Vietnam era boom microphones

Wolf wrote:

Where can I find a good representation of the microphones used on helicopters during the Vietnam war?  I tried finding one of the Royal Models sets without luck so far.   Are there others that would fit the bill?  Were helicopter and APC microphones the same? Thanks again for your help in advance.

Hi Wolf,

Here's a couple pictures of the helmets typically worn by Vietnam Helicopter pilots & crew:

Early Vietnam, the APH5

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...and later on, the SPH4

Hope this helps,

Frank

Frank,

Thanks for the great reference photos, I think I might be able to scratch built the early type microphone, althought I can foresee some trial nad error with the later version.  Do you know of any PE sets that include the boom mics?  I'm planning a dio around 1970 which version would be best suited for that time frame?

Thanks again,

Wolf

The later ones are pretty easy as well.  I tak e pice of thin wire an double it over.  Then take and put a twist in the middle so you get the two sections.  I then take a small rectangle of 0.20 styrene an dadd it to the closed end for the mic part.  Lastly, attach the open end to the lug on the left sid eof the helmet with superglue. 

Here is how they come out:

Hope that is understandable and helps out.  Good luck.

Wolf wrote:

I'm planning a dio around 1970 which version would be best suited for that time frame?

Wolf....

   That would be the later version, the SPH4 

Good luck and take care,

Frank

Atta-boy Frank!

Great reference  pictures of the helmets!  I wish I had hung on to my APH-5 instead of selling it in the late 70's to a local helicopter outfit that need helmets for a contract.  Don't know what I was thinking?  Beer money! 

Today I pulled out the two prints of Easy Money I got from you to show a fellow 174th AHC Vet.  I still haven't gotten them framed yet!  Need to put that as a priority.  Have the printed E-mail of the story behind "Momma's Paryers" to put on the back of the print too.  Great story!  My buddy got a kick out of it.  He was a Maint. Officer in the 174th in 1969.