Flightgear Forum message, Mar 28, 2004:
HEhehehehe good list, ok lets start from beginning, C type 2 (Leather) with H type mask (big mic), 1940's to 1957, used in Mirages, Meteors,Vampires, Canberras.
E type (AIRTEX) used in Meteors,Vampires,Lincolns until 1963 (same oxy mask setup. F type Canberras, Lincolns,Vampires Sabre until replaced with G type. Along with these helmets came the A13a-1 mask (not the MS22001...similar but not quite), Q1-A, P1-a and later the P-2A.
Next was the P series(in Korea) along with the H-5-2 helmet A13a-1 mask again .Mk1( B-8 Goggles) F&G type liner....A13a-1, H type and P and Q type mask. The Mk1A sliding visor ( same internal and oxy mask setup),APH-5 and 6 series not sure exactly here what mask was used but would assume current stocks would have been used ( I have a MBU-5 with press buttons instead of bayonets which came from a 6). HGU-2/P and -2A/P and AFH-1 helmets, used with P-1A masks, Q type, A13-a1. HGU-26 with P,Q, MBU 5. HGU-55/p with P2-a and 5 mask and the current issue masks. Okay, also used was the SPH-3B, SPH-4a(single and Dual Rams Horn) , later replaced with 5 series Dual, SPh-5 (limited issue), ALPHA, and now the HGU-56.
As for liners the HGU-2 used a standard styro liner, with fitting pads, in light tan. The grey colour scheme started to be introduced approx 1990, My 6 sqn f-111 HGU-26 is white and was removed from use in 1992, when I was walking on base there 1991 there were a couple 1 Sqn pilots using Grey painted 26's, although this was a darker grey than the current issue.
With the arrival of the 55's in 1990-91 was when the RAAF officially started adopting the grey scheme, and has done so since. Also the MS22001 was never used in RAAF service, although the SAS has used them in the para jumping until the mid 1980's. The grey masks they use in the P-2 series started in 1995, originally all black, then green (1990's (anti-dermatitic??) and then grey. Although you still see the green being used occasionally.
Hope this helps,
Chris (ausflyboy)