Russian WW2 Period Flight Helmets

**RKKA pilot** · 03-07-2014, 11:02 PM

Hello, I had previously been known as der Flieger. I have changed my profile name because another member had had the name prior to my membership. I had not known, and when I had found out, I made the change out of respect and to be fair. (I had never been contacted by anyone about this, I had found out accidentally while using the search engine). In this thread I would like to show my fellow members my Russian WW2 period Flight helmets. And I would like for other members to feel free to add pics of their Russian WW2 period Flight helmets to this thread as well. Thanks

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-07-2014 11:02 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**RKKA pilot** · 03-07-2014, 11:10 PM

Here are some period photos

**SteveR** · 03-08-2014, 03:28 AM

Nice flight caps.

**willie45** · 03-09-2014, 08:08 AM

Nice helmets, RKKA pilot. Do they have any factory tags on the inside - most don't.

My helmets are all post war period. I'd like to start collecting some war period helmets, but they're a bit hard to find.

Cheers,Willie.

**RKKA pilot** · 03-09-2014, 02:06 PM

Hello, thanks for the comments. There are no tags on the inside.

**3aStalina** · 03-19-2014, 03:45 AM

i have two that i've posted here already,

WWII Soviet leather flight helmet - your opinions please

Soviet flight helmet and goggles for your reivew

**willie45** · 03-19-2014, 05:49 AM

by 3aStalina

i have two that i've posted here already,

WWII Soviet leather flight helmet - your opinions please

Soviet flight helmet and goggles for your reivew

ЗaStalina, thanks for the link to those threads, nice helmets.

It was very interesting reading, particularly the debate about dog hair vs. lambswool. There may have been isolated cases of Karakul lambswool lining being used in the war period, but it would have been very unlikely.
Generally speaking, dog hair was used to line Soviet flight helmets right up until 1978 when the ShL-78 series changed over to lambswool.

The helmets with very dark curly hair are very easilly mistaken for Karakul lamb as from a distance, Karakul almost looks identical to Black Russian Terrier hair and some examples of Moscow Water Dog. The best way to check is with a microscope, or a very powerful magnifying glass. Dog hair will look like any other hair under magnification, whereas what sets wool apart from all hair fibres is the crimp. Depending on the type of wool, the fibre is crimped at regular intervals along it's length, with a shingle-like appearance. When dog hair and wool are compared side by side under magnification, the difference is noticeable. They also have a different feel to touch.

I've had a few helmets that look like they have Karakul lining, but on closer inspection, they are dog hair.

Cheers, Willie.