Ask for help to ID pilot's helmet

kangaroo · 8 May 2009, 06:16 AM

Hello,
I would like ask members to ID pilot's helmet on enclosed photos. It could be Italian or French - perhaps Roold helmet? The earphones looks quite odd.

Thanks for help in advance

Jim · 11 May 2009, 11:50 AM

Are there any markings on it to indicate that it is a pilot's helmet, whether it was military issued, or what the approximate age is?

This general style of helmet was used not only by some pilots, but also by motorcycle riders and even some early auto drivers and race car drivers. The holes in the earpieces were to allow the wearer to hear clearly when the helmet was on his head and the strap fastened up. This style of helmet is seen on all of these kinds of people for a couple of decades so it is hard to tell when this particular one was made or used.

For helmets like this it is usually important to have a provenance - an unbroken chain of custody and information (such as the owner wearing it in a period photo) coming from the original owner - to know exactly what it is and how it was used.

kangaroo · 11 May 2009, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jim

Are there any markings on it to indicate that it is a pilot's helmet, whether it was military issued, or what the approximate age is?

This general style of helmet was used not only by some pilots, but also by motorcycle riders and even some early auto drivers and race car drivers. The holes in the earpieces were to allow the wearer to hear clearly when the helmet was on his head and the strap fastened up. This style of helmet is seen on all of these kinds of people for a couple of decades so it is hard to tell when this particular one was made or used.

For helmets like this it is usually important to have a provenance - an unbroken chain of custody and information (such as the owner wearing it in a period photo) coming from the original owner - to know exactly what it is and how it was used.

Hello Jim,

thanks for reply.
This is helmet was used by Slovak pilot - Gen. Stefanik during WW1 in French army/ Czechoslovak legion . He crashed with his plane with two other Italian crew members in year 1919 when he returned home from Italy.