What a find!

[dmar836]

I seldom get the deals especially on Ebay but this time I really lucked out.
This is the AN-H-16 flight helmet that is so difficult to find. I have looked for 15 yrs and the least I saw one go for was about $350. The most was about $650.
It's not in the greatest shape, dusty, and dry but will soften up well with some TLC. I won it for about $55(!!!!!).

May not mean much to anyone else but I am very pleased to add it to the collection.

Dave
Kansas City, USA

 

[watchmanjimg]

Nice score, Dave--especially as you've been searching for one for a long time. Sounds like the price was right too. Wish I'd been as lucky with the mint M41 jacket and low quarters I recently acquired. Top dollar!

 

[CHECK6]

What a luky man!!!!!!congrats
FAB

 

[dujardin]

i'm jaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaalous.... :lol:

congrats with your catch
i know some guy who'll enrage in the southern part of France

this is the good side of ebay.... sometimes (rarely) there are bargain

show us your ''jewel'' when refresh and completed with oxy - comm's - goggles

great addition to your collection

byeeeeeeee marcel

 

[dmar836]

Been working on it a bit.

Here's the one side untouched. The dust is very tenacious. Light dusting or blowing does nothing.

Then the other that I have carefully cleaned. No conditioner or chemicals used as of yet - just a good dusting.

The tools I'm using are an old toothbrush, specifically for around the fittings and HH strips, and a 100% horse hair shoe brush. I tried to get the shearling areas with the stiffer toothbrush as well as the heavy dust wants to stay down in the wrinkles. I went easy and brushed methodically one direction at a time. If you get to going back and forth, make sure you lift the brush before changing directions. If not, the bristles dig in and can chip the finish. I even lightly moistened the toothbrush for some areas. Then the shoe brush appears to buff it out well.

I tried a damp microfiber cloth but the finish is too delicate in some areas and can flake off if edges are snagged. Also, the brushes help get into the wrinkles where the dirt is greatest and a cloth cannot get.

Years back I used a medical moisturizer on some pants called Elta(in the red container). It had mineral oil, paraffin, and petroleum(ugh!) It worked quite well but I would hesitate to use it again due to the petroleum content. It really was amazing though.

Little help - is lanolin the stuff to use to moisturize this sheepskin?

Dave
KC, USA

 

[CHECK6]

Maybe WD40 i've been told that it don't damage the leather ?????need info on this

FAB

 

[dmar836]

Thanks 6. The mineral oil is a petroleum product. Initially, I would have no concerns as it is pretty benign . But recent reading makes me think that is a great no-no........... maybe just in the rubber conservation world?

I thought James or someone on here mentioned Lanolin as being from sheep fat so the most appropriate for sheep skin?

Just thinking aloud.......... again,
Dave
KC

 

[oose]

I thought you might like to see these, as I'm raiding my hard drive for images, I came across these...I have no idea what type model these are, the guys in shirts date from 1938, and the others 1941 I think.











All the best
stu

 

[bombs away]

May not mean much to anyone else but I am very pleased to add it to the collection.

Hello Dave,

Very good catch, congrats !

I know what you mean, I've been looking for one ANH16 at a decent price for years and finally found one last summer on ebay for $65 ! You beat me ! :lol:
This pattern is one of the most difficult to find for any serious USAAF collector.

Mine had some wood board parts stucked in the place for the receivers and it looks like yours has exactly the same. That's quite curious to see 2 have this modification.
For mine, I just took them off and set some ANB-H-1 receivers.
A slight coat of Pecards made him better looking even if it's difficult to make it penetrate the leather.

Once again, congratulations for this nice catch.

Tim.

 

[bombs away]

Just forgot !

Thank you Stu for these beautiful pics. Very interesting as usual.

Tim

 

[dmar836]

Thanks Stu!
Tim, yours is quite a bit nicer than mine. How did I miss it?
I need the A-10A also. Thought I had one so I let several slip away. Now I can't find it - probably never had one.

Dave
Kansas City, USA