HGU-55/P helmet
Article on Flightgear On-Line

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 waekened 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 1325:
The T.O. for the HGU-55 states that swapping the comm jack to the right side is an approved modification for F-16 personnel. Rich.

Message 1311:
Hi group, please find attached two pics of an F-16 pilot with the right comm plugs. If this helmet would have been converted to Combat Edge status well, also the bladder pipe would have been fitted on the right side. Hope you like them, Regards Moonbeam

Message 1284:
Hi All, After discussing HGU-26/P mods, now time for some HGU-55/P modifications. Factory fresh 55's are delivered with black earcups and these are replaced later by soft leather pieces. (Elephant ear types). Yesterdays visit learned that the leather ones are replaced again with the black earcups! This has something to do with noise reduction and the soft leather ones loosing strenght. The earcup cushions normaly fitted on the earcups are replaced by OregonAero examples, being a bit larger and leather covered. Bye Ron

Message 1270:
Its military, but not really used much these days. My first 2 HGU-55s were leather lined and my last 3 HGU-55s had TPL liners...Personally, I'd much rather for the leather, given the choice. Wizzo

Message 1268:
Hi Friends, I would like to know why this HGU-55 have the leather pads and liner on different shape than current HGU-55 helmets Is this a configuration for civilian?. Any help will be appreciated. Thank you very much, Ricardo Batista Carissimi-Priori

Message 1161:
Hi all, Can add some Spanish jocks as well taken last year in Holland, Bye HUD

Message 1144:
Also I want to show to all members of the group some thing about our Spanish pilots and our flightgear. I'm in process of scaning some images, but by now here come a little example of the equipment of our F-18 guys. Regards from Spain, Ricardo

Message 905:
Rich, you might just be right about the helmet not being an HGU-55. It could be a modified HGU-2 or HGU-26. Unfortunately (for collectors, that is) the RDAF has a history of being very economic i.e. reissuing helmets from pilot to pilot and modifying them to new configurations. This is why it is very diffícult to find an original HGU-2A/P-D. They have all been modified to custom fit, to helicopter use, painted gray etc. I have an HGU-26/P which clearly shows indents in the paint from three-piece ramshorns but it is now configured as a "standard" HGU-26/P but adapted for helicopter use with an M-87/AIC microphone. Cheers, Bluelight 14

Message 904:
After looking very closely at the pic, the helmet looks more like an HGU-2/A with a black leather Sierra snapon edgeroll adapted to accept lightweight visors; never seen a 55 with black leather! Also looks like headset retainer strings on the side, along with filled in holes where the larger mask receivers were. Rich

Message 901:
Thought you might find the enclosed photo interesting. It was taken recently and it shows a Royal Danish Air Force F-16 back-seater with an HGU-55/P and MS22001 oxygen mask. Cheers, Bluelight14

Message 79:
If you are shopping on E-Bay for an HGU-55/P, please be careful. vfa24 is selling these helmets and people are bidding on them, but they are incorrectly configured. Rich Mays brought this to my attention and I agree with him: these helmets are not configured correctly as either USAF or US Navy.
The USAF HGU-55/P did not use the VTEC liner. They would have either the USAF form fitted liner (2 piece shell) or a TPL with black styrofoam liner (in rare cases, a white styrofoam liner and pads like the HGU-26/P could be used).
The US Navy helmets use different mask mounted comms blocks (and probably microphones). VFA24 sells custom painted mini helmets and appears to be transferring his painting skills to regular helmets. He also has a supply of Vtec liners which he has been selling on E-Bay for some time. The combination of paint/decals and the vtec liners has resulted in some pretty, but not correct helmets.
A Navy helmet should have H-87B/U earphones and Navy carbon mic or mask mounted amplifier. The USAF helmets should have H-143/AIC earphones and a three pin connector on the end of the hose. Navy helmets are "Dressed" in reflective tape, 100% of the time, 100% taped. I noticed VFA24 is selling several undressed helmets with nice looking decals/paint as Navy helmets.
Anybody have any information to add to this or if something is wrong with my information, I welcome the correction. Cheers all, Steve Norris

Message 18:
The real paint for HGU helmets is "air superiority gray" and is very difficult to apply. I suggest you buy a can of gray automotive lacquer primer and spray over what is there-- use grease remover to make sure the paint will adhere well. I have done severa helmets in this way and the results are almost identical to the "real color", which tends to fade with age and cleaning anyway.
Rich Mays

Message 15:
Hi Sven,
>which type of paint will be used to spray helmets and what colornumbers (FS/RAL?)will be used for the GGU-55 Grey (for the helmet shell)
I have the following from a Dutch Air Force manual:
Paintschedule Grey
1. Grind the Helmet-shell
2. Put on a coating of primer MIL-P-23377, NSN 8010-17-045-5946,hardener S66-16, NSN 8010-17-046-5945 and thinner C25-90S, NSN 8010-17-050-8990. The drying time is min. 3 hours.
3. Put on a coating of "Urethane Coating"Mil-C-83286,NSN 8010-17-050-9012, hardener SS66-22R, NSN 8010-17-050-7182 and thinner C25-90S, NSN 8010-17-050-8990. Drying time before putting on a second coating is max. 1 hour.
4. Put on a second coating of "Urethane Coating"(see point 3). Drying time is 7 hours.
I do not think your local paintshop knows these numbers.... Anybody out there with the Federal Standard numbers? Ron