US Navy Mark IV high altitude full pressure suit build (the start)

[dogstar]

thanks for that great stuff…I will go back to flighthelmet.com and find out what I purchased since they said it was from MkIV helmet…will report back and thank you.

 

[Under Pressure]

It could definitely be from an A/P 22S-2, but there's a chance that it's from a 22S-3, which in essence was a modified MK-IV suit for the USAF untill they could finish production of the -2. Hard to tell without seeing the helm it came off of, and I'm definitely no expert considering I don't have an original one of either. Either way it's still closer than what most makers have access to; worse case scenario he has an X-15 visor instead of a Mercury visor. Now thats a problem I'd like to have!

I think I can be of assistance here. I got all of the different HA helmets so I took a picture of the BF Goodrich A/P22S-3 helmet for you. You can see that the lower edge of the visor follows a straight line, just as on the Mk-IV., while the lines of the tinted and clear visors of the HGK-13 are curved.
The vast majority (163 of 199) of flights of the X-15 used the A/P22S-2s suits that comprised modified HGK-13 helmets. The other flights were performed using the MC-2 suits. So unfortunately none of the X-15 flights had the dark visors installed on the HGK-13 helmets. All of the dark visors had been removed on the modified HGK-13s so the dark visor cannot have flown on the X-15.

 

[Under Pressure]

thanks for that great stuff…I will go back to flighthelmet.com and find out what I purchased since they said it was from MkIV helmet…will report back and thank you.

It shouldn´t be a bad deal, depending on what you paid - those visors tend to be rare. But it´s definitely not an Mk-IV visor, see my detailed post above. You could keep it and trim the lower line to be straight.

 

[chibobber]

I believe the boots to be "Addison" brand. These boots are made specifically as flight boots.

 

[dogstar]

It shouldn´t be a bad deal, depending on what you paid - those visors tend to be rare. But it´s definitely not an Mk-IV visor, see my detailed post above. You could keep it and trim the lower line to be straight.

Under Pressure, I contacted Flighthelmet and the gentleman informed me that I could have a refund if I wished (I purchased the visor in 2017!) which was great of him, but it is about as close as I think I'm going to approach the real thing...he asked for a picture of what is stamped inside so he can identify what I have...here's the photo I took today...

 

[Under Pressure]

Under Pressure, I contacted Flighthelmet and the gentleman informed me that I could have a refund if I wished (I purchased the visor in 2017!) which was great of him, but it is about as close as I think I'm going to approach the real thing...he asked for a picture of what is stamped inside so he can identify what I have...here's the photo I took today...

I know the owner of Flighthelmet. He´s a real gentleman. I wouldn´t go for a refund if I was you since the visors are really rare. It may not be the identical one but it´s still the closest you will probably get, unless you want to wait years for one to emerge. Flighthelmet may not have known details to keep the different visors apart. Sending you a picture of one of the HGK-13 visors I got. The translucency data on the visor is identical to what you have.

 

[dogstar]

I know the owner of Flighthelmet. He´s a real gentleman. I wouldn´t go for a refund if I was you since the visors are really rare. It may not be the identical one but it´s still the closest you will probably get, unless you want to wait years for one to emerge. Flighthelmet may not have known details to keep the different visors apart. Sending you a picture of one of the HGK-13 visors I got. The translucency data on the visor is identical to what you have.

Under Pressure, as I said in my post, I wont return it and indeed the flighthelmet.com folks will always get my support…I intend to use it on my helmet build

 

[dogstar]

An original visor?? I'm burning with envy! That helmet model looks fantastic too, a little low-poly but nothing bondo wont sort out. Now I wish I had taken some photos of the MK-IV helmet in the USS Lexington, it's the only one relatively close to me to my knowledge and even that's an almost 7 hour drive.

Excellent job on the patches btw, they're what really caught my eye here. Just to check, how do your custom patches measure up? I took a quick image measurement, and it seems the USN chest patch is approx. 4x2.5". The suit actually looks quite good, especially for just $25. It's a cold weather suit, right? It would explain the shiny material and soft fabric cuffs. How far down the back of the shoulder does your zipper go? There's a great pic of the back of a suit from a Bonham's auction that shows it goes down maybe another 3-4" past the shoulder seam.

View attachment 1572809

I'm more than happy to answer any question I can, high altitude suits have always been a soft spot for me. Guess it's the childhood dream of being an astronaut peeking through still-

-Galifreyscall

Hi...I finally found the box with the suit project in it...heres a shot of my suit's back where the zipper ends...and also, my chest patch is
4.25"x2-5/8" and the right shoulder patch is 2.25x1.5 inches...

 

[dogstar]

The tinted visor shown above is from the HGK-13, it´s not the correct visor for the Mk-IV. The Mk-IV was made by BF Goodrich while the HGK-13 was manufactured by David Clark Co. They did their own visors. They do look alike but are just not identical.

hi…I just saw this post! fantastic…is it possible to get a copy of this 3D helmet file? it could reall help me assemble my replica…did you scan one of your helmets?

 

[Under Pressure]

hi, I don´t share the file but I can be of assistance when you assemble it.

 

[dogstar]

The tinted visor shown above is from the HGK-13, it´s not the correct visor for the Mk-IV. The Mk-IV was made by BF Goodrich while the HGK-13 was manufactured by David Clark Co. They did their own visors. They do look alike but are just not identical.

Hi

hi, I don´t share the file but I can be of assistance when you assemble it.

under pressure...ok...is it possible to get you to pose your 3d model so I can see the inside and where the parts locate themselves?
also, how did you scan the helmet, what software or technique did you use?

 

[Under Pressure]

I have spare wrist to glove locking rings if you need some. not sure where you are at on that part of the suit.

Hi! Would you mind sending pictures? Never saw these detached from the suit or gloves.

 

[Under Pressure]

Hi

under pressure...ok...is it possible to get you to pose your 3d model so I can see the inside and where the parts locate themselves?
also, how did you scan the helmet, what software or technique did you use?

It was scanned externally using stereophotography and laser. If you´re looking for an x-ray to see the inner composition of parts, this isn´t what I got.

 

[stephen210]

Here you go. You would add set screws to make them lock

 

[stephen210]

Here you go. You would add set screws to make them lock View attachment 1650667

 

[stephen210]

Something like this when installed

 

[Under Pressure]

Here you go. You would add set screws to make them lock View attachment 1650667

Thank you so much!

 

[dogstar]

The tinted visor shown above is from the HGK-13, it´s not the correct visor for the Mk-IV. The Mk-IV was made by BF Goodrich while the HGK-13 was manufactured by David Clark Co. They did their own visors. They do look alike but are just not identical.

looking at your scans, if I could get screen shots of looking into the interior it would be great… not xray but just to see the interior without a human head in the way

 

[dogstar]

It was scanned externally using stereophotography and laser. If you´re looking for an x-ray to see the inner composition of parts, this isn´t what I got.

as a follow up…did you do the scan yourself? software? or did you buy it online?

 

[Under Pressure]

as a follow up…did you do the scan yourself? software? or did you buy it online?

I´m struggling to find the reason for such question. What difference would it make?