Original Top Gun Helmet

[Reacher]

Hi guys,

I've had an original Top Gun Maverick helmet at the top of my list for years and decided it's finally time to crack on with it, however, I'm having real difficulty in sourcing a base helmet. Does anybody know where I can find a Gentex HGU/33, I've scoured the internet for weeks and can't find one. I'm based in the UK which doesn't help but I feel like I must be missing something!! Failing that, what other helmets are out there that would pass as similar enough to the original and may be easier to obtain? There's a few HGU/55's out there which I think is used in the new one, but I much prefer the look of the original!

Thanks!

 

[James Blonde]

Could be worth considering modifying an SPH-4 rather than an HGU/33 - they're MUCH cheaper and FAR easier to source, and my guess is you'd be less concerned about stripping it, filling, sanding, painting, etc. especially if it has a bit of damage.

It's not perfect, but the visor housing is pretty much the same style (bit different, but only if you know what you're looking at) which for me was the important bit. Otherwise, it's obviously thinner, earphone housing is a bit more bulbous, no neck roll, no mask clips, may have a boom mic that you'd have to remove, but I reckon you could mod it to pretty near identical (pipe insulation wrapped in something as the neck roll for example, I reckon you could add a mask clip)

I got a damaged one off FleaBay for around £150ish I think to turn into a Goose helmet. I was pleased with the result, wasn't quite finished but wore it to my first (and only so far) and never got around to finishing it off. I came to the conclusion that if I wanted an HGU/33 and associated mask, hoses, etc, I might as well buy one that's already been "professionally" built because it was easier than trying to find a used helmet!

I'll post a pic of my Goose helmet tomorrow...

Kind of want an HGU/55 for the new movie, but the price is high, and I'm not convinced they'd be so easily painted / modded - I don't think the US Navy seem to mod their helmets as much as in the 80s.

 

[wtyler3]

Have you tried flighthelmet.com?

 

[James Blonde]

 

[King of Hell]

There's a few HGU/55's out there which I think is used in the new one, but I much prefer the look of the original!

If you can't find an actual designated 33p / 34p helmet you could always use a 55p shell and build it out with a new edge roll and a single visor kit. the 55p shell is almost identical to a prk37p shell used on 33p / 34p flight helmets. the only notable difference is its usually made of a kevlar composite and the top area around the forehead cuts back a little further towards the temples. Its really not noticeable. Yould have to fill/sand some holes on the 55 though to remove the snap hardware and NVG mount if it has it.

check ebay for junk/stripped shells and filght helmet .com for visor kits and other misc parts.

Gibson & Barnes (formerly Flight Suits Ltd.) also sells new helmets and parts - this is the company that made all the original helmets for the movie as well as the thunderbirds/blue angels. you can even have them paint/tape the Maverick and Iceman designs on a helmet but its pricey

 

[James Blonde]

It's funny, you start looking at the costs of all of used second hand and making sure you have the right mounts, visor assembly, oxygen receivers, stickers etc, and the pre-made (Indonesian?) Top Gun helmets look really good value for money! Shouldn't say that too loudly...

 

[King of Hell]

pre-made (Indonesian?) Top Gun helmets look really good value for money! Shouldn't say that too loudly...

Lol yah they look great in the pics but I just don't trust that I would get what's in the pics in those cases. But hey I could be wrong.
Your'e right though, collecting flight gear can be a very pricey hobby. If your'e a person like me and Top Gun had a big impact on your life then its not hard to spend the money. But it really can be cost prohibitive to get the real stuff for just a casual thing like cosplay etc.

I Currently have 7 flight helmets, once of which is a Gibson and Barnes Maverick, and a complete set of late 80's naval flight gear.

 

[JediJohn182]

C

Lol yah they look great in the pics but I just don't trust that I would get what's in the pics in those cases. But hey I could be wrong.
Your'e right though, collecting flight gear can be a very pricey hobby. If your'e a person like me and Top Gun had a big impact on your life then its not hard to spend the money. But it really can be cost prohibitive to get the real stuff for just a casual thing like cosplay etc.

I Currently have 7 flight helmets, once of which is a Gibson and Barnes Maverick, and a complete set of late 80's naval flight gear.

could you please post pics of your maverick

 

[King of Hell]

C

could you please post pics of your maverick

my other 2 are stripped down waiting for rebuilding
Also sorry for the crappy pics ...my office is a mess so couldnt really find good lighting.

ps I've actually always hated that this helmet, despite being made by the company that actually made the originals and should know better, is NOT THE RIGHT COLOR BLUE. really bugs me.

 

[mikajedi]

hi, this was my dream to find a such helmet, and I was lucky to find a really great one

Here's 2 pics :

 

[swpropmaker]

hi, this was my dream to find a such helmet, and I was lucky to find a really great one

Here's 2 pics :

View attachment 1354891

View attachment 1354892

Where did you find this fantastic helmet!?!

 

[mikajedi]

Where did you find this fantastic helmet!?!

I was lucky to find it on ebay but I guess this was an unique piece, this is not easy to find something like that fully finished

 

[enterprise0216]

There is another one I saw on EBay 27 Nov 2020.

 

[swpropmaker]

There is another one I saw on EBay 27 Nov 2020.

Can you pm me a link

 

[enterprise0216]

PM Sent.

 

[Maverick8500]

Hi guys,

I've had an original Top Gun Maverick helmet at the top of my list for years and decided it's finally time to crack on with it, however, I'm having real difficulty in sourcing a base helmet. Does anybody know where I can find a Gentex HGU/33, I've scoured the internet for weeks and can't find one. I'm based in the UK which doesn't help but I feel like I must be missing something!! Failing that, what other helmets are out there that would pass as similar enough to the original and may be easier to obtain? There's a few HGU/55's out there which I think is used in the new one, but I much prefer the look of the original!

Thanks!

In the last few years real HGU-33 helmets have skyrocketed in price. Be prepared to spend $400-700 for a base helmet. The original screen used Mavericks were made by Flight Suits LTD now renamed Gibson and Barnes. They still make them but new will run over $1100 keep your eyes open on eBay and other auction sites sometimes you get lucky

 

[GroovDog]

View attachment 1254370
View attachment 1254372
View attachment 1254371

What would one of these set ups cost me?

 

[James Blonde]

The base helmet was a military green Gentex SPH-4 in pretty bad condition, one of the ear cups was bashed in and it was bashed and really scratched up - I got it for £150. Sure I posted photos either on this thread or a different Goose one maybe?

A bit of car body filler and a lot of sanding, lots of layers of decent quick drying spray paint (I went matt rather than gloss), a bit more sanding and lot of buffing and polishing oddly enough (polishing my helmet, fnarr fnarr) brought it up to a nice sheen, and bought Goose decals off Ebay which worked really well!

It's not an HGU-33, but it had pretty much the right shape visor cover, and the right shape adjustment knob - close enough and cheap enough as a short term solution, and actually it turned into a half decent long term solution! Still want an HGU-33 though...!

 

[GroovDog]

The base helmet was a military green Gentex SPH-4 in pretty bad condition, one of the ear cups was bashed in and it was bashed and really scratched up - I got it for £150. Sure I posted photos either on this thread or a different Goose one maybe?

A bit of car body filler and a lot of sanding, lots of layers of decent quick drying spray paint (I went matt rather than gloss), a bit more sanding and lot of buffing and polishing oddly enough (polishing my helmet, fnarr fnarr) brought it up to a nice sheen, and bought Goose decals off Ebay which worked really well!

It's not an HGU-33, but it had pretty much the right shape visor cover, and the right shape adjustment knob - close enough and cheap enough as a short term solution, and actually it turned into a half decent long term solution! Still want an HGU-33 though...!

I’m looking to buy a completed one. I have no artistic ability, nor the time to make one. If you were to sell yours, how much?

 

[tictoc]

Resurrection time!

Folks still building these original style helmets?