question British Army AFV crew Helmets

[martynsmith]

Hi fella's ( and sorry felleress's)

 

Can anyone help with info on the above. See attached picture of a new AFV crew helmet which I think is the AFV400 from NP Aerospace and its predescessor?

 

Can anyone give me more info i.e. the name, service dates, material constructed from etc for the older helmet and supply similar info for the new one/confirm name etc?

 

Thanks

 

Martyn[ATTACH=CONFIG]32738[/ATTACH]

[fv1609]

Martyn link doesn't work for me. Just get this:

 

Invalid Attachment specified. If you followed a valid link, please notify the administrator

[martynsmith]

Hi Clive

 

I attached a picture of both helmets; if I click on it the picture opens up. I did have trouble putting it on ( new guy syndrome...or FNG)

 

Martyn

[martynsmith]

 

[AlienFTM]

The one with the built-in earpieces was issued to CVR(T) crews from day 1 in the early 70s (because Scorpion / Scimitar, even fitted with Larkspur radios, had a hybrid radio harness) and to all AV crews with Clansman.

 

Note the velcro tabs sticking out of the ears. Pull them tight and stick them down and it allowed you to adjust the pressure of the earpieces on your ears. In theory. In practice, the velcro was worse than useless and the earpieces acted as clamps on the ears, inducing dreadful headaches. Many, many crewmen managed to find fault, any fault with the helmet and return it for repair, to be issued with a HIB or SUH in its stead, which they retained permanently.

 

So many helmets were returned to me for repair that, instead of relying on the modular push-fit radio loom connections inside the helmet, I soldered them together. Losing battle.

 

No idea when the non-integral-earpiece helmets replaced them.

[AlienFTM]

Istr the early helmets were fibreglass. When I reroled in 1982, some bright spark had decided that the helmets would work better with chinstraps. Istr there were blanked holes under the ears to allow the attachment of three-point chinstraps, which were being delivered to regiments about that time.

[AlienFTM]

Between the mike and the earpiece is a raised housing. This contained a connector for an NBC mike.

 

The helmet was designed to be worn over an S6 respirator. Plug an NBC mike into the earpiece, clamp the NBC mike onto the exhaust port on the front of the respirator and you could work the radio in NBC red conditions. Otherwise, talking through the boom mike (or a Larkspur hand-held mike) was as much use as talking with hand over mouth and nostrils pinched.

 

NBC mikes were as common as rocking-horse droppings. The plastic adapter that attached it to the S6 was non-existent. As regimental signals storeman, one once nearly crossed my path. I say nearly, because it didn't get to the other side: it went straight in my pocket. I never had a problem talking on air whilst at NBC red.

[Pete]

I spotted this on ebay, looks like they have a few of them:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Military-British-NATO-Army-Tank-Driver-Driving-Helmet-/310245843077?pt=UK_Collectables_Militaria_LE&hash=item483c17e085

[andym]

No idea when the non-integral-earpiece helmets replaced them.

 

Presumably about the time that ANR headsets were introduced? The ANR system couldn't operate if it was sat inside a helmet as it needs to listen to the ambient noise level and the ANR microphone is inside the earpiece?

 

Andy

[recymech66]

The ANR headset in that pic is designed to fit the Mk 6 combat helmet, there is a different type of ANR headset which fit the current crewguard as it's known.

[martynsmith]

Thanks for all those who replied.

 

The old style helmet I've found out was made by HMAK, I think an HT-9 model. HMAK was actually the Danish Army Materiel Command (Hærens Materielkommando).

 

They probably supplied us with it. I know it was used 1982 in the Falklands using reference photos, nothing after that until the 'new' style surfaces in photos in 1991 ( Op Desert Sabre/Granby), although these look slightly differant due to the headsets ( Clansman as opposed to my pic of a Bowman headset). The dates for the 'new' helmet is consistant with answers oon another forum which said about 20 years.

 

Thanks chaps

 

Martyn

[martynsmith]

'to be issued with a HIB or SUH in its stead, which they retained permanently'

 

Hi 'Alien'. I should know and when you post the answer will kick myself but what is HIB/SUH please?

 

Grey matter's not what it was

 

Ta

 

Smudge

[Bazz]

HIB, Headset Infantry/"B" Vehicle.

SUH, Staff, User Headset

[AlienFTM]

HIB, Headset Infantry/"B" Vehicle.

SUH, Staff, User Headset

 

More or less what he said. Replace the last "," with a "-" and you are about there.

 

The HIB was an extremely light, simple headset from which one earpiece could be removed so that an infantryman or B vehicle driver could hear what was going on whilst still listening to his net.

 

Headsets issued for command vehicles were for staff users, therefore more comfortable, better quality and two permanent earpieces so that you could work one net or IC (crew intercom) and monitor another.

[martynsmith]

Thanks fellas

 

martyn

[83KB62]

I went to the Frome booty yesterday, picked up a MK6 and this one for a fiver each, but I cant identify the radio helmet from the net, its a Racal with numbers 'STH TYPE 8810'.

Can anyone identify and place an approximate year please, and would it have gone with Clansman gear?

Thanks

Terry

Edited November 15, 2010 by 83KB62

[ferrettkitt]

I went to the Frome booty yesterday, picked up a MK6 and this one for a fiver each, but I cant identify the radio helmet from the net, its a Racal with numbers 'STH TYPE 8810'.

Can anyone identify and place an approximate year please, and would it have gone with Clansman gear?

Thanks

Terry

 

It will work with Clansman and if you have the right box you can set the mics to live (on all the time). These headsets have the pressell (ptt) incorporated into the lead which is the round circular thing with the clip on the back.

 

I don't know the year/s that they were used I remember seeing them for sale five years ago on an American website so its pre 2005. How long were they were out of service before then???

 

Pre ANR I think so its the black faced Clansman boxes

[83KB62]

Thanks for that info Andy, I pressume you have the Ferret on an auction site?

I have just found this link on there: http://www.ferret-fv701.co.uk/intercoms_&_radios.htm

 

There is a picture in the Clansman black label section, but still no name or mark no. or date.

I dont want it in my '84 FFR 109 if it is wrong, so more research need.

Getting there.....................

Edited November 16, 2010 by 83KB62

[Bazz]

You wouldn't find these used in a LR. Operators in LRs used Staff Users or HIBs. The date of 1984 is not right though. We were using the old style when we left BAOR to go to Cyprus in 84, and on my joining QOY in 86 the new ones wer in, so I assume that the change happened between 85-86??. This could be wrong though, I'll try and verify this info.

Edited November 16, 2010 by Bazz

[ferrettkitt]

Thanks for that info Andy, I pressume you have the Ferret on an auction site?

I have just found this link on there: http://www.ferret-fv701.co.uk/intercoms_&_radios.htm

 

There is a picture in the Clansman black label section, but still no name or mark no. or date.

I dont want it in my '84 FFR 109 if it is wrong, so more research need.

Getting there.....................

 

No thats another Andrew funnily enough I went to have a look at it in Leeds when it was for sale with the seller Andrew confusing I'll wrap myself up in knots:-)

[Scotch Harry]

Thanks for all those who replied.

 

The old style helmet I've found out was made by HMAK, I think an HT-9 model. HMAK was actually the Danish Army Materiel Command (Hærens Materielkommando).

 

They probably supplied us with it. I know it was used 1982 in the Falklands using reference photos, nothing after that until the 'new' style surfaces in photos in 1991 ( Op Desert Sabre/Granby), although these look slightly differant due to the headsets ( Clansman as opposed to my pic of a Bowman headset). The dates for the 'new' helmet is consistant with answers oon another forum which said about 20 years.

 

Thanks chaps

 

Martyn

 

 

MArtyn,the old type of helmet was British made(used to have one unissued in its box but long sold im afraid).

 

The HMAK ones are indeed Danish,now if they are just ex Brit ones sold to the Danes and re issued or newly made by the Danes i dont know but all the Danish stamped/marked ones i have seen have a nasty thick textured paint coating on them,not saying they are all like this but ALL the ones Ive come across have been.

[Scotch Harry]

I also have one of these and cannot find any info anywhere regarding this type of helmet.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[datadawg]

Thanks for that info Andy, I pressume you have the Ferret on an auction site?

I have just found this link on there: http://www.ferret-fv701.co.uk/intercoms_&_radios.htm

 

 

Just stumbled on this link, it is super helpful to novices like me, as I am trying to figure out what helmet/headset will interface with intercoms in my Saracen. The link shows even the plug variants! Thanks for sharing this!