Description
Physical description
Helmet, goggles and oxygen mask: brown leather chamois lined flying helmet with goggles and oxygen mask. The unwired (early pattern) helmet is fitted with circular-shaped ear telephones, a bell-shaped jack plug and has three metal pop fasterners to the left side of the face. To the opposite side is fitted a metal guide plate, and the helmet is fastened by a leather chinstrap. The Type G oxygen mask has a Type 26 microphone assembly but is minus the ribbed rubber oxygen hose.
Fitted to the helmet are a pair of MKVII goggles with tinted glass lenses and elasticated strap.
History note
Flying equipment associated with the Second World War RAF service of J H F White. The Type C flying helmet was introduced into service in mid-1941 and was not internally wired for communications until 1944. The MKVIII goggles first appeared in October 1943 and were worn throughout the remainder of the Second World War and the Type G oxygen mask from the spring of the same year.
Flying Officer John Henry Farr White was born 10 October 1921, died 29 January 2006. White was from London and worked as a bank clerk with the Westminster Bank before volunteering to join the RAF in 1940. Posted in late 1941 to the USA under the Arnold Scheme for flying training at Napier Field, Georgia, he qualified as a pilot and was assigned back to the UK in the summer of 1943. In England he trained navigators on Anson aircraft but following severe aircrew losses on the raid over Nuremberg on 30 March 1944 (90 a/c lost) he was drafted to a Heavy Conversion Course at the Lancaster Bomber Finishing School, Lindholme. On 30 June White was posted to B Flight, 166 Squadron (1 Group, Kirmington) and flew his first mission over Le Havre on 31 July 1944. While with 166 Squadron he flew 14 sorties before being transferred over to the newly formed 153 Squadron (Scampton) and flew many missions in support of the ground offensive over Normandy, Walcheren and Calais. Completing 32 operational sorties, White was awarded a Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) and was later seconded to civilian airways flying Dakotas before embarking on a career with British Overseas Airways (BOAC) until retiring as a Senior Captain in 1976.