A few RAF heads

[Pepe Le Pew]

Hi

I have just registered and thought i would post a picture of some of my RAF heads.

The head on the left is a second pattern FAA C type with MkV11 goggles and E* mask and the head on the right is a first pattern C type with short loop Mk1vB goggles and E type oxygen mask.
Apologies for the poor photo.

Hope you like them.
Pepe Le Pew

 

[Pepe Le Pew]

Here`s a couple more.

The head on the left is a B type helmet with Luxor 12`s and D mask with type 19 microphone (with two piece chamois covering) and the head on the right is a first pattern C helmet with D mask fitted with unusual press stud arrangement for fitting to the helmet,type 21 microphone and short loop Mk1vb`s.

 

[MissMittens]

Very nice display...complete with connectors. I usually see those cut off

 

[Fury964]

Nice display Pepe. How many 'heads' do you have?

I have a few myself but I can't seem to post pics.

 

[Pepe Le Pew]

Hi

I have about twenty one sets of headgear but nine of those are displayed on mannequin`s.

The easiest way i find to post photo`s is to load them onto photobucket and copy them from there.

Pepe

 

[Fury964]

I like the Luxor goggles. I'm looking for some myself.
I have now figured out the picture thing so I will post some pics up of my few. I too have nine on display but that's all I have, don't have room for more.
How long have you had the D types?

 

[Pepe Le Pew]

I haven`t seen a pair of Luxor 12`s in years but good luck with the search.
I would be interested to see a few pictures of your heads,it`s always interesting to see other peoples gear.
I have had the D types for a long time now (i have six in all),I don`t tend to buy much these days as i`m not looking for much.

Here is a picture of my Battle of Britain mannequin.

Hope you like it ?
Pepe

 

[Fury964]

Hi Pepe
That's some collection. Most people count themselves lucky if they can lay their hands on one D type mask, let alone six. Are they all originals? I have two repros, one from Steve Silburn with a 21 mic and I don't know who exactly made the other one. I bought it because it had a replica 19 mic but I took some of the mic apart and rebuilt it more authentically and attached a loom and oxy hose correctly (both supplied by Steve) as it only came with a short piece of loom and hose, both incorrect.

Great mannequin and display Pepe, I hope to have a collection like that in time but I have only been collecting for about 18 months. I have 3 uniforms, 2 of which I use for reenacting - a battle dress and an SD although I have just had a new SD made for me as I didn't want to use my genuine WWII one any more. The last one is a KD uniform. I also have some Australian '33 pattern gauntlets with silk and chamois lining gloves.

Rob.

 

[Fury964]

Here is a slide show for my RAF heads. http://s1243.photobucket.com/albums/gg542/fury911/?albumview=slideshow

I took the electrics part of the type 19 mic apart and made new parts because they weren't accurate enough when I bought the repro D type and 19. The B type helmet that this mic is displayed with is one of Steve Silburns as I use it for reenacting and film work.
The D type mask and 21 mic that Steve also made for me is fitted to my genuine B type helmet.

The helmet with the 'draft excluder' mask is for a turret gunner. It has a heater element in the G type oxy mask (that's what the extra cable and plug is for) to stop the mic freezing at high altitude but if a draft got in behind the mask it could cause the element to flair and short out so they gave the turret gunners the mask to stop the drafts. It also has a thicker rubber hose (also in an effort to stop freezing), discernable from the standard hoses by the white stripe on it.

The blue F type helmet is just waiting for an MK1 bone dome (the one with the strap on visor). If anyone knows where I can get one of these from I'd be greatfull.

The final head is a G type helmet with a MK1A bone dome and an M type oxy mask. These are from 1958 and 59. I have stopped here, at least for now. I'd like to get my hands on a C carbon mic and D type before I go looking into the 1960s.

This is the first time that I have shared any pictures of my RAF flying helmets, hope you enjoy.

Rob.

 

[Pepe Le Pew]

Hello Rob

That`s a nice display of heads you`ve put together, very impressive as you`ve only been collecting eighteen months. Also that`s a nice job of work on the type 19 repro.
All my D masks are original, the only repro bits i have are a few D mask oxygen hoses. I do have two original bits but they are the later uncovered black type (see picture below). I also have an original piece of braided hose but it`s only two feet long but a rare thing none the less.

I also have the microphone heater and anti freeze hose. All you need to go with it is the H type heated liner with the connection for the microphone heater.

I have posted a picture below of my early navigator.He is wearing the rare chest type Harnessuit and his C helmet has modifiers fitted for the Mk 1vb goggles and is adapted to take a D type oxygen mask which is fitted with a type 54 rubber adaptor to allow use of the type 26 microphone.

In this shot i have tried to capture the feeling of darkness with just his chartboard lamp on.

Hope you like them.
Pepe

 

[Fury964]

Great picture again Pepe, very atmospheric in the dark.

Thanks for the kind words regarding the 19 mic. It amazes me how many people are out there that collect RAF militaria and display it in their own museum.

At this moment in time, what with my lack of space, the things that I would really like to have are an early, green Mae West (already have a Canadian with kapoks and bladder), D Type oxy mask, MKIV and MKIVA goggles, parachute and harness,..........actually, this could take some time but I think you know were I'm going. You must have been collecting for quite some time to get to the point where you don't want so much now.

When I do reenacting, I use good quality reproduction and replica items as I don't want to damage the originals. But what I collect and display, I want to be the real McCoy.

I mentioned before that I was looking for some Luxor goggles. I bought a pair of Luxor 10s yesterday. Can't wait for them to arrive.

Rob.

 

[Pepe Le Pew]

Good luck with that wants list, the items there add up to some serious money and that`s if you can get any of them. It took me years of collecting before i got my first 32 pattern Mae West and even longer to get my Mk 1va goggles. Along with the Mk Vb`s,they are the rarest goggles going.
I have been collecting for over twenty five years now,hence the reason i`m not looking for much.
Nice pair of Luxor`s by the way.

P L P

 

[Fury964]

Yeah, I know, but that's what collecting is all about. Hopefully one day I'll get lucky at the same time that I have a large amount of spare cash sitting in the bank. :0)
I do like the Luxors myself, I've been looking at them on a traders website for some time. He's currently having a 20% off sale on everything, so I just had to have them.
He had someone interested in them but they asked "Do you have another pair that doesn't have pink rubber cushions as that's a bit girly". I don't think that the fighter pilot's of the day worried about the colour. They are what they are,... great!