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VMAQ-2 ? hoping to confirm Squadron on this helmet


horridohutch
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New helmet inbound and I am hoping the brain trust can help me out... been finding helmets like crazy just been away for awhile. Please forgive me for not being an active member and expecting answers :-)

Helmet is not here yet so these are all that I have at the moment.... I am thinking late 80s HGU-34... maybe a 33 from VMAQ-2 Playboys before they had to be all PC and change their name.... Also not really sure what the black, for lack of a better term "splotch" is? Seems to be the same on both sides...

Thank you all and Happy New year... I hope you are all faring well during these trying times.

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Good_looking set for sure !

 

From what I see here, it definitely looks like "Playboys" to me.

The red rabbit's head silhouette on the visor housing + taped lightning bolt using yellow / red colors frequently used on VAQ-VMAQ squadrons, the Prowler silhouette on both sides and what looks like a lying woman (the "splosh" like you say - example below), everything points in the VMAQ-2 direction. during the mid 80's to mid 90's era before they changed their name for the more politically correct "Panthers", then "Death Jesters".

 

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So most likely "Playboys" (80's-93) IMO, or perhaps very early "Panthers" (93-00), it's up to the interpretation we make of that black silhouette, (to me it's a lying woman, but it could also be a crawling panther ?) the shell's datation lies within this time span.

Beautiful example !

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The camo cover would indicate it was USMC. Since all Marines are riflemen, pilots go through basic training as any Marine would. The cover is a nod to that tradition. Yellow and red are also Marine colors.

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lancecriminal86
12 hours ago, Vark_07 said:

Good_looking set for sure !

 

From what I see here, it definitely looks like "Playboys" to me.

The red rabbit's head silhouette on the visor housing + taped lightning bolt using yellow / red colors frequently used on VAQ-VMAQ squadrons, the Prowler silhouette on both sides and what looks like a lying woman (the "splosh" like you say - example below), everything points in the VMAQ-2 direction. during the mid 80's to mid 90's era before they changed their name for the more politically correct "Panthers", then "Death Jesters".

 

shirt-1502137403-ff505557ae42661336d7ca34ff0993a1.png.e81b76299f3a7247a0b16917aee1152f.png


So most likely "Playboys" (80's-93) IMO, or perhaps very early "Panthers" (93-00), it's up to the interpretation we make of that black silhouette, (to me it's a lying woman, but it could also be a crawling panther ?) the shell's datation lies within this time span.

Beautiful example !

 

Helmet decal looks like the "crawling" or stalking panther to me, I figured it was a nod to "prowler" name.

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15 minutes ago, lancecriminal86 said:

Helmet decal looks like the "crawling" or stalking panther to me, I figured it was a nod to "prowler" name

Would have to agree 

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In the case this helmet belonged to the "Panthers" era, the Red Rabbit silhouette on the visor housing would have been a reminder of their former controversial name, a wink if you will.

That could be right, because I've seen that some aviators of VMAQ-2 use to hide a tiny Playboy bunny under the Death Jesters patch today.

However, the "Panthers" era emblema was borrowed to the American Football team "Carolina Panthers", and its style differs widely from what we have here.

 

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Personnaly, I'd stick to the woman / late "Playboys" era, but it's definitely a terrific VMAQ-2 helmet in any case !

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4 hours ago, lancecriminal86 said:

 

Helmet decal looks like the "crawling" or stalking panther to me, I figured it was a nod to "prowler" name.

Without a doubt it is a stalking panther with the EA-6B silhouette. Playboy bunny head on the visor cover reminds me of the good old days of VX-4 and their "Black Bunnies." Good times....

 

That helmet is top shelf! Follow up with some better pics if you will. 👍 

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Thanks Vark and all others... I will post better pictures once it lands. This preliminary post was to confirm my thoughts and a friend who steered me in the right direction on this, thanks Scott.

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