salvage and beautiful acquisition !

 

To the best of my knowledge, TRAM Intruders were introduced in squadrons starting 1979-80, so I deduce that your helmet saw service -or at least was fitted with this visor- around that time, in the early to mid 80's. The Gentex cast bayonet receivers mounted downwards imply the use of offset ("J") bayonets, most probably with MBU-14/P mask (introduced in the early 80's), and tend to concur with this hypothesis.

 

We talked about this in PM, my belief is that every airman of this squadron had a specific ideogram / kanji of his own taped to his helmet. Perhaps a translated nickname ?

I'll try to ask a japanese-speaking friend of mine, see if he can help us with a translation - if japanese that is, of course.

-Gauthier

[hink441]

I think the kanji is for “ Tiger”

 

Chris

[Wayward Son]

Gauthier, it's past your bedtime! You have work in the morning. Go to bed!

🤣

[Wayward Son]

My original post should have stated "This helmet dates to the mid to late 80's...." The photo of the aircrew on the Ike was taken in 1983.

[Vark_07]

My Japanese friend answered me (he works in the Franco-Japanese sub-titling arena, so I have every confidence in his statement) :

Quote

(translated) Sorry, but as shown it doesn't resemble any of the 1945 usual Japanese kanji in use, nothing approaching or derivated whatsoever.

 

So it's not Japanese after all, but after reading Chris's comment I felt his thinking might be right, so I searched for the "Tiger" symbol / ideogram / kanji, and I eventually found something close enough in Chinese .

The taped symbol seems rather roughly written compared to the original (I don't think many USN crews could tell anyway 😁...), but still, we can see global similarities.

So, as I think Chris correctly stated, it would be meant to be a "Tiger" look-alike. See montage below with font variations.
 

 

 

19 hours ago, Wayward Son said:

My original post should have stated "This helmet dates to the mid to late 80's...." The photo of the aircrew on the Ike was taken in 1983.

 

These pictures are mighty cool ! And the datation is much more like it !

[hink441]

I was with VA-36 on the USS T. Roosevelt during Desert Storm and VA-65 was our Sister squadron onboard the TR. We worked very closely with VA-65. VA-65 was the Battle “E” awardee during Desert Storm. They were an excellent squadron known to put many warheads on foreheads. 
 

Chris

[Wayward Son]

3 hours ago, Vark_07 said:

My Japanese friend answered me (he works in the Franco-Japanese sub-titling arena, so I have every confidence in his statement) :

 

So it's not Japanese after all, but after reading Chris's comment I felt his thinking might be right, so I searched for the "Tiger" symbol / ideogram / kanji, and I eventually found something close enough in Chinese .

The taped symbol seems rather roughly written compared to the original (I don't think many USN crews could tell anyway 😁...), but still, we can see global similarities.

So, as I think Chris correctly stated, it would be meant to be a "Tiger" look-alike. See montage below with font variations.
 

 

 

These pictures are mighty cool ! And the datation is much more like it !

 

Thank you Gauthier for putting this together. I'll refer the font on the helmet as "Font 11"! 🙂

[Vark_07]

You're welcome .

 

I've shared my find and the montage to my friend for second advice, and he admitted a "far-fetched" similarity. However, and I quote his words, "poorly written as it is with missing and misdirected parts -which is understandable for non-Asian people, put on its own without a context, this kanji is unrecognizable".

Interesting thing to know, he added that the Japanese "Tora" kanji was actually the same as the Chinese sinogram for Tiger, the simple reason being that the Japanese borrowed these symbols to the Chinese writing in ancient times. So that would make no difference between these 2 languages, the only thing to consider in that case being the intent to represent the asian Tiger symbol.

Overall, taking into account the intention of non-Asian airmen for the kanji to match the squadron's name, he concluded that our guess was right, it was indeed meant to represent the Tiger kanji (even if it would hardly be recognized as such by Chinese or Japanese people 😅...).