Jump to content

Does anyone have any leads on the history of this helmet?


Andrew_S
 Share

Recommended Posts

This helmet is a mystery to me. The insignia on it is from a squadron that stopped operating in 1986 (VA-12), but the decal on the side indicates that the mystery pilot "LT. GREENE" used it in an FA-18E super hornet, which was not flown until 1995 and not introduced until 1999. The helmet design was used throughout the 70s and 80s. The squadron I mentioned before didn't even officially fly F-18s of any kind.. any tips on getting info on the pilot or when it was used? I’m completely new to this and just bought the helmet on Facebook marketplace, so excuse any incorrect assumptions.

0781DE4C-96A8-4565-AC5A-E8429D74722B.jpeg

5F266313-513B-44D8-ABB5-6C22ADF00A7D.jpeg

D06F2F5F-B0EE-415E-ACDE-A7C54E5EACB2.jpeg

348EA267-AF70-4CF0-B64F-5F7F7CC6AF5C.jpeg

2CC33B00-551F-48EB-ADFA-FA7048C0801A.jpeg

DF8E18BF-A794-43C0-B16D-0D232D26DAC0.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

40 minutes ago, mohawkALSE said:

I think its a fantasy piece.  The mask surely isn't a Navy configuration.

Gotcha, that’s what I was leaning towards because the decals and time periods just don’t match up. All of it seems to be original gear but maybe kinda thrown together and re-decorated. Just out of curiosity, what do you mean by it not being a Navy configuration?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The block on the face of the mask should be an amplifier not a jack from a headset or older mask. Who is to say what's going on with the comm. cord.

T-style bayonets and green hose are all wrong.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, 72psb said:

The block on the face of the mask should be an amplifier not a jack from a headset or older mask. Who is to say what's going on with the comm. cord.

T-style bayonets and green hose are all wrong.

Gotcha, thanks for the info!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The edgeroll in the last picture is odd. I haven’t seen an edgeroll on a Navy helmet like that before. 
 

I know VA-12 was supposed to become an A-6 squadron once upon a time but due to budget restraints it never happened. 
 

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Like the others said, it looks odd and doesn't feel like an original setup at all.

My guess is that it is one of these soberly white taped PRK-37 somebody picked up, "refurbished" quickly without paying much attention to detail or authenticity (and obviously timeline regarding the tape job), and tried to sell just as quickly as a "genuine HGU-33/P" for it's one of the most desirable shells out there.

Or somebody that wasn't very demanding and just happy with it, who knows.

 

While the wrong tape job can be easily removed from the shell, this mask setup is outrageous, forgive my word !
Everything's wrong with it : harness straps, T-bayonets, O² hose, comm cord that looks to be a poor custom job barely holding together with tape (?), no nose amp but an old 2-pin connector from the 50's instead...

I concur with Chris, the edgeroll looks strange as well.

 

That being said, the "raw" shell itself looks in good shape and authentic, with the right visor housing, cast bayonet receivers, visor, lock knob AND intact label with manufacturer (SCOTT), size (Large), and contract date (84) : which means it's definitely worth something !

With this shell, you have a nice starting point for a decent refurbishment project, in my opinion.
If you need help about the parts needed, feel free to ask us 😉.

 

By the way, I'm curious to see what's on the inside : audio, chin / nape strap, liner (perhaps with sizing pads)... can you provide us with a picture please ?! 😉

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, Vark_07 said:

Like the others said, it looks odd and doesn't feel like an original setup at all.

My guess is that it is one of these soberly white taped PRK-37 somebody picked up, "refurbished" quickly without paying much attention to detail or authenticity (and obviously timeline regarding the tape job), and tried to sell just as quickly as a "genuine HGU-33/P" for it's one of the most desirable shells out there.

Or somebody that wasn't very demanding and just happy with it, who knows.

 

While the wrong tape job can be easily removed from the shell, this mask setup is outrageous, forgive my word !
Everything's wrong with it : harness straps, T-bayonets, O² hose, comm cord that looks to be a poor custom job barely holding together with tape (?), no nose amp but an old 2-pin connector from the 50's instead...

 

I concur with Chris, the edgeroll looks strange as well.

That being said, the "raw" shell itself looks in good shape and authentic, with the right visor housing, cast bayonet receivers, visor, lock knob AND intact label with manufacturer (SCOTT), size (Large), and contract date (84) : which means it's definitely worth something !

With this shell, you have a nice starting point for a decent refurbishment project, in my opinion.
If you need help about the parts needed, feel free to ask us 😉.

 

By the way, I'm curious to see what's on the inside : audio, chin / nape strap, liner (perhaps with sizing pads)... can you provide us with a picture please ?! 😉


Thanks so much for all of the info! I picked it up for $100 on Facebook marketplace from someone moving so I wasn’t too concerned about the authenticity of the whole setup, just curious about the history and engineering of the piece. I might look into making it a refurbishment project though! 
 

I’m out of town right now so all I have is the pictures I took before I left, but I’ll attach those. From what I can tell the padding is a complete patchwork job just thrown together to make the helmet fit someone’s head, but the chin and nape straps looked like the fit with the helmet (though this is coming from someone who knows absolutely zero about aviation equipment). I haven’t dug under the padding but if I had to guess I’d say that the audio is probably non-original and broken lol.

073A65DB-5CA8-4B6A-9D7A-504E22788CA0.jpeg

017F1CA4-DC39-447F-AB39-3E3FB7817482.jpeg

D4BF56C7-E142-4AD0-8D49-1DE1E1CC1A68.jpeg

D2FFB722-1955-4AC5-8519-2AFA3D76C526.jpeg

B198A88D-B055-47B3-9D8E-AC0A23B4AEEC.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep the whole interior is wrong. Chin strap and nape strap are wrong, and edgeroll looks like it came off a motorcycle helmet. 

 

You could fix it up. It could be a fun project. The tape job looks good, I would remove the “F/A-18E and VFA” tape and leave the rest. Parts are available on eBay and flight helmet dot com. 


Overall I think it is still worth $100 bucks for the shell, visor housing and mask. Just needs some work. 
 

Chris

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, hink441 said:

Yep the whole interior is wrong. Chin strap and nape strap are wrong, and edgeroll looks like it came off a motorcycle helmet. 

 

You could fix it up. It could be a fun project. The tape job looks good, I would remove the “F/A-18E and VFA” tape and leave the rest. Parts are available on eBay and flight helmet dot com. 


Overall I think it is still worth $100 bucks for the shell, visor housing and mask. Just needs some work. 
 

Chris

Ok gotcha, looks like the previous owner really did a number on it lol. I’ll look into it, thanks for the info!

 

-Andrew

Link to comment
Share on other sites

While this particular mask has many issues, for future reference,  do not assume a grey mbu/12 or mbu/14 etc with a green hose is “incorrect”.  While I don’t ever recall seeing a green face with a grey hose I have certainly seen many examples of grey face masks with green hoses.  Green hoses were used until stock was exhausted, so you will find mismatched mask/hoses.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You're absolutely correct about this, Cricket, grey mask facepieces w/ green hoses were common in the early years of the MBU-12 and 14.

I've read it had something to do with the fisrt grey latex hoses that had youth issues, if someone can confirm ;).

 

My statement regarding the hose (aside from the wrong coiled comm cord on it) was not color-related, but about the O² connector (looks USAF 3-pin) and the way it was attached to the face piece (just inserted there I guess).
The grey face piece and green hose -all by themselves- are correct. That being said, fitting them with all the missing spare parts will be costly given the actual prices.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vark that 2 pin QD fitting on the hose isn't old.  That is still a current used connector for specific uses.  Aircraft such as the C-17 will use then in the cockpit for the pilots masks where they are used without a CRU-60 terminal block.  Also HALO parachute ops will use them since they don't use a CRU either.  Mostly applications like those which don't use or require a terminal block.   The MBU-23 for pilots in the CV-22 will use them as well. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a JJ-055 female 2-pin QD (meant to connect U-173/U mic / boom cords).

I remember seeing it in use as of the late 50's / 60's (mfg by KINGS), but didn't know it was still in use (mfg. by Nexus I guess), good thing to learn !

The example on this mask being a KINGS, I assume it was some custom job done with an old sotck part to simulate the nose amp - and therefore connecting the comm cord.

 

spacer.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Vark, I meant the hose end connector/ fitting,  not the wiring, which that is totally incorrect made to look like the delta comm block.  That thing looks hilarious.   That mic Oulu though was also still used but is a old design for sure.   Some of the USAF variants of the Gentex parachute HALO helmet would use them for their boom mics and combat vehicle crew helmets had used them for mics.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay, my bad, some funny misunderstanding here !! 😁

You meant the O² connector, I thought it was the 2-pin comm plug you were talking about (that's why I didn't understand why you mentioned the CRU-60 in the first place !).
Duly noted, thanks for your precise info Mohawk 😉.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, Vark_07 said:

Okay, my bad, some funny misunderstanding here !! 😁

You meant the O² connector, I thought it was the 2-pin comm plug you were talking about (that's why I didn't understand why you mentioned the CRU-60 in the first place !).
Duly noted, thanks for your precise info Mohawk 😉.

It was my bad, I was away for the weekend and using my phone so parts of the reply weren't fully visible on my screen without moving around/zooming in and out.  I saw you mention O2 hose prior to talking about old 2 pin connector in regards to the comm cord mess.   

 

Now that Im on my PC I can see that mask was probably at one time setup as a cockpit Quick Don mask with a head harness judging by a large portion of the cable that is here and having the quick disconnect fitting I had been talking about on the hose.  But now I can also see how hodge podge made up stuff is all together with the helmet,  holy cow!  For 100 bucks though Id say not bad.  Will make a nice clean slate for a restoration or a plain jane PRK-37 or a replica of some squadrons helmet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
On 9/25/2021 at 9:34 AM, Vark_07 said:

You're absolutely correct about this, Cricket, grey mask facepieces w/ green hoses were common in the early years of the MBU-12 and 14.

I've read it had something to do with the fisrt grey latex hoses that had youth issues, if someone can confirm ;).

 

My statement regarding the hose (aside from the wrong coiled comm cord on it) was not color-related, but about the O² connector (looks USAF 3-pin) and the way it was attached to the face piece (just inserted there I guess).
The grey face piece and green hose -all by themselves- are correct. That being said, fitting them with all the missing spare parts will be costly given the actual prices.

Thats correct, we had that issue with the first hoses also in the RNlAF, so we had several grey/green combo's flying around.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 9/27/2021 at 4:45 AM, Faceurfear said:

This is a typical Chris Murphy helmet. 

The edgeroll looks like one indeed. I doubt if it is a PRK37 shell also as I cannot see the exit for the helmet comms. I know old APH and 22 shells also where made to look like Navy stuff.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...