bazelot Posted December 30, 2009 Share #1 Posted December 30, 2009 I wanted to post some of my WWII Navy flight helmets. Here they are. They are all named and some of them are researched. One belonged to one of the USS Missouri catapult pilots. Another one belonged to a Black Cat pilot who was in one of the PBYs that spotted the Japanese Navy at Midway. Another one belonged to a F6F pilot. I never buy my helmets mint. I always buy helmets that have history attached to them and that actually saw combat. I would love to see some of yours. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob Hudson Posted December 31, 2009 Share #2 Posted December 31, 2009 I never buy my helmets mint. I always buy helmets that have history attached to them and that actually saw combat. Good for you! Mint stuff is merely Army-Navy surplus, while the used and ID'ed things are historical artifacts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClaptonIsGod Posted December 31, 2009 Share #3 Posted December 31, 2009 Great flight helmets! Have you contacted any of the owners? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KASTAUFFER Posted December 31, 2009 Share #4 Posted December 31, 2009 You have some nice helmets! Early WWII ID'd USN flight helmets are getting VERY expensive. They have never been easy to find. The nicest WWII helmet I have is one worn by a VT-87 pilot who earned his Navy Cross in 1945. Here is a thread on pre WWII USN flight helmets I started: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=34734 Kurt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share #5 Posted December 31, 2009 Great flight helmets! Have you contacted any of the owners? I am afraid all the original owners passed away. I managed to contact family members for some of them and got some really interesting information. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share #6 Posted December 31, 2009 You have some nice helmets! Early WWII ID'd USN flight helmets are getting VERY expensive. They have never been easy to find. The nicest WWII helmet I have is one worn by a VT-87 pilot who earned his Navy Cross in 1945. Here is a thread on pre WWII USN flight helmets I started: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...showtopic=34734 Kurt Some of them are getting pricey, that's right. Most of those cloth helmets were disposable and as such few survived. The same goes for the M-426A and the M-421A which were the most worn flight suits and flight jackets early on in the war in the Pacific. Thanks for sharing the pre WWII helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted December 31, 2009 Share #7 Posted December 31, 2009 Good for you! Mint stuff is merely Army-Navy surplus, while the used and ID'ed things are historical artifacts. Extremely well put!!!!!!!....and great helmets!...I am admiring all the leather chincups!!.....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted December 31, 2009 Author Share #8 Posted December 31, 2009 Extremely well put!!!!!!!....and great helmets!...I am admiring all the leather chincups!!.....mike THanks, I probably have half a dozen more that are not displayed but I should take pictures of them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zingo Posted December 31, 2009 Share #9 Posted December 31, 2009 Fantastic collection. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BEAST Posted December 31, 2009 Share #10 Posted December 31, 2009 Great looking helmets! This is my only Navy flight helmet and it was worn by a Flight Surgeon on the USS Independence. More can be read about him at: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...n+f\.+popp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TLeo Posted December 31, 2009 Share #11 Posted December 31, 2009 Some great looking flight helmets there! I used to have a couple but for some reason I got interested in the modern flight helmets and have a bunch of modern original Navy squadron helmets. Love to see more of yours! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted December 31, 2009 Share #12 Posted December 31, 2009 Nice Helmets Baz! I didn't know you had all of these. Very cool! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted January 1, 2010 Author Share #13 Posted January 1, 2010 Great looking helmets! This is my only Navy flight helmet and it was worn by a Flight Surgeon on the USS Independence. More can be read about him at: http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...n+f\.+popp Great helmet. If you ever want to part with it, let me know Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bebel Posted January 3, 2010 Share #14 Posted January 3, 2010 Great! I agree 100% with a helmet oet whatever flight gear which has belonged to a known user and with history is most interesting than an anonymous surplus stuff. But harder to find! I love USN pilot items and history but I am more "specialized" in the 50's. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted June 7, 2010 Author Share #15 Posted June 7, 2010 I am bringing this thread back up. Anyone wants to share their WWII Navy flight helmets. I have a more and I will take pics and post them as soon as I can locate the charger for my camera Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted June 8, 2010 Share #16 Posted June 8, 2010 Great thread Bazelot.... You have a very nice helmets... I have some example but all of these was showed in Navy Pilots thread in display section.... since this time I have had only new one : standard AN6540 series summer flying helmet with oxygen mask snaps, Navy WW2 ( not post war with N383 contract) ANB-H-1A earphones and Polaroid goggles... nice used and salty condition... it haver some name on top but hard to read... I hope You show us more of You helmets soon The best regards, Jerry K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted June 25, 2010 Share #17 Posted June 25, 2010 Hmmmm no one dont have any Naval Flying helmets??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted June 25, 2010 Share #18 Posted June 25, 2010 Okay Jerry, here you go! This is an M-450-1, manufactured by H.L.B. Corp. NY and named to Lt. F.E. Yarnall, USNR. You might recognize it from Mick Prodger's Flying Helmets book, page 291, but that was two owners ago prior to my acquiring it in 2008. Unfortunately, the right earcup had melted, but I was able to obtain a replacement. It is displayed with Charles Fischer Spring Mk II Pilot goggles and an MSA type D demand oxygen mask. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted June 25, 2010 Share #19 Posted June 25, 2010 Best regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted June 28, 2010 Share #20 Posted June 28, 2010 Let's try another. This is a nylon tropical helmet with Charles Fischer Spring Mk-IV goggles and an M-5/UR lip mic. They were intended to improve speaking clarity at altitudes below oxygen mask levels but weren't too practical and were quickly replaced with the boom mounting system which used the same mic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted June 28, 2010 Share #21 Posted June 28, 2010 The unsnapped end is simply secured under the goggle strap. Best regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted June 28, 2010 Share #22 Posted June 28, 2010 Hi Paul! Thanks for nice helmet photos! I love Your M450 with TC-66 earcups and mask... Type D is a rare model! Second helmet is new for me ... I never see the M-5/UR lip mic. installed directly to the helmet... only with oxygen mask snaps like in Mick P. book... The best regards, Jerry K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted June 28, 2010 Share #23 Posted June 28, 2010 Hi Jerry, Glad you enjoyed them. Sorry for the confusion with the lip mic. It is not permanently attached. There is a third snap, above the oxygen mask hook on the wearer's right side. The other end would attach to the top oxygen mask snap on the wearer's left side. Best regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tankerman Posted June 28, 2010 Share #24 Posted June 28, 2010 I have REALLY enjoyed seeing these helmets. Thanks for taking the time to share. Amazing display from USN aviation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jerry_k Posted June 28, 2010 Share #25 Posted June 28, 2010 Hi Jerry,Glad you enjoyed them. Sorry for the confusion with the lip mic. It is not permanently attached. There is a third snap, above the oxygen mask hook on the wearer's right side. The other end would attach to the top oxygen mask snap on the wearer's left side. Best regards, Paul Okay Paul, now I understood this configuration Do you have any vintage photo with this mic. in use??? The best regards, Jerry K. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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