Replacement electricals for my old leather flying helmet.

[Shepherd]

I thought I was going to get a chance to fly a "Starduster" bipe, the other day, so I took my old silk scarf and leather helmet out and realized the electricals had finally completely disintegrated. Even the insulation on the wiring had fallen off.
I really love the helmet. It's WWII vintage and was given to me by a neighbor when I was a kid.
Anyone have suggestions for replacement speakers and mic?

Thanks folks.

(The plane had already been sold when I got there. sigh....)

 

[Mistake Not...]

Wear one of the in-ear headsets under it? No mods required, then.

 

[Shepherd]

Wear one of the in-ear headsets under it? No mods required, then.

Hmmmm. That's a thought.
If I can't find something to replace the look\feel of the original, that may be the way to go.

My neighbor was a P-38 pilot in Europe. After the war ended, he never flew again. Ever.
When he heard I was training for a chance to fly a P-38L, he sent me his old flight helmet.
I completed the training, but never got a chance to fly the plane. A fuel truck backed into it and took it out of service for years. sigh.....

 

[Tarheelpilot]

Talk to headsets inc. located in Amarillo Texas. They make their own ANR modules and are easy to work with. They can wire up just about anything any way you want. I use them for everything electronic on my crash helmet.

 

[Shepherd]

Thanks.

 

[wanttaja]

Rugged Radios sells replacement 300-ohm speakers.

https://www.ruggedradios.com/index.php?main_page=special_categories&cPath=249

Most are 50 cm (~2 inches) in diameter, but they have one that's slightly smaller.

Probably won't exactly match the mounting, but you probably can rig up something.

Be advised, the noise attenuation capability of that helmet is probably fairly poor. Consider wearing ear buds underneath it, instead (with the appropriate impedance matcher).

Ron Wanttaja

 

[creweite]

The intercom system on my old leather flying helmet is still in good shape, but that's because they are Gosport tubes, simple voice tubes that were the intercom in the Tiger Moth! Good communication usually meant throttling back, which was somewhat scary for a first time student. But I flew a few time with a lady instructor, Joan Hughes (Google her), and her higher pitched voice was easily understood. Perhaps it was because she was screaming at me!!

 

[Shepherd]

That's funny!

The intercom system on my old leather flying helmet is still in good shape, but that's because they are Gosport tubes, simple voice tubes that were the intercom in the Tiger Moth! Good communication usually meant throttling back, which was somewhat scary for a first time student. But I flew a few time with a lady instructor, Joan Hughes (Google her), and her higher pitched voice was easily understood. Perhaps it was because she was screaming at me!!