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Military Motorcycle Helmet II (MMH-II) - Gentex


P-E
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Helo everybody,

 

here's my military motorcycle Helmet II, made by gentex in 1999. It's complete and new, but problem is small size ;

 

img_6421.jpg

 

img_6422.jpg

 

img_6510.jpg

 

img_6511.jpg

 

img_6513.jpg

 

I'm currently modify (add white bottom) some others pictures, so please wait a little for others. I'll also add some pictures of Special forces community guys who worn this helmet in their humvees, during the beginning of OIF in 2003.

 

Any informations is welcome ! I don't know any ODA or ODB 303 (?)...so if someone have information about "SF 303", it's welcome !

 

P-E

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And now here's pictures of Special Forces soldier wearing the MMH-II in the beginning of OIF (Iraq campaign, march 2003) ;

 

abn.jpg

 

iraq5.jpg

 

iraq8.jpg

 

abm.jpg

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Any informations is welcome ! I don't know any ODA or ODB 303 (?)...so if someone have information about "SF 303", it's welcome !

 

P-E

 

 

 

The SF may be "Security Forces" USAF "cops"

 

I have similar "well-used" helmet, came from 5th SFG vet

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Any informations is welcome ! I don't know any ODA or ODB 303 (?)...so if someone have information about "SF 303", it's welcome !

 

P-E

The SF may be "Security Forces" USAF "cops"

 

I have similar "well-used" helmet, came from 5th SFG vet

 

You've right, SF can be also Security Forces. But what I know, these helmets were only used by Special Forces, not Security Forces (who has more common helmet, like ACH/MICH, PASGT,...), that the reason why I only ask about Special forces, and not Security forces. The pictures I show are 5th SFG in Iraq, in the beginning of OIF.

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"You've right, SF can be also Security Forces. But what I know, these helmets were only used by Special Forces, not Security Forces (who has more common helmet, like ACH/MICH, PASGT,...), "

 

I would not say these are "Special Forces only"-it is a Motorcycle helmet and they have been making these helmets longer a long time before OIF/OEF. Helmet is dated 99.

 

"SF 303" could be a vehicle number too.

 

Unless number ODA #s are different, there isn't a ODA/ODB 303 even with the addition of another BN-which would make it four numbers

 

Just because it has SF stenciled on-doesn't mean it is Special Forces.

 

I would consider the source you bought it from-it seems he sells alot of Surplus military gear.

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"You've right, SF can be also Security Forces. But what I know, these helmets were only used by Special Forces, not Security Forces (who has more common helmet, like ACH/MICH, PASGT,...), " I would not say these are "Special Forces only"-it is a Motorcycle helmet and they have been making these helmets longer a long time before OIF/OEF. Helmet is dated 99. "SF 303" could be a vehicle number too.

 

Unless number ODA #s are different, there isn't a ODA/ODB 303 even with the addition of another BN-which would make it four numbers

.

 

Just because it has SF stenciled on-doesn't mean it is Special Forces. I would consider the source you bought it from-it seems he sells alot of Surplus military gear.

 

Thanks for your response. You've right, it's not only Special Forces. Moreover, my helmet was probably never used, so it's hard to say the unit it was destined for. And the person I bought it, as you told, isn't specialized in special forces gears. So yes, it can be special forces, but it can also be used by others troops. Agree with you for that. I just told this sort of helmet were intensively used by Special forces community (as shown in pictures of 5th SFG in Iraq in the beginning of OIF) and I never see pictures of US military motorcyclists with this helmet (I did some research about them, but can't find nothing about this helmet in use).

 

But you've wrong considering ODA and ODB have 4 numbers. By example, ODA 525 was deployed in Iraq in the beginning of OIF. There's some book that speak about this ODA 525 (as by example "Special Operations Forces in Iraq" by Leigh Neville, osprey Publishing # 170 - see http://books.google.be/books?id=wCHswXeXda...;q&f=false). And as you can see, there's only 3 numbers : ODA 525, full denomination = Team 5, B Co, 1st BN, 5th SFG.

 

It's the old system to number the ODA and ODB (in application during the beginning of OEF and OIF) :

 

- The first number refer to Group - Ex.: ODA 525

 

"0" refers to 10 Special Forces Group (example : ODA 074,...).

"1" refers to 1st Special Forces Group (example : ODA 172,...)

"3" refers to 3rd Special Forces Group (example : ODA 373,...)

"5" refers to 5th Special forces Group (examples : ODA 525, ODA 555,...)

"7" refers to 7th Special Forces Group (example : ODA 774,...)

 

- second is a combination between Battalion & Company (see below) - Ex. : ODA 525

 

////////Alpha ////////// Bravo /////////// Charlie [= Company]

1 = 1st Battalion / 2 = 1st Battalion / 3 =1st Battalion

4 =2nd Battalion / 5 =2 nd Battalion / 6 =2nd Battalion

7 = 3rd Battalion / 8 = 3rd Battalion / 9=3rd Battalion

 

- third number is Team - Ex. : ODA 525

 

0 = ODB

1 = team 1 (ODA)

2 = team 2 (ODA)

3 = team 3 (ODA)

4 = team 4 (halo capabilities - ODA)

5 = team 5 (scuba/combat diver capabilites - ODA).

 

And at this point, you can also differenciate ODA and ODB :

 

ODA = Operatioonal Detachment Alpha / A-team. It's the basic SF unit.

 

ODB (= Operational Detachment Beta /B Detachment / B team / SFOD-B ) : it's SF company headquarters. For ODB, the last number is always "0"

 

ODC = provides command and control, and staff planning and supervision for SF battalion operations and administration.

 

Example : ODA 524.

 

The first number "5" refer to Special forces Group, so 5th Special Forces Group.

The second number "2" is a combination between battalion and company. You can see that number "2" refer to "bravo company, 1st Battalion".

And the third number "4" refer to team. Team 4 are usually specialized in Halo capabilites

 

And you can find some others example of ODA numbers in this book : http://books.google.be/books?id=CtPxOn7FLR...774&f=false. There's also the full denomination .

 

--> It's just an example and explanations to show you there's not only 4 numbers in ODA. In fact, they added one 4th number after modify composition of SFG (I don't know the year of modification of SFG ???). They added one 4th battalion in some SFG, so the table is now out of function and that the reason why now there's 4 numbers in ODA. Example : ODA 3336.

 

Considering what I told, my conclusion is that "SF 303" do not refers to ODA or ODB, because there's a "0" between two "3" (see red explanations). It's exactly what I told in my first post : there's no ODA or ODB known as 303... So "SF 303" is not correlating with ODA and ODB, and I'm 100% sure of that.

 

Hope you understand what I try to explain...sorry, but it's hard to explain in english for someone who's french speaking as mother tongue... :thumbsup:

 

P-E

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  • 2 weeks later...

This forum is great! I just picked up a great desert-camouflaged example of the Military Motorcyclist Helmet II in a surplus store -- I wouldn't have given it a second look if I hadn't seen this thread.

 

The helmet is well-used and very dusty -- it appears to have a hand-applied camouflage scheme:

 

post-265-1279932412.jpg

 

This example is a little unusual in that it doesn't seem to have ever had the moleskin pads on the sides to keep the visor hardware from scratching the shell. It seems from the pictures of SF personnel posted above that goggles were preferred over the visor anyway, so maybe they were left off for that reason. The store owner said it came from Camp Lejeune, but I don't have any way of verifying that.

 

Bill

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The inside:

 

post-265-1279932965.jpg

 

There are supposed to be two pads, one in the front and one in the back. However, the user has chosen to use a front pad and two on the sides. I'm going to leave it this way since it's apparently how it was used.

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Finally, a picture showing the side of the helmet where the microphone was mounted:

 

post-265-1279933249.jpg

 

The microphone and all internal commo gear has been removed. If anyone knows where I can find replacements please let me know! I'd also be interested in finding a visor to fit it. The thread on these helmets has been very educational and I'd like to see any new information that comes to light.

 

By the way, the Gentex manual for the helmet can be found at: MMH II Helmet Manual.

 

Bill

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Thanks for response and thanks for the Use and care manual link !!! It's always good to have the manual ! Thanks again for that.

 

I see inside the use and care manul : "for special operations". Does it mean only SF operators used this helmet ? I never see any picts with US army soldiers (regular troops - motorcyclist or not) using this, but just want to have a confirmation it's well SOF...?

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Thanks for response and thanks for the Use and care manual link !!! It's always good to have the manual ! Thanks again for that.

 

I see inside the use and care manul : "for special operations". Does it mean only SF operators used this helmet ? I never see any picts with US army soldiers (regular troops - motorcyclist or not) using this, but just want to have a confirmation it's well SOF...?

 

A few comments on this helmet:

 

It is obviously based on the shell for the HGU-55 flight helmet adopted by the Air Force back in the 1980's, but with a ballistic shell. There is also a HALO helmet that utilizes the same basic shape, all are produced by Gentex.

 

Defense industries produce a wide variety of material for potential sale to both the US military and foreign militaries, much of which never gets adopted by the US military. The Special Operations community has much greater latitude in their ability to acquire COTS (commercial off-the-shelf) material than the rest of the military, as well as being able to contract for their own uniquely designed material. "USZA92-98-M-8486” is a contract number. “USZA92” is the activity code for USSOCOM/USACOM. In other words, these helmets were contracted for directly by those activities for their use and were not acquired through the Defense Logistics Agency and/or the Army as a whole.

 

Note also that neither the helmets, nor any of the component parts listed in the Gentex "manual" have NSN's. The "manual" itself is not a government pub, but instead something provided by Gentex. This would further lead one to believe that the helmet is not a standard item.

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  • 10 years later...

post-729-0-60022700-1586710219.png

Theres a topic on these already here on the forum.  I havent time to find it though.  Has some great pics of these being worn as well.  I think these came in Sand, Green OD and maybe Grey?  I have one with all the extras for sale in the sale section

 

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  • 5 months later...

I have 2 of the 180 M1025A2 HMMWV -based SOCOM Ground Mobility Vehicles (GMVs) that were released as surplus a couple years ago, one 5SFG 2A11C and 1st SFG GMV 2.

GMV.jpg

iraq8.jpg

ODA 551 Karbala Gap GMV.jpg

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  • 2 weeks later...
  • 3 weeks later...

So I scored a M/L shell MMCII, am in the process of testing the AHP system, the  manual says the box takes an AAA battery but mine is too short to fit an AAA inside, would take a different battery same diameter as the AAA but only 1 to 1.125" long.    My helmet has scuff from the old school PASGT ratchetting NVG Mount Strap Assy, and has an extra hole drilled on the front sueded leather strip, appears to be for bolting the NVG Rhino Mount Base to the MMCII itself instead of using the PASGT ratchet strap.   This M/L is a bit too small, anybody have an XL shell MMCII?  I bought it as BII for my OIF1 GMV, and for my nephew to wear riding on the gunner seat in the turret.

 

ML MMCII Label.jpg

ML MMCIIA.jpg

ML MMCIIB.jpg

ML MMCIIC.jpg

ML MMCIID.jpg

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The Active Hearing Protection unit on my MMCII battery cavity was too short to fit the AAA shown in the online manual.  Using same diameter as AAA and max length of 1" to 1 1/8" overall length, I found a Duracell Size N 1.5v and a Duracell Size 21/23 12v batteries that met those dimensions.   I tested the MMCII with the lower voltage Size N 1.5v and it works fine, like a set of electronic hearing protection or using Sordins with a PRC-148 MBITR.  I didn't want to risk damage by putting the 12v battery in the unit, let good enough be good enough.  And it transmits on my TRI PRC-148 MBITR when I pushed the Radio PTT Toggle Switch.

 

Edit: Next mission is to get a Pre OIF1 mfg date Flyers Helmet Bag to protect this unique lid.

 

Edit2: I used a CX-13479/VRC Part Number A3206020 Date 07/01 CVC Helmet Cable to connect the MMCII to my TRI PRC-148 MBITR

 

I need one more cable for my VIC-3 LITE Intercom System before I can test it on the GMV Intercom.

 

Cool beans.

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