Vintage Flying Helmets
Aviation, military and historical items for discerning collectors
LATEST ITEMS
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WWII US Navy green deck crew helmet.
Lovely used example of a US Navy deck crew helmet in green unlined cotton, well marked with the USN stamp on the chin strap. These helmets were worn for identification for the duty of the crewman by the pilot while manoeuvering on deck and taking off. They were often preferred by pilots to the issue flying helmets and fitted with receivers or worn as is for flying. Shows light use but no wear or damage.
$90 / £75 / €85
RAF Type E* oxygen mask.
Very nice Type E* mask fitted with a Type 48 mic. with moisture screen. No tube but still has its valve assembly installed in the funnel. Rubber is the harder, shiny type (E/E* masks tend to be either soft and floppy with a mat surface or a slightly harder, shiny rubber, such was the divergent technology of the time). Mask remains nicely pliable and retains its shape well with a small area at the nose where the edge has crumbled very slightly, but it displays very well and is overall in very good condition. Clean chamois edge lining. Good harness with some elasticity. These are getting very hard to find in decent condition.
$700 / £565 / €660
Early fast jet RAF oxygen mask, Type M-2.
One of the early jet age RAF masks which was issued for a very brief time and ultimately dropped in favour of the US A-13A mask. Black rubber mask body complete with tube and extension hose for attaching to the pressure jerkin. Mask is in good shape, the rubber nice and pliable, but some slight wear and a small tear to the interior skirt where the rubber is very thin, and the maleable nose wire protrudes very slightly at the top of the mask. That said, these are minor issues and the mask displays very well. Fitted with correct harness and clip and tagged for RAF stores. Excellent for early-mid 1950s Cold War exhibit.
$120 / £98 / €112
Scarce jet age RAF Type B rubber seat cushion / water bottle.
The Type B seat cushion/water bottle replaced the Type A used in WWII as a survival aid in jungle and tropical regions but is of similar design. This example is dated 4/59 and well marked with stores ref. information. Rubber is excellent, totally pliable with screw-in stopper and still has original instruction tag attached.
$75 / £60 / €122
Superb photo, flying log and document grouping to a Great War RAF pilot with combat.
Rare and quite possibly unique grouping of photos, paperwork and flying log to RFC/RAF pilot Harold Wittup, who became one of the first pilots to use radio telephony and, as indicated on his Radio Telephony Certificate, was issued with the "special" flying helmet. (On;y example of one of these I have ever seen) He later flew as observer in France flying combat missions and kept his flying log on a sheet of note paper having either lost or forgotten his issued log book. 12 excellent well-annotated photographs include 4 large, important aerial photos of France taken by him. There is also his Flying Clothing Card and a superb certificate given for his war service by his employerthe Canadian Pacific Railway. A very high quality and important grouping with massive research potential. The log alone (even though not official) is of great historic interest.
$475 / £385 / €445
RAF 1937 Pattern Frock Khaki Drill, Airmen, 1937 Pattern dated 1942.
Very good example of this often overlooked uniform item for other ranks. The 1937 Pattern khaki drill jacket (still using the parlance of "frock" on its label) is in great condition, with all original buttons. Has no insignia, including the tropical shoulder eagles which appear to have been removed a long time ago. 1942 dated label.
A good clean jacket.
$125 / £100 / €118
Regional Aeronautical Chart of San Antonio, Texas, 1943.
Quite a scarce item, and one that is essential for any WWII AAF collection. Every airman who trained and flew with t US Army Air Corps / Forces in WWII will have completed part of his training in San Antonio, Texas and would doubtless have used one of these charts. Chart is in excellent condition and makes an excellent backdrop for any AAF display.
$55 / £45 / €52
WWII US Navy officer's aviation green sidecap with rank bars of a Lieutenant.
Excellent green wool US Naval officer's sidecap (green indicating he was an aviator) and sterling silver rank bars for a Lieutenant. Size 7, with satin lining, leather sweatband and great labels indicating Academy Brand and Naval Uniform Service. You won't find a better example.
$45 / £37 / €42
4 x Canadian war service lapel badges.
All mounted on a strip of black felt as I received them – so I prefer not to split these up. 3 x screw back and one pinback. 2 maker marked to Gaunt, Montreal. 2 marked "Penalty for misuse $500 or 6 months imprisonment" and serial numbered. One is marked Sterling but all appear to have some silver content. Interesting grouping.
$75 / £60 / €70