Falklands conflict - British helmets

[Composite]

For those of you who remember the halcyon days of Mr Pickersgills Yahoo Helmet Collectors Forum you may recall a thread we did on the variety of Brit-used helmets from the Falklands conflict. We came up with quite a list (which I’ve since lost) and I’d like to have another go at. I should add that I’ve found a thread on para helmets and coverings which this may sit well with....sorry if it's in the wrong place!

I’ll start with the obvious ones (and I’ll use non-techie names…please let’s NOT get tied up with names as I’ve yet to find OFFICIAL ones for all the variants !):-

Para – plastic with smooth shiny bolts & web straps
Para – plastic with wide green vinyl straps
Para – steel
Marines and ship-board crew - AFV / RAC (Steel para shape)
Rapier Crews ? (guessing here!)
Scorp crew – presumably “Dan Dare” style (‘can’t find my pic of mine – sorry) by Amplivox
“Infantry” – MkVs (poss some MkIVs???) and a selection of Mk6 trials models???.... this bit should be interesting......
+ others???

…I seem to remember us getting to around 17 last time but I may be wrong…..

Can we complete the list?...and add period photos to create a definitive list???

I'll kick off with a few pics (they're not all Falklands items)......'not exhaustive.....

[paulp4180]

Photo captioned:

"A Rapier FSB 1 surface to air missile battery operator defending Task Force ships in San Carlos Water keeps watch for Argentine aircraft."

[James C]

Excellent posting Ade and yes i would say the MK6 shows part of the feranti Rapier system mounted sight bracket
The RAC helmet is real nice and has a chincup as found on my Mk6 troop trials helmet and great foliage band too
Thanks for sharing an awesome grouping and funny but i did a similar grouping a few weeks back now which i can add to this thread

[Composite]

...'not sure we're there yet but hey ho.

James - what is the light green camo on that netted Mk6...or poss Para?

[James C]

Hi Ade ,its an early lightweight para with green chinstrap webbing ,the cover is Us Mitchell camo
Regards James

[Jerry B]

An interesting subject and for many of us the first conflict other than NI that we remember

[Composite]

Thanks JB...it is indeed a CONFLICT we remember...sadly it's not a THREAD that's remembered! :-)

[Jerry B]

Sadly, I don't have any British helmets that I could state with 100% certainty were Flaklands used, though the HSATMKII is a possible, certainly many of this type were used there and the same for the HSRACMkI, but only showing them both to illustrate what was used, and there is a chance the Para was there.

[Jerry B]

A good pic I found showing an HSRAC on the back of a tank.

[Watchdog]

Great pic Jerry.

These CVR(T) Scimitars were ideally suited to the terrain of The Falklands because despite weighing in at almost 8 tonnes it actually exerts no more ground pressure per square inch than that of a man (to put this in context, a woman in high heels exerts a greater ground pressure per square inch than an elephant but I wouldn't mention that in mixed company) and it had enough firepower to overcome anything it might encounter there.

The Scimitars in The Falklands were from the Blues and Royals and in this pic you can see the typical oversized (Garter Star) rank badges of the Household Division worn by the Lt standing behind the vehicle.

This was pre-assault "work up" training on Ascension Island before the combat phase of Op Corporate began.

This shows the steel helmet perfectly in context.

Regards

Mark