Original U.S. Vietnam War USN USMC Pilot APH-6 Dual Ramshorn Flight Helmet

Original Item: Only One Available. At the end of the 50's the APH series helmets introduced a new generation of flight helmets characterized by the external visor covered with a protective shield. Improvement of the communication system, internal liner and oxygen mask retainers was also made and in some versions the dual dark and transparent visors system was installed. These types of helmets were the US Navy and USMC standard jet aircraft headgear during the 60's and throughout the 70's. In this period the first development of a flight helmet incorporating the Visual Target Acquisition System (VTAS I) was also made.

In the late 1960s the APH-6 helmet is issued in an improved single-visor version designated APH-6A and a double-visor version designated APH-6B. (Federal Stock Number for APH-6B size large assigned on 16 March 1968, size medium 13 April 1968). The main change in the APH-6A seems to be a new type of earphone installation method where the attachment screw is inserted through a plastic disc covering a larger hole in the helmet, thus allowing more freedom of movement for adjusting the earphones to individual pilots. Other changes include nylon visor tracks. The APH-6B has the same changes as the APH-6A but features a ramshorn double-visor. Helmets produced by Gentex have three-piece ramshorn visors and helmets produced by Sierra have one-piece ramshorn visors. It is noteworthy that the change from APH-6 to APH-6A and -B was not spurred by a specification change.

This is a good example of an APH-6 but we cannot determine the exact specification as we cannot locate the data tag. Size is approximately Medium. It features internal earphones but there is no microphone or oxygen mask, though the insets are still intact to the sides for the attachment of a mask. The foam from the liner is drying out and will dust if touched too much, but both the clear and tint visors are retained. The helmet is covered in orange and reflective silver tape as done by the pilot. There are tags on the sides reading TAC-COM and W.P. DEMPSEY, a good research project.