HELMET HELP!

[darktide]

This one has me stumped...

I got this helmet several years ago at a military surplus store outside Clark Air Base in Pampanga, shortly after the USAF personnel pulled out.

The seller had at least 20 of these lying on the floor of his store. They were branded "BELL" or "BUCO", and I am sure that you guys know that both these companies manufacture motorcycle helmets. Branding aside, both types of helmets were practically the same in appearance, all were painted OD and had 3-digit numbers hand painted inside. I got the "BELL" one, and the number painted inside is "145". The sticker inside mine says "BELL TOPTEX".

The helmet kinda looks like a mountaineering helmet or a cut-down PASGT and seem to be made of the same material as whatever motorcycle helmets are made of. It has a full styro liner inside, to absorb shock I guess.

These helmets also had woodland camo covers which were very well made and attach to the helmet in more or less the same way as the PASGT helmet cover, with those little strips of webbing that have velcro on them. Strangely, the helmet cover also has slits for attaching foliage, similar to that seen on combat helmet covers. I say "Strangely" because I don't think this is any type of combat helmet. The chinstrap is brown and has "lift the dot" stamped on it, but it is a snap fastener.

I am pretty much sure that it isn't a toy but have no idea what military application it would have. I have tried researching this specific helmet but have come up with a big, fat ZERO. I haven't been able to find any pics of this nor have I seen another one since I got it.

Any help IDing this helmet would be appreciated...

[kalbs]

It's the same helmet used by the Police but the one pictured does not have the sun visor part on it. What the military would do with it is anyones guess. The helmet shown has no balistic characteristics at all. The pic below is from Madmax, sorry only reference I could find.

Bell does make Combat type helmets used generally by SWAT teams and Police but the one shown is not that, it's a Police Tactical helmet

[darktide]

Nov 16, 2009 17:12:29 GMT 8 kalbs said:

It's the same helmet used by the Police but the one pictured does not have the sun visor part on it. What the military would do with it is anyones guess. The helmet shown has no balistic characteristics at all. The pic below is from Madmax, sorry only reference I could find.

Bell does make Combat type helmets used generally by SWAT teams and Police but the one shown is not that, it's a Police Tactical helmet

Jeez... What would the USAF be doing with something like this.

[kalbs]

Crowd control? Corrections?... who knows. It is not a combat helmet though

[Waffen Ryan]

It's a motorcycle helmet, maybe used by the personnels but not for combat operations.

[darktide]

Finally found out was this helmet is for... It's a jump training helmet.

[kalbs]

Dec 3, 2009 11:57:55 GMT 8 darktide said:

Finally found out was this helmet is for... It's a jump training helmet.

I hope just off a bed... there is no support strap at the back. darn thing would blow right off your head in the air wash. A kid's bike helmet has better straps.

[darktide]

Dec 3, 2009 14:00:10 GMT 8 kalbs said:

Dec 3, 2009 11:57:55 GMT 8 darktide said:

Finally found out was this helmet is for... It's a jump training helmet.

I hope just off a bed... there is no support strap at the back. darn thing would blow right off your head in the air wash. A kid's bike helmet has better straps.

I thought so too, but it's not used for actual jumping. It's for the "ground" training portion before actual jumping (learning how to land, roll, stuff like that). The same individual also showed me a pic of a flight deck crewman's cloth helmet configured for radio operator's use by the Navy SEALS. If I didn't see it, I wouldn't have believed it.

Look at the last helmet in this link...

www.specwargear.com/seal%20helmet.html

[imherms]

Hi to all, I'm Herms, I'm new to this forum and this is my first post.

The Bell helmet is a standard motorcycle helmet used in Clark Air Base for motorcycle perimeter checking or patrol.

Regarding the flight deck helmet being used by SEALS, Yes the SEALS did use that. This set up has been used by the SEALS since the 70's. This is my late 70's-early 80's sample of such headgear/radio set. ;D