PRK-37 with ramshorns

Message 109:
I have here a PRK-37 Shell with a Sierra dual visor kit (ramshorn one piece). Is this setup really used? And if so, with what designation? I have seen these kind of visor kits with the Italian and Norwegian Airforce on the HGU-22P shell. I looked in my books but could not find a picture of a Navy pilot wearing one. Bye Ron

Message 110:
NAVAIR 13-1-6.7 is the US Navy Bible on Aircrew Equipment Configuration. There are separate chapters on parachutes, survival gear, helmets (fixed wing and rotary), oxygen masks etc. As changes occur to flight equipment, the Navy issues Change Packages directing that certain pages be added, deleted, or replaced by pages in the package. In order to be 100% sure that something didn't exist, you would need an original copy of NAVAIR 13-1-6.7, and all change packages up to the current time. Transalteion: Copies of this manual are hard to find, and an updated manual will not have references to obsolete equipment. With this in mind, here's what I think.
1- The Navy requests a new HGU designation anytime anything is changed on a flight helmet. Change the liner in an HGU-33/P and it becomes an HGU-34/P. Change the visor and you get an HGU-43/P or an HGU-44/P. Following this practice, if the Rams Horn Dual visor was used on the PRK-37/P shell, one would expect additional HGU type designations. There aren't any. (I Have a complete set of type designation sheets for the HGU designation up through the HGU-55).
2- NAVAIR 13-1-6.7 from 1986 does not mention the Rams Horn Dual Visor.
3- A 1968 Datasheet from Gentex clearly states that the Rams Horn Dual visor was for : HGU-2A/P, APH-5A, APH-6A, APH-7, SPH-3 and BPH-2 flight helmets.
4- In 1983, Gentex produced individual datasheets for both the APH-style Dual visor kit and the PRU-36/P Side Actuated Visor Kits. The datasheet for the APH Style Dual visor does not mention compatibility with the PRK-37 shell, but the PRU-36/P datasheet states that it is compatible with the APH-6C.
Best Guess: When the Navy went to the PRK-37/P shell, they also adopted the PRU-36/P which was already in existence and already being used on USAF helmets. NAVAIR 13-1-6.7 was updated to include PRK-37 helmets with PRU-36/P Dual visors. At this time, Gentex was making both these visor assemblies and their datasheets do not indicate that the PRK-37/P was compatible with the Ram's Horn Dual visor. And, there aren't any HGU numbers available for this configuration.
My conclusion: the Rams Horn dual visor was not used on the PRK-37/P. It is possible that my documentation doesn't go back far enough (covering the use of Rams Horn Dual visors on the PRK-37). It is also possible that some Navy/Marine Corps flyer's preferred the Rams Horn and used it anyway. I'd love to see some pictures. Anyone got any? One note: I have seen Rams Horn Dual visor Kits with the Gold coated Nuclear flash lens, but I have never seen a gold lens in a PRU-36/P dual visor assembly. It might be possible for a Rams Horn dual visor assembly, with gold lens to find it's way onto a PRK-37? Steve Norris

Message 112:
It appears the PRU-36/P was in service and used on later APH-6s several years before the PRK-37/P entered service. What I think this means is that the Rams Horn was out of Naval Service prior to the arrival of the PRK-37/P Shell. Translation: It couldn't have been used because it wasn't available when the PRK-37/P came into use. Still trying to nail a spec reference or QPL on the Rams Horn. Cheers, Steve

Message 113:
Hi Steve, Thanks for the very useful information. This gives me an indept view on this matter. I think i go and find myself an EEK-4A/P or PRU-36 visor kit to put on my PRK-37 shell. I keep the Ramshorn for later use then. I have here a French publication (Air Zone) with a picture of a group of Brasilian Pilots wearing ramshorn and single visor kits on their helmets. I can see a black leather edgeroll and ox recievers but it is impossible to see if it is a HGU-22 shell or not. (I guess it is). Thanks Ron

Message 114:
Ron, Re the PRK-37/P shell in international service: All bets are cancelled. I have slowly been building information on all sorts of U.S. made helmets in International Service and I would guess that just about anything could have been used. All my comments would be applicable to US Navy only, and I could easily be convinced that some flyers used the Rams Horn on their PRK-37/P. Cheers, Steve

Message 115:
Don't forget that the USAF used them on the HGU-2A/P and the HGU-22/P shell (which was the basis for the later HGU-2A). In USAF use they used the large white lock knobs as well as blue ones that came in a kit and prevented the lock knob from disengaging form the extension arm. Rich Mays

Message 116:
Regarding the PRK-37/P shell in use with the Ram's horn dual visor assy..... I've been abstaining from this particular discussion, sure that someone would arrive at the truth we all know, or should know. I'm surprised it has taken this long. If you talk to a parachute rigger, or the equivalent in whatever service is your concern, they will surely tell you that when it comes to flight gear, pilot preference is king! That is, as long as it is not in conflict with a tech order, command directive, or a safety concern, chances are it has - is - or will happen. As long as the parts are still around in the military inventory system (or sometimes pilot supplied) they are going to be put together to suit somebody's personal preference. Just remember that for every 'rule' when it comes to flight gear, there is an exception, and you can't say always or never when discussing flight gear. Best, Craig

Message 119:
Hi Steve and others, [It appears the PRU-36/P was in service and used on later APH-6s several years before the PRK-37/P entered service; message 112]. I can add some more to that, in the Dutch Navy Orion pilots used to fly with APH-6's fitted with a.o. PRU-36/P and one and three piece ramshorns. Nowadays they are just recieving a PRK-37 shell with PRK-40 liner and single visor. (HGU-47 type?). As I learnt from the other mails it is not impossible, but more unlikely. Thanks all for the information! Bye Ron

Message 1631:
Hi Steve and others, A long time ago, in the early days of this forum (okay, one year ago....) we talked about PRK-37's with Ramshorn visors. Now I came across this Manions item. As with a picture I found some where else, it looks like this is US Marines practice. Bye HUD

(It is not confirmed whether the helmet in the picture is a PRK-37 shell. It may also be an custom fit APH-6 modified with cast aluminium mask receivers; Bluelight remark)