bazelot Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share #651 Posted July 9, 2014 One of my favorite helmets which I just recently acquired. M450 with modified chincup. TC66 earcups covered in chamois and heavily reinforced oxy snaps. Does not get much better than that. I need to take better pictures and take it off the shelf Named to a Navy Cross winner. After I got the helmet I also acquired nametags, documents, patches that belonged to the same pilot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share #652 Posted July 9, 2014 Latest setup. M-450 helmet with TC66 earcups covered in chamois. A beautiful setup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share #653 Posted July 9, 2014 More Pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #654 Posted July 10, 2014 Deck helmet with TC66 in awesome condition. It shows sign of use but is in near pristine condition. It is rare for the TC66 to stay soft, pliable and display no sign of aging. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #655 Posted July 10, 2014 More Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #656 Posted July 10, 2014 I just acquired this setup. It is an issued Navy deck helmet fitted with brown volcano earcups and TH37 receivers for flight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #657 Posted July 10, 2014 More pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #658 Posted July 10, 2014 Simple but quite rare. It is a M-450 flight helmet with pre war brown earcups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #659 Posted July 10, 2014 2 more pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #660 Posted July 10, 2014 Next one is a pre war setup (that was also used in WWII in limited capacity) named to Larry Stanley who was a Catapult pilot on the USS Texas. I am still looking for more information on the pilot. It has the typical Navy powder puffs inside the helmet to protect the ears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 10, 2014 Author Share #661 Posted July 10, 2014 2 more pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share #662 Posted July 11, 2014 1092W flight helmet with rigger added acoustic earcups and flat sided receivers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 11, 2014 Author Share #663 Posted July 11, 2014 More Pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #664 Posted July 12, 2014 A very unusual Naval M-450 helmet. Unusual in that it was issued to a AAF pilot. The pilot was at the battle of the Coral Sea and received the Silver Star. He was later killed in action in December 1942 Charles Richards LIEUT. CHARLES RICHARDS IS REPORTED KILLED IN ACTION Unofficial word that First Lieutenant Charles L. Richards, son of Carlos Richards of Albion, and this community’s only air pilot on combat duty, that he had been killed in action in New Guinea was received in a letter to his wife who lives near Fort Wayne, Indiana, early Monday. Mrs. Richards immediately telephoned the young man’s grandmother, Mrs. Louis Richards, and his aunt, Mrs. Pearl Weaver, who live here. The boy’s father and his sister Miss Jean, are employed in Evansville. Inexplainable is the fact that no official word has been received from the war department, official source of such messages, and the fact that no message has been received still leaves a slight ray of hope, although it is small as the following letter indicates. “The officers and enlisted men of the 3rd Bombardment Group join me in extending to you our deepest sympathy on the loss of your husband, First Lieutenant Charles L. Richards who gave his life for his country on December 5 in New Guinea. Funeral services were held on Dec. 6, 1942. He was a fine officer and an outstanding and gallant leader and we all share your sorrow. Sincerely, Robert F. Strickland, Major Air Corps Commanding.” Cables saying he was alive and well and expected to see them soon were received from Lieut. Richards by his folks here on December 12 and by his wife on December 13--their first wedding anniversary. Cables are usually received the day after they are sent, which could only mean that the cablegrams were badly delayed, or else there is reason to hope.Lieutenant Richards, who was born in Grayville, spent most of his life here attending and graduating from Albion schools and later attending Indiana Technical College at Fort Wayne. He passed his 24th birthday anniversary on November 26. His study of aeronautics at college facilitated his entrance in the army and he graduated as a pilot at Kelly Field on Dec 12, 1941. His marriage to Miss Georgia Maxwell of Fort Wayne occurred the following day and it was not long until it was learned that he was in Australia, piloting a medium bomber. His name was mentioned twice in news dispatches, once when a news story stated that he had been awarded the coveted Silver Star for aerial reconnaissance work done over enemy territory and again when he was one of the pilots participating in a raid over Lae, Japanese stronghold in New Guinea. Early in May he was wounded in action and was shot in an arm and a leg, but was returned to duty after a month or so in the hospital during which time he received the Order of the Purple Heart medal, given to those who are wounded in action. He participated in the Coral Sea battle, and was in action most of the time he has been in foreign service, with the exception of the time he was in the hospital. Members of Richards’ squadron home on leave had told his wife several weeks ago that they saw her husband before they left some five weeks ago, that he was alive and well and that he had been moved to a safe zone and was in no danger. Richards, it was understood, was based at a field in Australia, but spent most of his time on the advanced base at Port Moresby whence the American planes went forth to hunt the enemy. Richards, untimely death, if it is true, is the first in action from Edwards county. He not only did his work, but from what others said of him, covered himself with glory,--a credit to his community, his nation and all those great heroes who are on God’s side in this most colossal of all wars. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #665 Posted July 12, 2014 More pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #666 Posted July 12, 2014 M-450 with chamois covered TC66 named to George B. Woodbury who was with VMSB-131 on Guadalcanal. I have 2 more helmets from him. Woodbury got a Silver Star.This helmet is in perfect condition, it does not get much better than that. The back straps of the helmet were rigger modified and slanted to accommodate the earcups Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #667 Posted July 12, 2014 Original deck helmet heavily customized by owner. 3 straps added to the back, leather cups and the chinstrap was cut down and a buckle installed. A M-450 buckle was used. For the strap for the buckle they re-used the deck helmet strap thta was cut off. Very interesting setup. I had personally never seen that type of modification on a deck helmet. The group came with a huge photo album, his dog tags and medals. Belonged to a gunner that saw action in the Pacific. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #668 Posted July 12, 2014 More pics: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #669 Posted July 12, 2014 2 more: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #670 Posted July 12, 2014 Another named helmet. Early 1092 Lift The Dot helmet named to Vincent De Poix who later became Vice Admiral and DIA director from 72 to 74. He was a pilot with VF-6 from June 42 to August 43. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #671 Posted July 12, 2014 2 more pics Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #672 Posted July 12, 2014 Helmet named to George B. Woodbury who was with VMSB-131 on Guadalcanal. I have 2 more helmets from him. Woodbury got a Silver Star in Korea. THe helmet is unusual because it is fitted with a M-450 Chincup modified to close with a snap. Mike is WWII vintage not post WWII. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 12, 2014 Author Share #673 Posted July 12, 2014 one more: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bazelot Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share #674 Posted July 13, 2014 M-450 with TC66 earcups and oxy snaps. Named to USMC pilot. I have more pics of it but I have to locate them Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted July 13, 2014 Share #675 Posted July 13, 2014 Amazing collection. Thanks for continuing to share it with us Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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