Hi all, I have been looking at the helmet in eBay auction 2233232224 and I have a difficult time finding out what exactly to think.
Initial reaction is dismissive, a USAF helmet used by a USMC pilot, but looking closer it just might be true - at least from a technical viewpoint. At first glance the helmet has been updated to P-4 standard with a H-75( )/AIC headset. The tophat earphone mounts, the drawstrings and the bulgy microphone plug retainer are all there. H-75 ( )/AIC is USAF standard impedance so case closed. A closer look reveals, however, that the male plug at the end of the pigtail comm cord is a U-75/U and the boom mike is an M-6A/UR. Impedance-wise the mike would not work with an H-75( )/AIC headset - rather, it would go with early USAF HS-38/HS-38A comms or US Navy standard H-87 comms. US Navy also kept the U-75/U plug for a long time, in fact they still use it.
My guess is that the helmet is genuine. For some reason this USMC pilot has laid his mitts on a P-3 helmet updated to P-4 standard with H-75( )/AIC headset and has talked his riggers into fitting it with Navy standard earphone elements, comm cord plug and boom mike.The final proof of this would be to check the earphone elements. JJ, go for that helmet, we want to know :-)
Cheers, Bluelight
P-3 updated to P-4 standard and probably modified with US Navy standard comms. Click on
thumbnails to see larger pictures). All pictures are copyright eBay seller 'kd6hlr'