P-1

P-1 helmet in the colours of the 82nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the 78th Fighter Interceptor Wing. It has been upgraded to P-3 standard with nape strap and a visor. Pictures © Sabre.

P-1 helmet, made by Switlik Parachute Co. Inc., in the colours of 190th Fighter Squadron of the Idaho Air National Guard. Pictures © Bloodhound.

P-1 helmet fitted with an M-6/UR boom mike. The edgeroll shows no signs of the slots associated with the original P-1 oxygen mask tab configuration but both the paper label inside the shell and the woven label on the suspension assembly confirm that it is a P-1 helmet made by Paramount Rubber Company. Pictures © Bloodhound.

P-1 helmet, made by Switlik Parachute Co. Inc., T.O. updated with chin and nape straps and HS-38A headset. At some point it has also had a visor but the oxygen mask tabs are the original black short ones and there are no baseball stitches on the edgeroll. Save the visor attachment plates it is therefore a true P-1 helmet. Pictures © Bluelight

P-1 helmet in its original configuration except updated with HS-38A headset. This helmet was used by Col. Boren from the 121st Fighter Group, Ohio Air National Guard. It looks as if there used to be a metal colonel's eagle glued to the from of the helmet but it is missing now. Pictures © Milehigh

P-1A and B

P-1A helmet in the colours of the 2nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the 52nd Fighter Interceptor Group. Pictures © Sabre.

P-1A helmet in the colours of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing. Pictures © Deano.

P-1A helmet in the colours of the 512th Fighter Bomber Squadron, 406th Fighter Bomber Wing. The helmet is most likely from around 1951 when the unit was flying F-84E Thunderjet. Pictures © johnmismatch.

P-1A helmet in unidentified unit colours named to a LtCol Mann. Pictures © johnmismatch.

P-1A helmet in unidentified unit colours named to a George Ruddel. Pictures © eBay seller cavanagh6aqc.

P-1A helmet, made by General Textile Mills, with Playboy bunny artwork from an unknown unit. The comms configuration is rather puzzling. The standard female microphone plug is missing from the lower left side of the helmet shell, and the helmet is fitted with a very short black pigtail comm cord ending in jack plug marked 'NAF NO. 215285' (see centre photo). The configuration suggests that the helmet was used either with a hand-held microphone or a throat microphone connected to a separate communications lead in the aircraft. Pictures © Bloodhound.

P-1A helmet painted as a Thunderbirds replica. Maggot is not fully satisfied with the result because he thinks that the stars may be a bit too big. Be that as it may, it gives a very good impression of an early T-birds helmet.
Pictures © Maggot

P-1A helmet manufactured by Lite Mfg. with artwork from an unknown unit, personalised to a guy named Estes. The first six pictures show the helmet after restoration and the last two show the helmet as originally offered on eBay. Pictures © Maggot

P-1A or B helmet allegedly used by Lt. T.F. Lish from 93rd BS, 19th BW, USAF, flying B-47. There is something puzzling about this helmet's artwork. The indian's head painted on the left side of the helmet is the badge of 93rd BS, but the badge painted on the right side of the helmet is the 20th AF. According to my sources, 19th BW was assigned to the 2nd AF, when it was flying the B-47. It was assigned to 20th AF earlier on when it flew B-29 (until 1953).
Pictures © Atoll

P-3

P-3 helmet in the colours of the 561st Fighter Escort Squadron (redesignated 561st Strategic Fighter Squadron on 10 January 1953). The unit was flying F-84E Thunderjets out of Bergstrom AFB, Texas, as part of the 12th Fighter Escort Wing (later Strategic Fighter Wing), and converted to the F-84F Thunderstreak in 1954. Judging from the way that the visor anchor plates partly cover the unit patch, the helmet was upgraded from a P-1A. Pictures © eBay seller utta

P-3 helmet in the colours of the 84th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, named to a Lt. Anderson. Pictures © eBay seller rarebirdroad.

P-3 helmet in the colours of the 386th Fighter Bomber Squadron of the 312th Fighter Bomber Wing, Clovis AFB, New Mexico, on display at the USAF Museum. Note the Dennis the Menace cartoon on the left side (close-up at the far right). Pictures © Crash and Maggot.

P-3 helmet restored in the colours of the Italian aerobatic display team, Diavolo Rossi, (Red Devils). It appears to be an attractive name for display teams since the Belgians had the Rode Duivels (see photos further down on this page)Pictures © Slick.

P-3 helmet in unidentified unit markings, named to a Major Patakos. The helmet is adormed with both NASA and USAF transfers. Pictures © johnmismatch.

P-3 helmet with leaping tiger artwork. The comm cord is partly painted with yellow and black stripes to look like a tiger's tail. Pictures © Bloodhound

P-3 helmet (T.O. updated from P-1A), made by General Textile Mills, with artwork from 8th TFS "The Black Sheep", hence the yellow ram's horn pattern on a black background. The significance of the "Link" badge is not known but the
"E" suggests that it might have something to do with and excellence award. Pictures © Bluelight

P-3 helmet named to a Keeler from the 1737th Ferrying Squadron, adorned by an F-84F Thunderflash at the rear.
Pictures © DocBoink

P-3 helmet (T.O. updated from P-1A) used by Col. Davies of the 58th FBW, USAF. The three badges on the helmet are the three squadrons assigned to 58th FBW, 310th FBS (skull in a top hat), 311th FBS (rattlesnake with ammunition belt body), and 69th FBS (gauntlet with a torch). © Milehigh

P-3 helmet from 324th FIS, USAF. Pictures © Mirage

P-3 helmet used by Lt. Kenneth Moorehead, 431st FIS, USAF, while they were flying F-86 Sabre. Pictures © Bluelight.

P-3 helmet named to a McEachern, unit unknown. Helmet was manufactured by Bassons Industries Corporation.
Pictures © Maggot.

P-3 helmet from 20th TFW, USAF. The standard USAF decal above the visor yoke has been covered by a 20th TFW
decal. Pictures © Bluelight

To the left a P-3 helmet (P-1A T.O. updated to P-3) manufactured by General Textile Mills (no date), to the right a
P-3 helmet manufactured by Selby Shoe Co., dated 2-16-54. Both have artwork with a stripe over the crown and a lightning bolt on each side. Both helmets also have a rectangle on the right side, most likely for writing the pilot's name or callsign. The similar artwork suggests that the two helmets come from two squadrons in the same wing. 
Pictures © Maggot

P-3 helmet (T.O. updated from P-1A) manufactured by General Textile Mills. Artwork from an unidentified unit (but compare the colours and bolt pattern to the 2nd FIS P-1A helmet above - striking resemblance, isn't it?). This helmet is one of several with the same artwork passing through Maggot's hands. In the right hand picture the shell of this helmet is shown next to a restored helmet, which is now no longer in Maggot's possession. Maggot decided to keep the original artwork on his own helmet rather than restoring it. Pictures © Maggot

P-3 helmet (Bassons Industries Corp., no date). Unit unknown but the tiger artwork should make it possible to narrow down the possibilities. Pictures © Maggot

P-3 helmet from 406 Fighter Interceptor Wing. The square flange has been cut off of the visor yoke. © dsudeal

P-3 helmet (Selby Shoe Co.) from unknown unit. Marked 'Pylon Kid' on the rear. The helmet has some scuff marks on the left side of the crown, maybe because the owner ran into a pylon during a walk-around check and earned his nickname that way? Purely conjecture. © Bluelight

P-3 helmet from the Belgian Air Force display team the Red Devils. This helmet belonged to one of the technicians, hence the letter 'T' in the circle. The pilots' helmets would be numbered according to their position in the team. The aircraft silhouettes on the sides are Fouga Magister, the French-built aircraft flown by the team. This also accounts for the French-standard communications plug on the pigtail comm cord. © Bluelight

P-3 helmet from 10th Tactical Fighter Squadron, USAFE. The visor yoke which is a Type II with the long throw J-arms is a recent addition. Pictures © Mirage

MB-4

MB-4 helmet finished in replica artwork representing the P-1A helmet used by Lt J.D. Brown of 182nd FBS, 136th FBW, Taegu (K-2), Korea 1951. Pictures © G.M. Bell of Bell's Aviation.

P-4

P-4 helmet in the colours of the 334th Tactical Fighter Squadron. Pictures © G.M. Bell of Bell's Aviation.

P-4 helmet in the colours of an unidentified unit. Pictures © eBay seller abxyz.

P-4 helmet in the colours of the USAF Air Force Cambridge Research Center, Bedford, Massachusetts. Pictures © Chad Le Beau.

P-4 helmet in the colours of an unidentified unit, named to a Richmond. The number "7" suggests that it migh thave been the design of an aerobatic team. Pictures © G.M. Bell of Bell's Aviation.

P-4 helmet in what appears to be a personally designed artwork featuring a Thunderbird-like figure at the front, named to a Will. Pictures © unknown

P-4 helmet (P-1B T.O. updated to P-4) from 57th FIS. Apparently the visor yoke is a very early version that originally did not have any J-hooks for locking the visor in up-position. These have been manufactured later and riveted on. Pictures © DocBoink

P-4 helmet used by Gen. Vetter, 586th Tactical Missile Group, Hahn AB, Germany. The helmet is either a P-3 helmet T.O. updated to P-4 specs with a later visor yoke or it is an early P-4 helmet made by Bassons Industries, the only company identified so far that produced P-4 helmets with shells made from laminated phenolic-treated cotton duck. Pictures © airforce1944

P-4 helmet (Selby Shoe Co. 19 August 1955) in the colours of 449 FIS, USAF. It is interesting to see how sloppily the yellow paint has been applied. The right hand oxygen mask leather tab including its quick-release hook is almost completely yellow and the paintwork clearly indicates that the headset including its nylon drawstrings and rubber retainer studs had not been removed before painting. Pictures © Jukka Juutilainen.

P-4 helmet from 3600th Combat Crew Training Wing. This helmet has a strange comms configuration. Judging from earphones, pads and female microphone plug it looks like an H-75A/AIC headset but it has the brown comm cord with U-75/U plug associated with the earlier HS-38A headset. Pictures © Bluelight

P-4 helmet used by Major B.E. Pedersen (BØR) from 727th Squadron, RDAF. The artwork was 727th Sqn's standard artwork for more than twenty years. This helmet belongs to the RDAF Historical Collection. Pictures © Bluelight

P-4 helmet used by Major R.S. Hansen (ESA) from 730th Squadron, RDAF. The artwork was 730th Sqn's standard artwork for more than ten years. This helmet belongs to the RDAF Historical Collection. Pictures © Bluelight

P-4 helmet from unknown unit. Manufactured by Selby Shoe Company. The Mickey Mouse patch might be a later
addition. Pictures © eBay seller walkerafb1953

P-4A

P-4A2 helmet restored in the colours of the Italian aerobatic team Getti Tonanti. Pictures © Slick.

P-4A helmet (T.O. updated from a P-3) manufactured by Selby Shoe Company. The helmet belonged to Col. Harley S. Vaughn, CO of the 79th Fighter Group at Youngstown Municipal Airport, Ohio, from July 1956 to July 1958. Midway through that period the only squadron of 79th FG, the 86th FIS, transitioned from the F-86D to F-102. As far as I have been able to establish the 79th FG was never assigned an official unit insignia. Chances are that the shield painted on the left side of the helmet is an unofficial unit badge. The design might be inspired by the 79th FG's service in Tunesia and Libya during WW2. Pictures © hysom785.

P-4A helmet named to a Capt. R.D. Sanders from 334th FIS. This helmet displays some very elaborate and well done artwork epitomising the eclipse of the hand-painted helmet artwork of the 1950s. Pictures © goldwasher

P-4A helmet (T.O. updated from a P-1B) with dragon artwork. I have no information about the unit or the original
owner. Pictures © f80shootingstar

P-4A helmet (Selby Shoe Co., 25 February 1957) most likely from 20th TFW, USAFE. Paint scheme of tri-colored lightning bolts is identical to the fin flash found on the F-100s of the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing at RAF Wethersfield in the late 1950s. The helmet is named to a pilot, as indicated by the green Dymo label ("SUTTON 37") applied above the communications cord "pigtail." It says "SUTTON  R." underneath the label, being applied in white stencil format. "Sutton" also appears inside the helmet, on the edge roll near the nape. Pictures © Maggot

P-4A helmet (Selby Shoe Co., 2 August 1957). Unit is unknown. Personalized helmet named to "Walt". Pictures © Maggot

P-4B

P-4B named to a Darell W. Fleeman. It is uncertain whether the artwork is unit related or just a personal design. The microphone plug metal brackte is missing. Pictures © Bloodhound

P-4B used by Capt Beers from 431st FIS, USAF, during the unit's F-106 era. It is uncertain whether "Beers" is the pilot's real name or a nick name. Pictures © DocBoink

P-4B with artwork from 343 Squadron, Hellenic Air Force from their F-86 period. Pictures © Cretanman


P-4B helmet from Jagdgeschwader 71 'Richthofen', German Air Force. Pictures © Atoll

P-4B helmet only semi-T.O. updated from P-3 via P-4 standard as the visor is not of the centre-track type. Unknown unit. Shell is manufactured by Selby Shoe Company and visor yoke by Bausch & Lomb. Pictures © Maggot

P-4B helmet T.O. updated from either P-1A or P-1B standard. Probably produced by Selby Shoe Co. This helmet was used by Brigadier General Albert H. Schwichtenberg from the time when he was command surgeon of the Continental Air Command (ConAD). Pictures © Bell's Aviation www.bellsaviation.com