HGU-33/P and HGU-34/P helmet discussions

Message 1526:
The United States Navy has a series of publications (NAVAIR) which clearly state what may be used in a U.S. Navy fighter. The HGU-33/P with custom fit liner and NO nape strap was ordained as it the safest and most reliable configuration available. A series of RACs (Rapid Application Changes) in tandem with updates to the NAVAIR Pubs clearly detail all this. Steve Norris.

Message 1511:
Moonbeam, If your helmet has a nape strap, I am inclined to believe it was Flown that way. Normally, the HGU-33/P with VTEC doesn't employ a nape strap and I doubt someone would go to a lot of trouble converting it over. Cheers, Steve Norris

Message 1509:
Moonbeam, Hope this comes across okay as I have been writing in a hurry and don't want to offend anyone. It's getting late and I am tired so please  understand I mean no disrespect to anyone.
NAVAIR pubs are clear and there should be no mistake: an HGU-34/P is a single visor PRK-37/P with styrofoam liner and pads. If you change the liner to the PRK-39/P or PRK-39A/P (VTEC), the helmet automatically becomes an HGU-33/P. This may be hard to understand, but the Navy has no less than 16 helmets based on the PRK-37/P shell HGU-33,-34.-43.-44.-45.-46.-47.-49, -50, -52, not counting versions.
Pilot's don't like sitting still to have custom fit liners made. For a VTEC, this entails donning  a rubber cap similiar to a ladies bathing cap, having a helmet shell and fitting rig, with VTEC liner placed over the cap and on their head.  They must hen sit patiently while holding the entire rig on your head until the chemical injected into the VTEC cures (takes shape).
That's why so many PRK-37 shells turn up without a liner: the aviator pulls his custom  liner out of the helmet rather than endure the process of making a new one. For the record, this process is nothing compared to the USAF custom fitting drill. But it does have the advantage of  allowing an enlisted man the opportunity to inject a little hell into an officer's life (no pun intended).
I have no reference that explains why the HGU-33/P is listed as required equipment on Navy attack and fighter aircraft.  I do know that the NAVAIR pubs list the HGU-34/P as an optional helmet only for instructors on training aircraft.
My guess: your friend at Miramar made a nice gift of his flight helmet (wish I had those kind of friends), but may not have wanted to sit through the fitting process for another VTEC liner. It really doesn't matter though, because as soon as the styrofoam liner and pads were installed, the helmet became an HGU-34/P.  Does your helmet have a nape strap?
Here's my opinion on 'Decorated" flight helmets. A number of dealers have taken great pains to duplicate tape jobs for the various Navy squadrons. Most readily admit the tape is a replica. Some do not.
Decals are all over the place in the United States. Go to any military show and I can buy maybe 15 to 20 decals for various USAF/US Navy squadrons. Thousands of patches are available. Garcia Aviation has a side business selling copies of  just about every flight helmet decal the USAF or US Navy ever used.
Most squadrons have their squadron patches and decals made by commercial operations in the local community. The Navy Times (Newspaper) and USAF Times list a number of companies that do everything from decals to patches to coffee mugs to whatever.
Finally, here in North Carolina we have this group of vendors that do airbrush art on everything from license plates to leather coats and motorcycle helmets. It costs surprising little  to have something the size of a flight helmet painted. Sure, the Blue Angels or Thunderbirds may cost more, but most helmets don't have to be that elaborate.
America is the land of opportunity. You  let a surplus dealer know that a Navy helmet is worth more than a USAF helmet and all his helmets will become US Navy helmets. Show him how to add a $100 paint job and make the helmet worth $500 more and he will do it. The thing to remember here is that most of these guys do not possess 1/100th of the information about flight gear as any member on this board. So don't let your expertise guide you. The item on E-Bay that started this whole discussion is so bogus it's scary. The seller doesn't know anything about flight helmets but he sure figure out an HGU-55/P sells for a lot more than an HGU-26/P so his helmet is now an HGU-55/P (literally).
The Yellow helmet with the MBU-5/P mask that was also mentioned has got to be the most copied paint job in history: The original is in a case at the National Air and Space Museum and has been photographed many times. I wrote an Essay a while back on mods to flight gear.  In the USAF, flight gear is stored in an Equipment room and someone is in charge of that room. That someone has a whole bunch of inspections that are designed to make sure everyone is using standard stuff. There isn't nearly as much pilot "preference" as many may think. Cheers, Steve Norris

Message 1502:
> Navy helmets for fighter apps use VTEC, TPL ot Zeta Liners and not pads and
> styrofoam liners. further, Boom mics are not used in fighter apps. NAVAIR
> pubs are specific: where an oxygen mask is used exclusively
HI Steve,   Your comment on the liner is not completely true. I have a VF-1 HGU-33/P with styro and 3 pieces pads. The helmet is authentic as I got it while at Miramar from a pilot I met there. It was his helmet. I don't think there is a rule, honestly. Many outfits given to the pilots are customized to the specific needs of the user. This applies a lot here in Italy where helmets are all modified on early days helmets types. They cost a lot and money is scarce. Hope you understood what I mean. Regards   Moonbeam

Message 1497:
I have noticed a trend on E-Bay and it may have something to do with the distribution of US flight equipment. I am just thinking out loud and welcome any comments.
I would say that during the cold war, a substantial number of  USAF aircraft may well have been deployed in Europe. I noticed early on when dealing with European collectors that they had quite an array of USAF flight gear, but were not as well stocked on US Navy equipment. In fact, I made quite a few trades of Navy equipment for International equipment. It would seem that the "demand" for US Navy equipment has created a sort of conversion process for sellers on E-Bay. What was a USAF helmet can be cleaned up and marketed as a US Navy helmet to fetch a higher price.
One of the things that is disturbing to me is the very high premium some collectors are willing to pay for "decorated" helmets. Especially when the helmet has a nice fresh coat of paint and shows no sign of wear. Coupled with the confusion over USAF vs US Navy helmets, it would seem there are a lot of   cross over items that are simply not authentic.  I am interested in hearing the opinions of others as regards to the paint jobs and decorations that adorn some of these flight helmets and also would like to hear from others on the US Navy Vs USAF helmets.
The USAF life support guys told me they didn't use Navy helmets AT ALL. Perhaps because the helmets are all cut from about the same mold, literally. To put this in perspective:  The APH-5 and HGU-2 are the same helmet shell. The HGU-22/P is the same shell as the HGU-2 which is the basis for the HGU-26/P.
This next part is probably going to get me in a jam, but here goes anyway. The USAF tried to cut the HGU-22/P shell back at the 3, 9 and 12 o'clock position to increase visability. It was discovered that these cuts weakened the shell .So the USAF jumped on the HGU-33/P shell (PRK-37/P) for the HGU-48/P which was the basis for the HGU-55/P.
That means there are basically 2 helmet shells for most of the USAF/USN helmets and would mean that cross use between services is unecessary.  Even the APH-6 is the early shell with o-mask cut outs.
For the record, I have a report on the HGU-48/P that verifies the use of the HGU-33/P shell. This should also explain why the Navy could transition with little effort to the HGU-55/P. Cause the -33 is a -55 with a visor assembly....
Now you may talk amongst yourselves. For the record, my parents were married. Cheers, Steve N

Message 812:
Hi all, One for our UK friends, After the Royal Air Force receiving some extra Phantoms of the F-4J(UK) type, I noticed some pictures of RAF pilots flying these ex USN Phantoms wearing HGU-33/P type helmets. Can anybody inform me how long this was done and if they ever used British Mk helmets on this F-4J (UK) beauty. And what happened to these helmets? Bye Ron