How are you all doing?
Today let's take a look at the IJN flight helmets made in the late period!
Taken in June 1945.
Most of the crew in this photo are wearing the later type.
Original
Reproduction
This late type was produced after 1942 after the attack on Pearl Harbor.
In 1944, due to a shortage of supplies (leather shortage), private manufacturers produced them in shark and eight-eyed eel leather.
Original
Reproduction
Original
Reproduction
Original
Reproduction
Original
Reproduction
Original（Manufactured by 52 Leather Company）
Reproduction
Taken in October 1944.
The crew member on the right can be seen wearing a felt receiver.
IJN Felt Receiver
This felted type was used in later model flight helmets.
Incidentally, this is the original flight helmet made of cloth. (From a Swiss collector References, www.flightgear.ch)
Good quality flight helmets were worn by the crews in actual combat, and it was the flight school students who used such cloth flight helmets.
From here, we will spotlight the aircrew in the photo and show you a reproduction of how they wore them.
A test flight of the Shiden Kai (N1K4-J , George 21) being seized by the U.S. military in September 1945. Major Yoshio Shiga is seated in the cockpit.
That's all for today.
Next time, I'll show you the winter version.
See you soon.
※About ordering※
We manufacture the flight helmets, oxygen masks, receivers, etc. shown in the blog. Please contact us for production orders, film-related orders, etc.
ry.oide@nifty.com