Father's USN flight helmet

[Warren]

I have all my father's flight gear from WW II, also this helmut, which I think was used when flying F2H-1 aircraft in early '54 (one flight log shows a helmut issued 12-7-51 under summer helmut unlined) not sure if this is it. Here are some photos.

 

 

[Scott C.]

Very nice, and it appears to be in great condition.

[Warren]

I have a picture of dad's squadron VF 877 or VF 784 at Oakland NAS wearing it I believe. He is pictured front row, second from left.

 

[amateuraero]

The helmet you have is an APH-5 made by MSA.  It was introduced around 1956.  The helmets in the photo with the Grumman S2F Tracker appear to be the H-4, introduced around 1954.  The tail code 7L for the S2F seems to be for NAS Los Alamitos according to vpnavy.org .  The S2F might belong to a

VS-   squadron.  I have some reference materials that might contain the squadron(s) associated with the 7L tail code.  Also, there might be some H-3 helmets mixed in with the H-4 helmets in the S2F photo?  Other hard shell helmets from the late 1940s to early 1950s were the H-1 and H-2.

 

 

[Warren]

Thank you! This could be squadron VS 776 which was attached at Los Alamitos NAS. He did fly S2F's in '56, '57. Unfortunately  there was no notation on the back of this photo.