RARE USN Mk IV Model 2 Type 1 Full Pressure helmet with transit case.

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Headpiece for  Mk IV, Model 2, Type 1 Pressure Suit manufactured by B.F. Goodrich, dated 1961 and serial numbered. These were produced in very small quantities, developed for orbital flight. Exact same model helmet was used in the Mercury Space Program. In overall very good displayable condition and more complete than most offered for sale: However it is missing the lower 25% of the external tinted visor. Whether this was "personalized" or somehow broken in a remarkably clean and near straight line is impossible to say. There is also a small crack in the clear visor, approx. 2" long, though none is missing. Mount for the boom microphone is also missing, though the microphone and all comm. gear is present, as is oxygen inlet. Foam padding is dry and crumbling, as per usual. Other than that, the helmet is complete and displays very well, showing use and a few knocks and chips but no damage. Retains 100% of it's USN wings logo to the front and 95% of the USN logo to rear. It comes in its fitted plastic transit domed case which has its USN wings logo decal intact. Clasps have surface oxidation and one clasp is missing its locking loop but this could easily be replaced. All valves, switches and visor mechanism in good working order. An extremely rare helmet that truly belongs to the "Space Age." Priced according to its condition.

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$1,900 / £1,385 / €1,570  email to secure this item

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NOW $1,700

RN Fleet Air Arm Type C helmet with internal wiring loom.

 

Very nice Fleet Air Arm Type C Flying Helmet showing signs of use and possible personalization, complete with its fitted internal wiring loom, though the telephone receivers have been removed along with the rubber telephone holders. This appears to have been a period modification. Removal of the telephone holders was not an uncommon practice in order to achieve better sound, especially if the Gosport tubes were not required, such as with single seat fighters etc. The helmet appears to have been further modified by painting the top with yellow aircraft paint, though this now only remains along the seams, suggesting it may have been cleaned off at some point. The helmet is named inside to "Robinson" so perhaps research is possible, since the FAA was a relatively small air force. Leather sound with  a few scuffs, interior a little grubby from use but no wear or damage. Wiring loom, cord and plug are all in good condition. This is the early style wired helmet with fully enclosed wiring and 3 leather tabs at the rear. Zipped ear pieces work perfectly and retain leather pullers; NOS RCAF cushions are fitted to help maintain their shape. A lovely used example of the naval version of the Type C with potential for research.

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$475 / £350 / €398  

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RAF Type G flying hemet, excellent condition, fully wired, size 2, 1969 dated.

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Excellent RAF Type G flying helmet, worn alone as is in transport /reconnaissance and bomber aircraft such as the Vulcan, or underneath a Mk I or Ia "bone dome" in fast jet fighters. Blue airtex cloth with clean cream coloured leather pads containing telephone receivers with cord and plug. named inside but appears to have had very little use. Size 2 which is medium but these helmets are generous and this is quite large. 

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$115 / £85 / €95  email to secure this item

Lewis helmet with DH style Gosport receivers and tubes, brown leather.

 

Very good, used example of the popular Lewis flying helmet favoured by RAF pilots of the Auxiliary squadrons during training, often adapted and modified for operational use. This is an early model, and is made in brown leather - most found are black - and is fitted with De Havilland style chromed Gosport receivers and tubes. Shows plenty of use but no damage, very high quality leather which is in lovely condition, soft and supple. Great D. Lewis label inside.

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$275 / £199 / €230  email to secure this item

RAF Type G helmet, Cold War era.

 

Nice complete example of the Type G flying helmet which replaced the wartime Type E and served both as a flying helmet in heavy bombers and transports, and as a liner for the "bone-dome" crash helmet in fighter jets. The Type G had a long and illustrious career, from the mid 1950s until the early 1980s, changing from traditional RAF blue-grey to NATO green along the way. This is a nice early example, dated 1965, placing it right in the midst of the Cold War. It is named and the owner has also added his initials to the outside over the left receiver housing. Size 2 (medium) but these were generously sized and made from stretchy airtex material for a good fit. Complete with receivers, wiring and plugs. Slightly grubby from use but overall very good condition.

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$100 / £75 / €85  email to secure this item

AAF Type A-9 Flying Helmet, size medium.

 

The very basic summer weight flying helmet with which the US Army Air Corps entered WWII.​ A simple, unlined OD cotton skull cap with a leather chin strap wrapped in shearling, with shearling pads on the inside to cover the ears and webbing patches sewn to the outside securing hooks to which the A-9 and A-10 Standard oxygen mask would then be attached. It also has drawstring cords for tightening the brow and nape. These helmets were intended to fit very tightly and therefore sizes tend to run on the small side. This is a size medium which is actually quite generous. It has the addition of webbing tapes with snaps mounted so that a later A-10A or A-14 oxygen mask may be worn. It has a small tear at the back where the cotton fabric has separated but apart from that looks to be unissued or unworn. While once considered very common, like everything else, these are beginning to dry up.

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$45 / £35 / €38   email to secure this item

Early Luftwaffe model FK34 Summer Flying helmet.

 

A very early production FK34 Summer Flying Helmet in very good clean condition. Nice salt and pepper weave cotton fabric body with brown cotton lining, leather trim and heavily plated hardware. Super high quality. This helmet was designed for pre-radio days and was usually worn by pilots of single seat aircraft, and even gliders (many early photos show this type of helmet being worn by Me109 pilots). Condition is great. It has a simple label inside with the RB Number printed and size 55, pretty small - suggesting perhaps a young trainee glider pilot. Early examples like this are not common.

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$180 / £130 / €150  email to secure this item

WWI US Air Service issue pattern flying helmet.

 

The standard pattern flying helmet as issued to aviators in the US Army Air Service at the tail end of WWI. Soft leather helmet lined with blanket wool, with rectangular ear flaps, long chin strap and short bill. It also had short goggle retaining tabs on each side and was stamped on the back with Quartermaster's Stores information. The ink stamping, in reddish purple ink, is almost always blurred to obliteration, but contained words to the effect of "US Air Service" followed by a date (usually May 1918 based upon previous examples I have handled). The ink stamping is illegible but obvious what it represents. One of the goggle tabs is missing, and there is a small square area of leather worn away on the rear, otherwise this helmet is in good condition. Few are found these days due to to the poor quality of leather and tanning process used, this being a rare survivor in above average condition.

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$300 / £260 / €280

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Scarce early AAF type A-11A flying helmet.

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Lovely example of the early production run of A-11 helmet, later re-issued as A-11A. These early pattern helmets were made from a higher grade of cape leather which soon ran out forcing a change in the contract. Early examples had no provision for attaching the mask, with snap fasteners being added in the field as needed (or in this case, not added, perhaps suggesting use of the A-8B mask, or the A-9/A-10 with Juliet harness). The helmet also features an elasticated gusset at the back instead of the strap and buckle fitted the later A-11. Spec. label has been removed - most likely because this helmet was redesignated mid-production. I would estimate it's a Large size. It is stamped inside with the AAF acceptance mark and is in overall very good condition.

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$175 / £125 / €145  email to secure this item

Lovely RCAF Canadian made Type B flying helmet in a large size 3.

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Excellent example of the Canadian made flying helmet based on the iconic RAF Type B. Lovely soft chestnut brown leather with soft chamois lining, zipped ear compartments for telephone receivers (not fitted), leather chin strap and chrome plated metal buckles. Inside is marked with broad arrow inside a large "C" and size 3. It is also named iniside one of the ear cups. A really nice gently used example.

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$350 / £250 / €290  email to secure this item

AAF Type A-1 Snap-on Visor for flying helmet.

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Quite a difficult item to find because they didn't make or issue too many of these. For pilots who spent any amount of time flying in direct sunlight, these, together with sunglasses, could help alleviate glare and the stress. It required 2 male snaps fasteners to be attached to the flying helmet, usually on the hard rubber ear cups. Excellent condition and well-marked. 

 

$65 / £55 / €48   email to secure this item

AAF Type A-11 flying helmet size Medium by Fox Chase Knitting Mills.

 

Nice example of a used - but not abused - A-11 flying helmet manufactured by Fox Chase Knitting Mills, one of the least often encountered labels in my experience. Leather is excellent, chamois lining is a little grubby from wear but there is no damage. Has several names written inside and then inked out. The small U-shaped lock on the chin strap buckle is absent but could easily be replaced and pilots almost never buckled their helmets anyway. Nice decal to side is 90% complete, which is unusual - these "water slide" decals almost always wore away. Size medium which makes it the perfect size for display on a standard male feature head. No receivers or wiring fitted. 

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$150 / £122 / €126  email to secure this item

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Scarce 1920s US Navy intermediate / lightweight flying helmet.

 

This is a scarce early US Navy issue intermediate weight flying helmet, made from super high quality glove leather lined with chamois. Though the helmet is sadly not in pristine condition, the leather is still soft and pliable and actually displays well. The surface of the leather has dried out and rubbed from being folded and perhaps improperly stored, but it does not appear to be rotted or weak and the wear is to the surface. t is most noticeable on the centerline where it was folded, around the edge and the rear panel at the nape. The snaps for the goggle straps have partially pulled through but remain secure. The chamois lining has separated at the crown on the inside. However, the leather is strong and the helmet displays well. It is of the unusual pattern with the extremely long "lappi" style chin strap and buckle.  The helmet is well marked "USN" with a size tag that reads "7" and is named in two places to "Cox." A seldom seen helmet that would certainly fill a gap in most collections until a better replacement can be found. Priced according to its condition but a very scarce helmet nonetheless.

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$135 /  £105 / €120  email to secure this item

Great War French Roold aviator's safety helmet in good condition and a large size. 

 

Produced for and sold in the Roold Department store in Paris, this helmet became ubiquitous in the Great War and was used by all the warring nations. It was standard issue for French aviators but also found its way into Royal Flying Corps inventory and was also used by German flyers, since at one time or another, almost all armies were stationed in or around Paris. This example shows use but is in remarkable condition for its age. The oilcloth covered cork is nicely darkened from engine oil  but retains its shape well;l. The brass "wheel" inserts in the ear flaps appear to have been removed, perhaps to facilitate better communications? There are two holes purposely cut into the side skirts, perhaps to toe a scarf or even an early oxygen mask? The helmet retains its quilted lining and inner elastic strap (no longer stretchy) as well as its original chin strap button. A very large size 59. 

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$800 / £575  / €665  email to secure this item