Wayward Son Posted October 7, 2021 Share #1 Posted October 7, 2021 I picked up a pair of Rochester Optical / Type II USN goggles to be displayed with one of my "naked" H-4 flight helmets. When the goggles arrived, I found the frame and lens to be in good shape, but the elastic strap was toast. When I tried to place the strap over the helmet, it just shredded to pieces. What a disappointment. For the next month or so I searched high and low for a correct replacement strap. Turning up empty handed day after day, I decided to fabricate my own straps. I wasn't going to let these goggles go to waste. I found a place in Oregon that makes 3/4" sublimated elastic straps in the correct USN shade of grey. Once I had the elastic strap in hand I figured out the measurements needed for a snug fit of the goggles both in the up and down positions. After trimming the straps to the correct length, the ends were doubled over and box stitched for reinforcement. I set a mil-spec snap on one end of the strap as an attachment point on the H-4's exterior. The other end was weaved through the goggle frame and into the lens where the doubled over end holds that end together quite snugly. I am pretty happy with the end results. Even though they were not made below the pitching flight deck of the USS Kearsarge in the paraloft, they serve their purpose for my display. Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cggill85 Posted October 7, 2021 Share #2 Posted October 7, 2021 Great work! Where did you find the straps in Oregon? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmar836 Posted October 7, 2021 Share #3 Posted October 7, 2021 Nice job! Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vark_07 Posted October 7, 2021 Share #4 Posted October 7, 2021 Wow, they look just like the real deal, a modern "D.I.Y. rigger mod" so to say ! The rigger H-3 / H-4 straps for B-8 / 1065 flight goggles could be found with many variations (green, grey like yours, and even white, single or two-part, with or w/o adjusting ring), so the way you crafted them looks totally legit. Very well done 👍 ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayward Son Posted October 7, 2021 Author Share #5 Posted October 7, 2021 3 hours ago, cggill85 said: Great work! Where did you find the straps in Oregon? Strapworks in Eugene. Great folks. Strapworks Dot Com for their e-commerce site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cggill85 Posted October 8, 2021 Share #6 Posted October 8, 2021 19 minutes ago, Wayward Son said: Strapworks in Eugene. Great folks. Strapworks Dot Com for their e-commerce site. That’s what I thought! Yes, I’ve ordered many things from them and they are wonderful to work with. Bonus for me is that they are just about 50 miles away :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cricket Posted October 8, 2021 Share #7 Posted October 8, 2021 FYI - here are some pics of the actual contracted straps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayward Son Posted October 8, 2021 Author Share #8 Posted October 8, 2021 Very nice! I had no idea those existed. I am sure a package of those is scarce as hen's teeth today, hence my decision to go "rigger" as inspired by this photo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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