Unknown RFC / RAF Flying Helmet

[aeroraider]

I wanted to know if someone is familiar with this flying helmet.

- it is heavy padded canvas
- it has built-in gosport tubes
- it appears to have been doped with a waterproofing compound

It came with the effects of a Royal Flying Corps officer who served with heavy bombers near the end of the war. I found an image of a flying suit in the collection of the Imperial War Museum, online, that looks like it is made out of the same material. It is described as an issue item for high altitude flying.

[aeroraider]

Interior

Interior

[peter monahan]

I'll buy RFC, WWI, absent evidence to the contrary, but I'm surprised it wasn't made of leather and fur! Even in early WWII those were still the warmest materials and the shots of WWI flyers properly dressed for flight make them look like bears! Interesting item!

[Wood]

Inter war?
Pete

[aeroraider]

Inter-War

Anything is possible because you never know how an object came into an estate. The officer in question served from 1916-1919 (pilot) and the again from 1939 (administrator). He also had some interest in civilian flying, but I believe that was more into the late 1920s and early 1930s.

I can't find the flight suit that I mentioned I found on a website, I think it was the IWM. It was strange to me too, but the WWI flight suit in the description was made from canvas.

I should also mention there are rubber ends on the interior side of the helmet for the gosport tube, but these ends have almost completely disintegrated and are very fragile. The padding is quite thick and does suggest use at a high altitude. The chin strap is leather.

[peter monahan]

A puzzler!