Leather helmet: Adapting old RAF"C"type to a modern radio?

[Ian Law]

Is there a practical and economic way of adapting an old RAF "C" type leather helmet so that it will work with a hand held radio?

This could be by way of an intermediary "black box" or by stripping out the old loom and replacing it with suitable new wiring and headset pieces.

I would also prefer to change the exposed rubber earphone supports for the zippered leather covers, at the same time. Rather than simply buying a "B" type helmet ( if I could afford such a thing ) I'd like to make use of one of my two existing helmets, both of which are in good order.

I look forward to any advice.

Ian

[tnowak]

Ian,

I think you will have two issues to resolve- headset earphone impedence and type of microphone.
The latter is likely to be the most tricky one to resolve as it will, most likely,be carbon on moving coil.

I suggest to contact someone like Headset Services at Shoreham as they most likely have been asked this type of thing before. Also do a search on the Flyer forum for "headset repair"; other companies may also be able to advise.

Tony Nowak

[Chris Martyr]

Strange co-incidence there Tony. I was just about to do a post suggesting the exact same thing.

I purchased a complete RAF leather flying helmet from HSL in 2005. They very cleverly adapted it to take David Clark headset cups, which are velcroed in to the inside of the helmet. They also adapted the boom mic. mouthpiece to fit inside the oxygen mask. They gave me a choice of headset cable, I.E. did I want a long cable , a short cable and which type of jack plugs.
This arrangement , along with my Icom handheld has worked brilliantly for 11 years now and I thoroughly recommend them.
To supply everything, including the helmet, and to carry out the work cost £325-00. Not that cheap I know , but the bulk of the cost was probably the helmet itself. Actually, if you compare that price to the price of a headset, it's extremely reasonable.
Definitely worth making an enquiry. www.headsetservices.com
If you google my reg. [ G-EVPI] there are quite a few enthusiast photos where the splendid HSL product can be seen " in action ".

[Ian Law]

I will do as you suggest Tony.

Many thanks.

Ian

[Ian Law]

Thanks also Chris - I've just read your reply. That sounds like a good option and I'll follow up all suggestions.

Ian

[Ian Law]

Wrote to Headset Services and they replied very promptly. Unfortunately - and not surprisingly perhaps - they are no longer able to assist with this type of work.

I'll keep looking & hope there will be a solution ( a helpful boffin ? ) out there somewhere!

Regards.

Ian

[JohnLindsay]

Hello Ian,

I have done it and if you PM me your email address I'll send you some photos.

In short, my hand-held is an Icom IC-A3E. I am using the original C Type helmet RAF loom the plug of which plugs in to an RAF to NATO adapter that, in turn, plugs into a second commercially available adapter with twin leads terminated with the thick and thin conventional headphone jack plugs. These plugs match the Icom-supplied headphone input lead - sounds very convoluted but it works well. I cannot recall whether the original earpieces are wired in series or parallel but it works in my case.

As for the microphone, I am not using the original RAF mask but a boom mic that I transferred from a defective David Clark headset. The mic is an M-7A electret and I have wired it into the original helmet 2-pin microphone plug. The boom itself is attached to the helmet using one of those triangular metal fittings that attaches to the press studs on the helmet when using more modern oxygen masks.

Not easy to describe but some photos should explain all.

Regards, John.

[Ian Law]

Many thanks John and that will be extremely helpful.

I'll report back on my progress.

Ian

[wigglyamp]

This adaptor works fine - used in ex-military aircraft where we've installed civil radios:

http://www.flyingshop.com/emcc-mkii/

It should plug directly into the Icom headset adaptor

[Ian Law]

Many thanks Harry and I'll follow this up. Looks ideal.

Ian