Hello all,
wondered if somebody might be able to help me with an unusual c type helmet I have.
Firstly it is unfinished in that it does not have the rubber earpieces fitted or the holes cut to accomidate them, and it has never been worn. It is of the later type as it has the "tunnel" for the wiring loom to pass through. The strange part is that it has three male poppers either side of the face rather like an early pattern helmet, instead of the more usual oxy mask hook on the right side. It also has two velvet tabs protruding from the leather at the chin, where the leather bits are on an early c type helmet would be but made out of the same velvet as the brow strip. The chinstrap is elastic but of the same type used on MKVIII goggles rather than the heavier type normally on c types, also there is a small bit of velvet padding stiched to the strap were it would come into contact with the chin.

So all in all a bit wierd. I believe it to be from the period and not somebodies attempt at making a c type as the build quality and materials are correct, could it be that I have a prototype helmet that was never put into production? If anybody would like pictures I can email them to you as I do not know how to upload/link to images.

Any help or ideas greatfully recieved as I am a bit stumped by it!

Pictures would be more useful. Sounds like it might be a civilian made helmet, either for motoring or pre-war flying.

Hi Alex,
thanks for your response, I know pictures would be more useful, a picture paints a thousand words and all that. I am a bit of a techno novice though and have been defeated by adding images, could email them to you if you want to cast an eye over it. I do not belive it it is civilian or prewar as the cut is identical to a RAF C type.
cheers Jb

I hope this will take you to picture of the helmet (as it has taken me nearly an hour to get this far!)

That would be my guess, anyway.
The panelling is the same, but it lacks the similarity in detail.
Also, for some reason, it looks 'new', or modern if you like.
I make C-types and the finishing looks like it's one of mine; new.

Now for the details:
It has 4 pleads on the sides, the C-type has 3.
The elastic area in the neck part is smaller or more narrow than an original. Looks almost too small to be very effective. This is the part that gives the C-type it's good fit so it's a very important part.
The goggle buckle is the fixed the wrong way around.
The popper studs are way too far up to be practical for wearing an oxygen mask.

Than there are the differences you've already described.

Since the part you have is the easy part, the rubber earphone receivers being the hard part to make, I believe it to be an attempt to repro a C-type.

Than again, I could be wrong

Cheers, Toine

Thanks for your response Toine. You are right I had not noticed the fourth pleat in the side panels. The neck elastic does look narrow but I have just measured it and compred with my postwar C type which I know to be genuine and it is the same. Also I have encountered buckle straps pointing up an down on c types, but have just noticed that the buckle on this one does not have the little roller bit on it that it should.
You could be right about it being a new made item. Yet I am still not convinced about it being a mock up. It is so well made that it would have been very easy for the maker to get the details right. Unless fourth pleat etc were deliberate "tells". But why deviate so much from the pattern and add the velvet tabs?
Anybody else want to offer up an opionion?
Jb

You want to see unusual?

This looks pretty unusual to me!

What is the Forum take on this?

<http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=200199800160&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT&ih=010>;

Looking forward to the replies,

D.C->

It doesn't appear to be a "C" Helmet, but an early "B" that originally didn't have the earphones (I have one like that in my collection). It later had the earphone "cups" added (explaining the different colour) and then appears to have been further modified to take the "C" earphone holders. It kind of looks a bit "Heath Robinson" to me.

At first glance, I thought FAA helmet as earpieces would be added later,(B type) but it would still rretain the internal wiring system, and general C Type look

It's not even a B-type. It has the rear split like the B-type, but the panelling isn't the same.

Judging by the shape of the dark leather patches, they were used to hold the earcup receivers onto the helmet from the outside. The C-type helmet has receivers which were placed on the inside of the helmet sticking out.

Every now and then so-called 'Lindbergh' helmets show up on eBay. I think this might be one of those with the earcup receivers added. Can't remember what it looked like from the back, but colour and panelling looks identical as far as I can remeber.

It certainly isn't a WW2 RAF flying helmet.

Cheers, Toine

I'm 99% certain this is a Canadian B Type with a set of C Type earphone holders attached and some strengthening (leather or rubber) added around it, with a few odds and sods as well.

This eBay listing looks to be a Canadian 2nd pattern Type B helmet modified to take the later C-type earcups, etc. Based upon the very poor sewing to hold on the earcup housings, this is likely homemade rig.

This helmet was very common during the BCATP years. Most helmets have either no earphone housings (initial flying traing) or the sewn-on Type B style leather housings. I have seen helmets configured similar to this one before although they don't appear to be overly common.