Different parts of the P-helmets have changed over the years from the P-1 appeared in 1947 till the P-4B was taken out of service decades later. One such item was the headsling or strap suspension assembly. Different materials, different labels and different finishes, both in USAF use and by foreign forces. Below you will find a series of pictures walking you through some of the different versions to be found.

P-1 helmets

Far left: Sling from P-1 helmet showing its typical olive drab cotton webbing straps. Left: Army Air Forces print on
the crown pad. Right: Wovel label from Switlik Parachute Co.Inc. Far right: Less soiled crown pad from another
P-1 manufactured by Switlik. Pictures © Bluelight and Milehigh.

P-1A helmets

Far left: Sling from P-1A helmet manufactured by Lite Mfg.Co. showing the U.S. Air Forces print on the crown pad.
Note that the webbing straps are now made of nylon. Left: Woven label from Lite Mfg.Co. Right: Close-up of the
helmet front decal saying "U.S. Air Forces" in plural, just like the text on the crown pad. Far right: Sling from a
later P-1A helmet also manufactured by Lite Mfg.Co. This sling has the later standard text "U.S. Air Force" on the
crown pad. Pictures © Bluelight

P-1B helmets

Far left: Sling from P-1B manufactured by Selby Shoe Co. Note that the crown pad text now says "U.S. Air Force".
The webbing straps are made of grey nylon webbing. Left: Woven label from Selby Shoe Co. Note that the sling
was manufactured for use in both P-1B and P-3 helmets. Right: Sling from P-1B manufactured by General Textile
Mills (now Gentex). The nylon straps have a slightly reddish tinge. Far right: Woven label from General Textile
Mills. Pictures © Alan Masengale and civilwarswords.

P-3 helmets

Far left: Sling from P-3 manufactured by Selby Shoe company. This particular P-3 has been updated to P-4 with a
new headset but the sling is still the original P-3 sling. Left: Woven label from Selby Shoe Company. Right: Sling
from another Selby-made P-3 helmet. Note that the webbing straps on this helmet have the same reddish tinge as
the Gentex P-1B shown above. Far left: Close up of the woven Selby Shoe label. Pictures © Bluelight

P-4 helmets

These four pictures show slings from two P-4 helmets made by Selby Shoe Company in 1955 - one used (Far left
and Left) and one factory-fresh (Right and Far right). It is interesting to see how the grey webbing differs in
colour from the pure grey in the factory-fresh helmet to grey with a reddish tinge in the used helmet.
Pictures © Bluelight and airforce1944

P-4A helmets

Far left, Left and Right: A factory-fresh Gentex replacement edgeroll for a P-4A helmet. Note the olive drab
webbing colour. Far right: Sling from a P-4A helmet made by General Textile Mills. Note that the webbing is grey
and the crown pad is made of much darker leather. Pictures © Bluelight

P-4B helmets

Far left: Sling from P-4B helmet made by Consolidated Control Corporation. Left: Woven label from Consolidated
Controls. Right and Far right: Unmarked sling from a P-4B helmet made by the German company Autoflug.
Pictures © unknown and Haas Ausruestungen.

Other helmets and slings

Replacement sling made by Gentex for use in all types of P-helmets. Pictures © Bluelight

Sling for Italian-made P-4/3 helmet used by the Italian Army Aviation, Aviazione Leggera, Esercito. Although the
label reveals its identity, its rougher leather quality and sage webbing reveals that it is not made to American
specifications. Pictures © Bluelight

Far left: Sling in Italian-made P-4/3 helmet used by the Italian Air Force. Even if the helmet bears the marks of
frequent use, it is still possible to make out the print "Aeronautical Militare Italiano" on the crown pad. Left: Danish
P-4(DK) helmet with unmarked sling. Right: Sling from Yugoslavian-made PK-07 helmet. Far right: Sling from
Yugoslavian Air Force P-3 helmet made by Selby Shoe Company. The sling looks like a replacement with no print
on the crown pad and with white cotton webbing. Pictures © Bluelight