Marna Militaria - Top
Display your banner here
Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 12

Geonautics pasgt helmet

Article about: Hello to everyone, I'm an italian collector and this is my first topic. Some time ago I fond this PASGT helmet made by GEONAUTICS. What do you think abuot?

  1. #1

    Default Geonautics pasgt helmet

    Hello to everyone,

    I'm an italian collector and this is my first topic.

    Some time ago I fond this PASGT helmet made by GEONAUTICS.

    What do you think abuot?

    Geonautics pasgt helmet
    Geonautics pasgt helmet
    Geonautics pasgt helmet
    Geonautics pasgt helmet
    Geonautics pasgt helmet
    Geonautics pasgt helmet
    Geonautics pasgt helmet

  2. #2

    Default

    Unusual. I have a large collection of composite helmets but I do not know a lot about the PASGT helmets. I had never heard of Geonautics before, but they do have a website here - Geonautics Manufacturing, Inc. - Excellence in Composite Engineering - which refers to "Development of the P.A.S.G.T. ballistic helmet for the U.S. Army". I have cheked Mark Reynosa's book PASGT HELMET and (so far) found no mention of them as a contractor. No mention in Raynosa's US COMBAT HELMETS OF THE 20TH CENTURY either.

    There's no indication on the website that GEONAUTICS was previously trading under a different name.

    Possibly more recent production for export? I don't know. Will be very interested in other responses.

    Later edit - I've done a bit of websearching and the only real mention of a Geonautics helmet I have found so far is the original posting here! There are a small number of references on Google Patents -for example US4199388A - Method for making a multi-ply continuous filament ballistic helmet
    - Google Patents
    and FR2426238A1 -
    PROJECTILE RESISTANT HELMET AND ITS MANUFACTURING PROCESS

    - Google Patents
    but they seem expired and seem to date back to early days of PASGT development. Not obviously groundbreaking research, either!

    There's another mention of Geonautics on an info site which refers to them as " Manufacturing · Massachusetts, United States · <25 Employees Geonautics Manufacturing, Inc. (GMI) is a small engineering-oriented company specializing in development and production of reinforced plastic composites for technical applications. Plant equipment consists of complete machine shop facilities, 10 molding presses..." so not apparently a big manufacturer. Other references indicate they supplied 'samples' of composite products.

    This makes your helmet a lot more unusual, so far as I can tell.
    Last edited by Greg Pickersgill; 02-23-2023 at 05:43 PM. Reason: more information

  3. #3

    Default

    Seems no-one really interested in this here - why not get it moved to https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/balli...osite-helmets/ where it should have been in the first place.

  4. #4

  5. #5

    Default

    The first is the same company site I mentioned.
    The second is a cross-posting almost identical to the original here, from the same person.
    The third is Joseba's site, which mentions Geonautics once, but no further information. (Nothing on World War Helmets either)

    I do have some other references though; at Phil. Marines PASGT helmet we have

    "The first prototype PASGT helmets were made in two materials, fiberglass and kevlar. The ballistic-resistance performance of the two materials was about the same; however, fiberglass didn't hold up as well in the durability tests as kevlar. Two hundred helmets of each type were made for testing. These prototypes are easily identified because have the woodland camo pattern painted directly on the shell. This was done to enhance the marketability of the helmet to the U.S.Army - no one at Natick ever intended to field a helmet with the camo painted directly on the shell. The prototypes were made by a small marine fiberglass molding shop in Mass. called Geonautic, Inc."

    and at the US Militaria Form we have two other mentions - Scroll right to the bottom of this one - another mention of Geonautics being involved with prototypes.

    Prototype Kevlar PASGT Helmet - Camouflage finish. - MODERN COMPOSITE HELMETS - U.S. Militaria Forum

    Again right at the bottom of the thread - a mention of Geonautics producing the early painted trials shells.

    Show Your PASGT!!! - Page 2 - MODERN COMPOSITE HELMETS - U.S. Militaria Forum


    Which leads me to think there may be Geonautics helmets here - Composite Helmet, Ballistic helmets, Military helmets USA helmet, AMERICAN helmets helmet, Kevlar helmet . Not cited as such (no manufacturer cited at all in fact) which would tie up with the mention I just saw somewhere (and have immediately lost track of) that there is usually no makers mark in Geonautics products.

    So, given that Geonautics were involved in the very early days of the PASGT and seem to have produced only (?) the painted trials examples with no makers mark, this makes an apparently standard-issue unpainted PASGT with a makers mark very unusual. Mind you, as I am not a PASGT collector I could be quite wrong. I wish someone with specialised knowledge would join in here.

  6. #6

    Default

    Greg Pickersgill: many thanks for your researches… you’ve found a lot of info!
    Some of these I’ve found in my 'investigations' and, like you, nothing that can give a help to definite this helmet:
    there are a lot of news about GRP PASGT (all unmarked), but nothing about Geonautic’s kevlar helmets.
    I was hoping that by posting on a US forum, I might find some help classifying this particular helmet...

  7. #7

    Default

    Now that I know Geonautics was involved in the trials of the PASGT I looked again at both of Mark Reynosa's books. As yours is apparenty a normal issue PASGT I had only checked for the production manufatcurers. Now I find there are mentions of Geonautics in the test and trials section, but referring to just small runs, less than 300 helmets. (The books do not specifically say this, but I am making a reasonable guess that these were mostly the painted test examples, and that none had distinctive makers marks like yours does)

    I also saw that Geonautics was one of the companies that showed interest in the main production run of the helmet, but they dropped out quickly - possibly because they did not have the manufacturing capacity required. All this makes me think your helmet is very unusual - what seems like a normal issue PASGT with a Geonautics moulded mark. I'd really like someone who actually *knows* about the PASGT to comment on this.

  8. #8

    Default

    Hi Greg,
    yes, a unusually PASGT, it cames from a Italian Army's large batch of discarded helmets... there was test/valutation helmets made by italian ad forein industries.
    I've managed to catalogue them all, except this... despite many searches, more or less, only the informations that you also found.
    Thank you so much for your help... we are both waiting for those who know more than us.

  9. #9

    Default

    I dont know much about this Italian type as I dont own one but what I can say is when I compare it to the US , South African etc manufactured examples in my collection the liner / suspension & chinstrap system indicates its fairly early manufacture...that is from mid 1980s to mid 1990s if thats any help

  10. #10

    Default

    Hi RNZIR,
    thanks, but make sure not to confuse... this is not an italian/other Country helmet, but a 100% US made PASGT by Geonautics.
    And this established.
    Now seekin for more infos abuot Geonautics kevlar PASGT helmets that were produced for test/trials program in 1980/81
    Much has been written (and will be) about GRP PASGT, but almost nothing about these 300 or so helmets. 😉🤞🪖

    - - ------- - -

    Hi RNZIR,
    thanks, but make sure not to confuse... this is not an italian/other Country helmet, but a 100% US made PASGT by Geonautics.
    And this established.
    Now seekin for more infos abuot Geonautics kevlar PASGT helmets that were produced for test/trials program in 1980/81
    Much has been written (and will be) about GRP PASGT, but almost nothing about these 300 or so helmets.

Page 1 of 2 1 2 LastLast

Similar Threads

  1. US PASGT helmet

    In Ballistic /composite helmets
    04-15-2018, 03:51 PM
  2. 11-13-2017, 03:01 PM
  3. USAF used PASGT Helmet

    In Ballistic /composite helmets
    09-26-2017, 06:32 PM
  4. My New PASGT Helmet and Cover

    In Ballistic /composite helmets
    03-26-2013, 12:58 AM
  5. $20 PASGT helmet?

    In Helmets
    09-05-2012, 02:57 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Militaria-Reisig & Antiquitäten - Down
Display your banner here