December 7th Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 256:
Description
This lot features a museum-quality, Vietnam War Era HGU-2A/P U.S. Navy/Marine Corps Pilot Flight Helmet, presented as a complete assembly with its oxygen mask and communications equipment. The HGU-2A/P was the primary high-altitude helmet used by U.S. naval aviators throughout the Vietnam era. The helmet shell is painted in a highly desirable and colorful custom squadron paint scheme, consisting of alternating burnt orange and cream/off-white vertical stripes over a field drab/olive base. This custom paint shows extensive, authentic scratching and wear, a strong indicator of its field use and history, and a small, period-applied decal or label reading NAVY is visible above the visor housing. The helmet retains its functional dark tinted visor in its original housing.
The interior of the helmet is complete with its original communications components, including the ear cups/speakers and leather pads, and a highly important and collectible feature is the pilot s clearly handwritten name, JONES and B.H. Jones, marked on the liner, which significantly enhances the helmet s provenance. The helmet assembly is complete with its attached oxygen mask and communication hardware, specifically an MBU-5/P or similar pattern mask in olive drab, which is attached via quick-release bayonets. The mask is connected to the distinctive green corrugated breathing hose which terminates in the standard U.S. aircrew communications connector. Presented in this complete and highly customized configuration, this HGU-2A/P is a superb piece of Cold War and Vietnam War aviation history, offering a tangible connection to a U.S. Navy or Marine Corps pilot.
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