HS-33 HEADSET, AMERICAN OPTICAL B-6 GOGGLES, A-9 MASK
HS-33 HEADSET, AMERICAN OPTICAL B-6 GOGGLES, A-9 MASK
HS-33 HEADSET, AMERICAN OPTICAL B-6 GOGGLES, A-9 MASK
HS-33 HEADSET, AMERICAN OPTICAL B-6 GOGGLES, A-9 MASK
HS-33 HEADSET, AMERICAN OPTICAL B-6 GOGGLES, A-9 MASK
A-9
Type A-9 summer flying helmet
Size M
Order No. 42-19389-P
Drawing No. 426685
The A-9, standardized on December 24, 1941, is a simple unlined summer flying helmet constructed from four segments of heavy cotton. It features hooks to fit the harness of either the type A-9 or Type A-10 (standard) oxygen masks, tie strings (forehead and neck) for adjustment and a fleece-covered leather chin strap. It was manufactured without communication equipment, but Gosport receivers or small leather ear cups for earphone receivers could easily be added.
Type A-9 oxygen mask
Manufacturer Acushnet Rubber Company
Production date January 1942
Size "short"
Specification No. 3125
Order No. W535 AC24003
The A-9 was the first US oxygen mask designed for use with the new diluter/demand regulators. Molded of synthetic rubber it is attached to the flight helmet by four elasticized straps with hooks at the end. The lower right hand retaining strap is fitted with a non locking "D" shaped hook allowing a quick detachment of the mask in case of need. In order to be worn without flight helmet, a full harness ("Juliet") was issued with the mask.
The corrugated rubber hose is equipped with a quick release connector, the latter actually being a copy of a German design.
Although the mask is fitted with an adjusting wire across the bridge of the nose, the mask would not fit securely, especially in combat maneuvers, and only relatively few were produced.
Anyway, the diluter/demand principle proved to be an immense step forward compared to the constant flow masks and Acushnet soon developed a successor for the Army Air Forces, the Type A-10 Standard.
Type B-6 flying goggles by American Optical (AO)
The B-6 is an adjustable metal-frame goggle with curved, wide-vision lenses and removable cushions. Standardized as early as 1928 it was declared obsolete only in 1944. AO and E.B. Meyrowitz were standard producers, while the Straus & Buegeleisen Co. variation was used as non-standard in 1939/40.
Type HS-33 headset