Grazie ancora Spooky.
Ieri ho mandato senza nessuna speranza di risposta una email con le foto del casco alla "Gentex Corporation"! Da non crederci, dopo poche ore una persona gentilissima (Mark Jones) mi ha risposto.
Mi ha confermato che si tratta di un SPH-4 prodotto tra il 1969 ed il 1973. Anche secondo lui è originale ma mi ha confermato come già qui nel forum mi era stato detto che l'elmetto è stato riverniciato perchè dalla gentex uscivano solo in verde o in bianco e anche l'aquila è stata dipinta a mano.
Forse è un po' "off topic" ma voglio mostrarvi le mail che ci siamo scambiati perchè non mi sarei aspettato da una fabbrica di materiali militari una cortesia e disponibilità di questo genere:
Mark Jones
Hi Carlo;
Yes, that is an old SPH-4 helicopter helmet, most commonly used by Army helo crews. Its missing its outer visor housing and visor (that’s what the black tracks at the front are for), and it was manufactured for a US government contract that was awarded to Gentex in 1969, so your particular helmet might have been made anywhere from late 1969 till about late 1973. US govt contracts are multi-year and the “69” on the label indicates the year of award to a company so you know it wasn’t made prior to late 1969. Someone has added an “eagle” with magic marker or paint to the forehead area and resprayed the shell with gold paint – all Gentex SPH-4 helmets were either OD green or white for commercial customers. This helmet is a size regular from the label, the smaller of the two sizes the helmet was produced in.
Looks to be pretty well worn out, lots of corrosion and leather cracked/dried, missing the boom and other parts.
Did the seller represent this as belonging to a missing pilot or something? I ask because I am aware that Vietnam has sometimes sold military articles like “dog tags” as being from missing soldiers, to get money from the family of a soldier. It is unpleasant business but that is what happens.
Goldencharlie
Thank you Mark for your kind and very clear answer to my mail.
I agree with you that the helmet must has been repainted. I have found it in a market in Hanoi. The seller told me that it was an american helicopterist helmet, nothing more.
When Vietnam war was burning I was a 13-15 years old italian boy and I was impressed of so many young americans fighting and dying in a foreign land so far from home.
I don't know who wore that military helmet between 1969 and 1973 but I like to image a young american soldier who forgot it there while going back to his wife and child!
Thank you again
Mark Jones
That’s very nice of you Carlo, I am glad you rescued it and are giving it a good home. You might look very closely over the entire helmet to see if there is a name perhaps marked in ink or marker on the inside of the helmet shell – this was common practice to put the crew mans last name on the inside of the shell usually under the ear cups.
Ho seguito il suggerimento di Mark e ho trovato un nome sul polistirolo interno del casco (allego foto)
Ho seguito il consiglio di Spooky e ho fotografato il lato sinistro dove è evidente il foro dove era innestato il microfono.
Carlo
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