New Purchase

Yesterday I found an M-3 Flak Helmet to add to my collection of WWII flight gear. These helmets were worn over the flight helmets and had earflaps to cover the earphones. A helmet similar to this one saved the life of my friend Lyle Shafer on a mission in 1944. Flying as co-pilot on the 390th BG B-17 'Gung Ho', he leaned over in his seat to grab his flak helmet just as a shell burst through his side window, killing the pilot.

Here are the specs on the M-3:

"Helmet, steel, T2 (Flyer’s), standardized as Helmet, M3.—This was a direct modification of the M1 steel helmet shell with an associated adjustable head suspension and cutaway on each side of the helmet body to accommodate earphones. A hinged earplate provided protection over the cutaway earphone area. Because of the immediate need for a flyer’s helmet, the T2 received extended service tests and was eventually standardized in December 1943 as Helmet, M3 (fig. 316). This helmet weighed 3 pounds and 3 ounces. Between December 1943 and April 1945, 213,543 helmets of this type were produced. During its development, it was recognized that this type of helmet was unsuitable for a number of confined combat stations where a closely fitting skullcap type of helmet was necessary."

---Source: CHAPTER XI: Personnel Protective Armor
Maj. James C. Beyer, MC, William F. Enos, M.D.,and Col. Robert H. Holmes, MC

http://history.amedd.army.mil/booksdocs/wwii/woundblstcs/chapter11.htm

303rd Bomb Group has Great Site for Flight Gear Photos and Information

The 303rd Bomb Group, the famous "Hell's Angels", has one of the web's best bomb group sites. After posting my photos of flight gear, I surfed onto theirs, and it's a must for anyone interested in high-altitude bomber crew flight gear.

The web page for the flight gear is: http://www.303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear2.html

Here is just one example:
"Photo #12 - In the above photo can be seen the 4 lines of survival that ran from the crewman's fight gear and plugged into the airplane. The large green hose is for oxygen. One black communication line runs from his A-11 flight helmet earphones. The second black communication line runs from his push-to-talk switch. The push-to-talk switch is plugged into the internal microphone of the A-14 mask. The 4th line runs from his F-3 electric suit. The lead cord or extension cord is shown unconnected. Hanging from the sleeve of the left wrist is the connector for the gloves, and just below I've opened the glove to expose the connecting points. The flak helmet is the type M-3. This flak helmet was the same as the G.I. steel pot worn by the infantry, but altered slightly with the addition of ear flaps to fit better over the flight helmets. The M-3 did not have a separate liner that slipped in and out. When you run your hand over the top of the M-3, it feels like fur. A flocking was sprayed over them to keep the guys bare hands from freezing to them. It showed up in 1944. Much of what is displayed here can be seen in the photo of 1Lt Ted Misthal. Examples of the M-3 flak helmet and a flak vests can be seen here." --303rd BG Website