Originally Posted by
John Nichol
Thanks for this. A mis-ID from me on early helmets! Though I asked for a good reason - one of the stories I cover in the book is Charlie Neel, the USAF exchange officer on Lightnings. When he ejected (flying alongside Chris Coville - later 'AM Sir Chris') he was wearing his USAF helmet adapted with UK fittings, and his USAF boots. He got a bit of a kicking for this at the Board of Inquiry.
Interestingly, Charlie's replacement on 5 Sqn was Capt William Schaffner - subject of another recent thread here about a 'non-ejection' and UFOs.....
And Charlie had PREVIOUSLY ejected from a F-100 in Vietnam with Guy Grutrers and been rescued (incredible combat recovery under fire). Gruters then ejected AGAIN a few weeks later, was captured and spent 5 1/2 years in Hell as a PoW.
Ejecting certainly can be, just the start of a journey!
We had a USAF pilot on 43[F] Sqn in 82 who flew in his USAF issue helmet with UK electrics/O2 mask hooks. When we told him we weren't to sure of the integrity of it, due to the camo tape, he took an aircraft to Alconbury and got a new helmet. Minus the camo tape. Apparently he found the Mk4a too heavy. the internals were all signed off by the 'Big Boys' at Farnborough apparently.