This 1886 (makers and inspection mark) dated, 6 panel Colonial pattern Helmet. Any surviving FS helmets are rare, but research of the individual really brought this helmet and its history to life, with surprising results on the life of a Sudan Veteran. Continue reading
Discussed here are two types of ‘Flying Sun Helmet’; first, a type of cork crash helmet, which used Colonial Helmet construction methods, but whose primary function was protection from impacts rather than the sun, and secondly a true hybrid sun helmet, whose inception was to protect against the sun whilst flying in exposed cockpits in areas where such hats were traditionally used.
Although the early 1920s to early 1940s ‘Cork Helmet-Aviation’ (a.k.a., ‘RAF Type-A Flying helmet’ or ‘East of Malta Helmet’) is the best known aviator’s sun helmet, with various examples having been covered on this site by Peter Suciu and Roland Gruschka (Refs. 1 & 2), some earlier flying helmets also owe their origins or construction methods to military sun helmets. Continue reading
An example of a Colonial Pattern helmet with four panels rather than the more usual and authorized six panels. This example is to an Other Rank of the Queen’s Royal Regiment (West Surrey). (Photo courtesy Roland Gruschka)
The 1st Battalion West Surrey was stationed in Malta in 1892 and it appears that this type of helmet was not uncommon in Mediterranean stations for the British Army. However, the Dress Regulations of 1894 state that puggarees were to be worn in such stations as India, Bermuda, Ceylon, Hong Kong, Egypt, the Straits Settlements, West Indies, Mauritius, Malta, West Coast of Africa and Cyprus and that the full Home Service pattern helmet plate was to be worn at other stations, i.e. those where the puggaree was not authorized. There was a term “Mediterranean Order” which translated to no puggaree but full helmet plate and it appears that the cork ventilation was also a feature of this “order.” In 1899 puggarees were authorised for all stations abroad. Continue reading
The Type “A” Flying Helmet (Author’s Collection)
A lesser known, but still very rare helmet is the inter-war used British Flying Helmet known as the “Helmet, Cork, Aviation (22C/13),” or more popularly known as the Type “A” Flying Helmet. The “helmet, cork, aviation” was introduced in the early 1920s and reportedly issued only to aircrews based east of Malta. Continue reading