This mornings pile

[a2jacketpatches]

The folded 48 star flag was inside the aircrew first aid kit and some of the items found in the medic bag are typical of an aircrew first aid kit. The rest of this stuff is a mixture, but very cool indeed. M32 Navy Binoculars, WW1 Gas Mask, German made Armored Div Patch, odd M-1 helmet liner, 1938 hard hats from Mt. Baldy CA, Minty M1910 canteen and cup, and some moto pants I'll put up as a separate post.

 

[unclegrumpy]

The webbing in the liner looks odd....meaning it might be a postwar replacement for civilian use, but the shell is what is known as a "low pressure" liner. Those are hard to find.....I am pretty sure this one was made by the St. Clair Rubber Company....they were one of the two companies that made them.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Just found out it is the early St. Clair with rayon suspension and was cut down as a child's toy helmet.

 

[unclegrumpy]

Just found out it is the early St. Clair with rayon suspension and was cut down as a child's toy helmet.

I can't tell from the angle of your photo if or how much the liner might have been cut down, but the liners that ended up as toy helmets usually have much simpler and often cruder webbing system in them. Yours has the webbing you see in surplus liners that were rehabbed for use in factories, canneries, and other industrial applications.

Sadly in the end, it really does not matter...


Here is an example of the suspension for a low pressure liner that was made into a toy:

 

[a2jacketpatches]

This has an interesting camo pattern using two greens, blotches, and netting that was sprayed over. So most likely an army toy as opposed to industrial use. I paid 25 bucks, so this was a loss I think. Good thing is the two packages of wound tablets from the med kit will pay for the entire grouping, including the CASE knives and a few other things not shown in my photos.

Had to resize these pics for another forum so I'm not sure if you'll see the camo pattern once I post it.

 

[unclegrumpy]

This has an interesting camo pattern using two greens, blotches, and netting that was sprayed over. So most likely an army toy as opposed to industrial use.

Your liner looks like it was painted orange or red at one time, so I still think it more likely ended up in a toy box after being repurposed for civilian use. It was not originally sold with the "interesting" paint job and netting....that was added by the second or third owner, probably on his father's workbench after watching a few episodes of Combat!

One interesting thing about the liners that were sold for toys in the 1940's, is many have no paint on them at all. And the ones that do....that have still have their original finish, are often painted with really low grade chalky paint. That is because most were factory rejects that did not make it to the end of production. However, once helmet liners hit the surplus market, then anything is possible.

 

[a2jacketpatches]

This has an interesting camo pattern using two greens, blotches, and netting that was sprayed over. So most likely an army toy as opposed to industrial use.

Your liner looks like it was painted orange or red at one time, so I still think it more likely ended up in a toy box after being repurposed for civilian use. It was not originally sold with the "interesting" paint job and netting....that was added by the second or third owner, probably on his father's workbench after watching a few episodes of Combat!

One interesting thing about the liners that were sold for toys in the 1940's, is many have no paint on them at all. And the ones that do....that have still have their original finish, are often painted with really low grade chalky paint. That is because most were factory rejects that did not make it to the end of production. However, once helmet liners hit the surplus market, then anything is possible.

Now that I look a little closer, sounds about right. The green was carefully painted over the webbing inside.

 

[Peter Graham]

Interesting collection of gear. Nice catch.