Trials Pilot liner Vietnam War 1964

[Redstalker]

Here’s a bit of an oddity of a helmet liner. It’s is dated 29 JULY 1964 with a DSA-1-4794 code. Now looking at Mark Reynosa’s book this contract doesn’t exist in his list. The other unusual thing is the white stencilled number which was only done by Westinghouse on the cotton resin liners. This one being a nylon type makes this potentially a pilot/trials liner. Westinghouse had no contracts to produce the nylon liners as they were all handed out to MARMAC and Firestone whilst Westinghouse were left to carry on production of the cotton resin type liners. When reading through Reynosa’s book it does mention about Westinghouse and General Tyre being contracted to make test models for evaluation of which the majority were sent to Vietnam for evaluation. The other odd thing about this liner is that it has pilot markings to make this one a type 2 airborne liner but was never done. The rivets you can see are not right on the pilot markings either for the webbing suspension. A very odd but interesting liner and I would love to hear your thoughts on this one.

[Rick W]

Thats really interesting mate

[ruddersrangers44]

Very interesting Ian,like so many unanswered questions on this subject,maybe some light will one day be shed,the date is two years too late for the pilot/trial liners by Westinghouse and GT,and the mold stamp is very unusual too,maybe a government contracted mold seldom leased out.we know Pat-Ric only had one contract in 1964 and that was for the cotton/resin type however this date shown here is the closest to it,so maybe they produced both types of liner but never been recorded,that would explain the stamp mold mark.nice thread and talking point bud.........