Jump to content

MINT Early APH-5 Gentex Flight Helmet: When Was It Made


Recommended Posts

FT.Monmouth1943
Posted

Recently picked up this near mint APH-5 helmet, but haven’t had much luck figuring out when it was made. I was thinking possibly the late 50s based on the tag, but not newer than the early 60s. Any help would be greatly appreciated!

 

Photoroom_20241212_174640.jpeg.1ea8157ad2aa45d5e2d27ac1c3be0dd3.jpeg

IMG_4747.jpeg.6501d1cfaedc3745e47fa991c301f10e.jpeg

IMG_4731.jpeg.f0dfe4ba54579554ec029e7edfc9b3b4.jpeg

IMG_4733.jpeg.523dbeae43ff8f0bffce36ca40aba4ce.jpeg

IMG_4736.jpeg.e505037228cd2df75b230c22673af06f.jpeg

IMG_4738.jpeg.c8fe19d3dc5705f8a76ecc3cee4fd18f.jpeg

IMG_4742.jpeg.37c30c3691b08924033bfc9402014e58.jpeg

IMG_4748.jpeg.514ffc9ff5735bc3c024703d2354bdfa.jpeg

IMG_4749.jpeg.abec0aff9a06078f2c7e964277743e4f.jpeg

Posted

the orange Gentex tag and Patent applied for will help date it...but. IMO pre 1960..which puts it 1957(?)-1960....

very nice...I

FT.Monmouth1943
Posted
2 hours ago, phantomfixer said:

the orange Gentex tag and Patent applied for will help date it...but. IMO pre 1960..which puts it 1957(?)-1960....

very nice...I

Thank you! That’s what I was thinking as well. This is the first one I’ve come across with the older style tag and I’m having trouble finding other examples online.

Posted
11 hours ago, FT.Monmouth1943 said:

Thank you! That’s what I was thinking as well. This is the first one I’ve come across with the older style tag and I’m having trouble finding other examples online.

 

... this is rather an US Army APH-5A, although the (hand-written) inside tag reads APH-5. The enhanced -A variant showed up first in mid-1959, yet through some time still had some unique details of the early US Navy APH-5:

* very thick, reddish edgeroll made in foam rubber,

* visor cover made in fiber,

* metal edges for the visor cover track, and metal 'stops' for the visor itself.

 

Your's is a decidedly later specimen showing the ultimate plastic cover with its unmistakable contour (plus, the very thin black edgeroll) thus, much likely from not prior to 1963 - 64 in my opinion..

FT.Monmouth1943
Posted
23 minutes ago, BlueBookGuy said:

 

... this is rather an US Army APH-5A, although the (hand-written) inside tag reads APH-5. The enhanced -A variant showed up first in mid-1959, yet through some time still had some unique details of the early US Navy APH-5:

* very thick, reddish edgeroll made in foam rubber,

* visor cover made in fiber,

* metal edges for the visor cover track, and metal 'stops' for the visor itself.

 

Your's is a decidedly later specimen showing the ultimate plastic cover with its unmistakable contour (plus, the very thin black edgeroll) thus, much likely from not prior to 1963 - 64 in my opinion..

 

Those are very good points. Would it make more sense that it was a 1950s APH-5 helmet that was upgraded/modified to APH-5A configuration in the early/mid 60s? I’m pretty sure that those older Gentex tags were not in use by then, and it seems very late to be using patent applied for.

Posted

... a good question but, if so it perhaps should still retain the original thick edgeroll, that was always tan/reddish in color.

In fact, shell looks brand new; just my opinion but,  in this case why taking away the older (and itself as new as the shell, I suppose?) foamrubber edgeroll in order to fit the later type, I don't see any particular advantage.

It looks to me like a complete set that was born as we see it. However, never say never I must admit.

FT.Monmouth1943
Posted

Yeah, it is strange. The only other tag I’ve seen like this with the hand written info is on a DH-5. With the exception of the hand written stuff, I’ve seen nearly identical tags on H-4 helmets.

 

 

  • 2 weeks later...
Posted

This is an APH-5A, Army variant of the APH-5. White models were the earliest of the batch, originally fitted with the fiberglass / + metal track visor housing. Similar Sierra-mfg examples of the same kind are labeled 63 or 64C.

The fact it sports the later plastic visor housing and thin black edge beading makes it a later issue in my opinion (circa 65), or a shell of the early 60's that was factory-upgraded with the newer housing circa 65 (the Olive Green factory-painted APH-5A started being produced circa 66-67).
These white models were often "field-painted" in various shades of green / black in South-East Asia.


This example you have is NOS, in my opinion, as the fitting pads were never applied, nor does it sports a boom mic (usually M-33/AIC with this helmet type).

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
×
×
  • Create New...