WTF Happened To Helmet Art?

[SuperFreaky]

Where did helmet art go?  Post images here to develope a collection. 

[Bobby]

[Hawg15]

Was helmet art ever really an Air Force thing? The Navy has always seemed to be the one into the heritage of aircraft and helmet designs. I do think it’d be cool to have a badass squadron aircraft or more than a gray helmet. 

Edited April 30, 2019 by Hawg15
Phrasing

[AFsock]

I looked once and didn't see anything that said we couldn't but really other than demo teams and old school Vietnam helmets I haven't seen it done that often.

[M2]

About the only current art I've seen are painted MFS on HGU-56/Ps...

[Sprkt69]

The fun police killed that years ago. I’m surprised the helo dudes have been getting away with it.

[FUSEPLUG]

Our AFE guys would shit a f'ing brick if they saw that.  I've had my helmet made "AFI-compliant" so many times in the last 5 years, my pencil has logged more NVG time than my actual eyes have.

[jazzdude]

Related topic-helmet bags. I remembered as a student many of the IPs having patches seen onto their helmet bags, or had their name/wings embroidered onto the bag. Now it seems that's few and few between. Did that tradition die, or is it just dead in my corner of the AF?

[uhhello]

3 hours ago, Sprkt69 said:

The fun police killed that years ago. I’m surprised the helo dudes have been getting away with it.

The mask isn't AFE equipment

[Majestik Møøse]

2 hours ago, jazzdude said:

Related topic-helmet bags. I remembered as a student many of the IPs having patches seen onto their helmet bags, or had their name/wings embroidered onto the bag. Now it seems that's few and few between. Did that tradition die, or is it just dead in my corner of the AF?

Back then a lot of those IPs would’ve been fighter guys who got their helmet bags custom made in Songtan.

[Danger41]

You can take Patches and get them sewn onto helmet bags on base or wherever you get uniform alterations done. If you have a motivated LPA, you can get all sorts of good swag. However, that seems to be few and far between these days. 

 

Visor covers are the closest thing I’ve seen to helmet art and those are alive and well. 

[Sprkt69]

1 hour ago, uhhello said:

The mask isn't AFE equipment

Do you think the Bobs care about that? There is probably an E-9/O-6 that is about to lose it because it’s not fair or professional 

[Breckey]

The mask isn't AFE equipment

It 100% is AFE equipment, it's just some AFE shops don't care.

From what I've heard (at least for the 56/P) painting the helmet prevents them from inspecting it for cracks , soft spots, and delaminations since the paint and clear coat could mask it. Also they don't want to be liable if they damage your $ 200 paint job replacing the visor cover.

[uhhello]

1 hour ago, Breckey said:

It 100% is AFE equipment, it's just some AFE shops don't care.

From what I've heard (at least for the 56/P) painting the helmet prevents them from inspecting it for cracks , soft spots, and delaminations since the paint and clear coat could mask it. Also they don't want to be liable if they damage your $ 200 paint job replacing the visor cover.

The masks aren't accountable items nor are they inspected.  They aren't AFE equipment after they hand it to you.  

[Majestik Møøse]

2 hours ago, Breckey said:

It 100% is AFE equipment, it's just some AFE shops don't care.

From what I've heard (at least for the 56/P) painting the helmet prevents them from inspecting it for cracks , soft spots, and delaminations since the paint and clear coat could mask it. Also they don't want to be liable if they damage your $ 200 paint job replacing the visor cover.

That’s a great example of “come up with an official reason so we don’t have to tell them the real reason.” Cracks, lol. Navy dudes completely cover theirs in tape.

[MechGov]

Did the AF ever really get into helmet art?

[Seriously]

22 hours ago, MechGov said:

Did the AF ever really get into helmet art?

Yes. Back in the 70s they were doing it. It died sometime in the 80s when AFE decided that all helmets should look identical with no tape covering. That made it easier for them to find cracks in the shell.

[Darth]

I went to ACC years ago when I asked if I could fly with my custom gloss black helmet in the F-16 (from F-117 days) and was told no (by the E-9 who was responsible for the reg) because it could present an IR signature to the enemy......I am not making this up.

Edited May 7, 2019 by Darth
I cannot type worth a damn...

[Sprkt69]

That’s when you laugh and point

[war007afa]

On 5/4/2019 at 12:08 AM, Darth said:

I went to ACC years ago when I asked if I could fly with my custom gloss back helmet in the F-16 (from F-117 days) and was told no (by the E-9 who was responsible for the reg) because it could present an IR signature to the enemy......I am not making this up.

Why would you ask for permission instead of forgiveness?

[jazzdude]

Because AFE had a nasty habit of stealing/throwing away stuff they think it's not authorized

[SocialD]

[MechGov]

Yes. Back in the 70s they were doing it. It died sometime in the 80s when AFE decided that all helmets should look identical with no tape covering. That made it easier for them to find cracks in the shell.

Wow. That’s digging into the way back machine.

Early 80s USAF must have been awesome

[Darth]

22 hours ago, war007afa said:

Why would you ask for permission instead of forgiveness?

The life support guys (whom I liked) asked me to please get permission as they were letting me fly with it and maintaining it.

[Vito]

 I was in one of the last UPT classes with the white helmets 86-87..  Part of UPT tradition was we designed a class patch, and also a class Helmet design. Nobody flew with a plain white helmet.