Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. At the end of the 50's the APH series helmets introduced a new generation of flight helmets characterized by the external visor covered with a protective shield. Improvement of the communication system, internal liner and oxygen mask retainers was also made and in some versions the dual dark and transparent visors system was installed. These types of helmets were the US Navy and USMC standard jet aircraft headgear during the 60's and throughout the 70's. In this period the first development of a flight helmet incorporating the Visual Target Acquisition System (VTAS I) was also made.
In the late 1960s the APH-6 helmet is issued in an improved single-visor version designated APH-6A and a double-visor version designated APH-6B. (Federal Stock Number for APH-6B size large assigned on 16 March 1968, size medium 13 April 1968). The main change in the APH-6A seems to be a new type of earphone installation method where the attachment screw is inserted through a plastic disc covering a larger hole in the helmet, thus allowing more freedom of movement for adjusting the earphones to individual pilots. Other changes include nylon visor tracks. The APH-6B has the same changes as the APH-6A but features a ramshorn double-visor. Helmets produced by Gentex have three-piece ramshorn visors and helmets produced by Sierra have one-piece ramshorn visors. It is noteworthy that the change from APH-6 to APH-6A and -B was not spurred by a specification change.
This example of a totally genuine size medium APH-6A is offered in good condition. It features a retractable tint visor, internal earphones, and early leather padded style liner. Helmet has a fantastic 1st Cavalry Division insignia to the reverse.
The 1st Cavalry Division next fought in the Vietnam War. No longer a conventional infantry unit, the division had become an air assault division as the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), commonly referred to as the 1st Air Cavalry Division. The use of helicopters on such large scale as troop carriers, cargo lift ships, medevacs, and as aerial rocket artillery, was never before implemented, but by doing so it freed the infantry from the tyranny of terrain to attack the enemy at the time and place of its choosing. In 1965, colors and subordinate unit designations of the Division were transferred from Korea to Fort Benning, Georgia, where they were used, along with separate elements of what had been the 2nd Infantry Division, to reflag the existing 11th Air Assault Division (Test) into the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Concurrently, the personnel and units of the 1st Cavalry Division, which remained in Korea, were used to reflag the division into a new 2nd Infantry Division.
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