He appears to be wearing a Royal Flying Corps “maternity” jacket. That would make the image 1912 at the earliest. So just tipping over into George the V rather than Edward the VII’s reign.

I would keep the originals boxed and safe, even more so if sealed etc. go with a replica set – you could get the two court mounted and maybe framed alongside a uniformed period photo of your nan if available?

Just echoing what others have said. If it were me I would leave the boxed medals un-opened. It is rare to find medals like that now, they are a time capsule and it would be nice to leave them intact. Defense and War medals are easy to obtain, any good antique/medal dealer should have them. My local chap usually does and the pair tend to be less than £25. Not much really when you think what was done to earn them. Again if it were me I would go the route of sercuring a second geniune set from a dealer rather than a replica set as the replicas tend not to have the same quality as the real thing. WWII medals were issued un-named so there are no worries about them being “somebody else’s” medals if you do decide to get them this way.

Very moving tribute on the other thread to your Nan.

Hi Bananasplits again thank you for your patience,the helmet i have looks the same as the first pattern c type that i have IE stitching leather panels etc, can you tell me what the differences are between the c type and the F.A.A. own pattern are.

Also the Zipped ear housings what the differences are as i at this current time only own a B type without ear covers…

Photos would be very handy to show the differences, as then i can get a better picture. (also would be nice to see)

Hi Hawker. I have included a close up shot of one of my b type zip ears. I currently do not have a standard FAA c type but do have a FAA immersion helmet so have included a close up of that as the construction of ears to the purpose made FAA c types.

So in the B type photo you can see there is an extra skirt of leather between the body of the helmet and the tear drop shaped panel that for the sides of the earcup (hope that makes sense?) on the FAA immersion helmet this extra skirt is not present as the teardrop panels are sew directly to the body of the helmet in manufacture. [ATTACH=CONFIG]226146[/ATTACH][ATTACH=CONFIG]226147[/ATTACH]

Very nice indeed!
I really must try and get a proper display together, I do have a loom plus receivers but have never put everything together on a head.
Did get a poly head but would have to chop its ears off to get helmet to fit!
The foam inners in my helmets ear pieces are baad! probably the original RAF ones….very crumbly! only see RCAF ones available these days.
The zip angles are the same as yours as well, though mine is fitted with slightly differing ear pieces…tapes different colours.
My helmet is by, Reliance’ and has that odd date of 1939-40 saw very similar on dealers list a while ago, same maker / condition.

My zip tapes are odd, it is not uncommon due to the ears being fitted at station rather than factory level so they must of got mis-matched fairly often.

The great thing about poly heads is that you can chop them to fit. If you do then glue some archival tissue pare over the whole thing with conservation grade PVA glue this stop the bits shedding onto your helmet, Allow to dry properly before putting helmet on though! I always put a stocking over the head before displaying a helmet as it knocks down the garish and distracting whiteness of them.

You could try over on the Commonwealth and RAF re-enactor and collectors forum if you are looking for RAF marked sponges as I bought a set from a chap who had several pairs available.

Yes the date bracket seems peculiar to Reliance helmets only seen it on theirs, quite a scarce maker too.

been lucky with all my MkIIIas (three pairs) all found in general antiques shops where they did not know what they were so where cheap and bang on. always difficult to judge things online. The ohter common one are the mint unissued MKVII which are referbured frames with new leather and strap from night simulation training goggles. MKVIIs just do not exist as unissed stocks. Unlike other early goggle types (MKIV wich can be found boxed unissed) they were not declared obsolete with the introduction of the MKVIII goggles and stocks were used up.

Hi would anyone know when the bracket type Mk1v goggles were put into service,(the type of brackets that were used to hold up the weight of the flying goggles.)

I now know thanks to the replies on this forum,that the F.A.A helmet i have acquired is the first pattern C type,with the Bennets type buckle. but this helmet has the Mk1v goggles with the fixed bracket to take the goggles. could it be possible that these goggles may of been used in the Battle of Britain and then swapped onto the F.A.A. type flying helmet, as i would of thought that the owner of this helmet may of switched straight to the later mark goggles used with the C type helmet. (less weight) as i believe the F.A.A first pattern came out around 1941.what goggles would of been associated with the F.A.A helmet in this year?

(hope this isn’t to confusing.)

In 1941 they goggles you have are what would have been worn. The next type of goggle that came in was the MKVII in 1942 (MKV and MKVI being specatcles rather than goggles)

However the the type of helmet would have been in use till the end of the war (the later c type coming in in 1944) so any goggle could bee seen worn with them throughout the war all depends on the period it was in use.

A few goggles for you!

[ATTACH=CONFIG]225899[/ATTACH]

So it appears unlike middle to late War goggles (MKV111) where these were worn generally by all Airman. The Battle of Britain period Goggles (various type were worn), on suitability to the Airman’s choice.

I think that was the case, as by the time the MKVIII was issued they had really got the design perfected (so much so they are still being made for motocyclist use) so everbody wore the same. Where as with earlier goggles they all had their pros and cons so was a case of going with what worked for you (or was available). May I ask what you are doing are you putting together a display?