British, 1988, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Aircrew Helmet & Oxygen Mask – ALPHA Mk 10B, Medium, Made by Helmets Ltd, NATO Stock: 22C/7703392

*British, 1988, Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm Aircrew Helmet & Oxygen Mask – ALPHA Mk 10B, Medium, Made by Helmets Ltd, NATO Stock: 22C/7703392*

An exceptional, service-issued Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm flying helmet, officially designated Helmet, Aircrew, Mk 10B. This model superseded the original Mk 10 in the late 1980s. While retaining the high-strength Kevlar® and glass fibre resinate shell, the Mk 10B introduced significant safety upgrades, replacing the older leather lining with impact-attenuating foam linings and an integrated padded neck protector.

This helmet is definitively identified as Royal Navy (RN) issue by the characteristic white reflective cross at the rear and “SOLAS-A” stencilling—maritime safety specifications required for aircraft carrier deck operations and sea-ditching visibility. The oxygen mask remains paired with the helmet and is fitted with its original valve, microphone ports, and hose assembly, making this a notably complete survival.

Helmet hardware & fittings: stamped HELMETS LTD, the established British defence contractor responsible for RAF and Royal Navy flying helmet production during the Cold War period.
Visor Assembly: Fitted with the advanced "LO-PRO" (Low Profile) dual-visor system. This features an "infinite locking" mechanism, allowing the clear and tinted visors to be operated and locked independently in any position.
Protection: The shell features external "EARS" (shrouds) designed to prevent visor levers from snagging on cockpit equipment.
Visor Cover: Includes its original black fabric visor cover, used to protect the dual lenses from light degradation and scratches during storage or transport.
Avionics: Integrated communications consisting of twin 300ohm speakers providing a combined impedance of 150 ohm (1khz). It terminates in an 18-inch downlead with a single-pin NATO jackplug.
Internal speaker / hardware components: stamped MP 16-9, confirming Ministry of Defence contract manufacture.
Oxygen mask: marked NORMALAIR – GARRETT LTD, one of the primary UK suppliers of aviation oxygen and life-support systems.
Mask valve assembly: NATO-standard unit with C/F (Cold Flow) selector visible.
Internal mouldings: marked CAUTION OXYGEN, PATT NO, and SUB-DRY – 3UFOM, consistent with service oxygen and communication equipment.

Internal helmet label reads:
NSN: 22C/7703392 (Identifies this as the Medium/Broad size variant).
Type: MK 10B
Size: Medium
Serial No.: 75736 (also written in pen inside the helmet)
MP: 2270
Date: Handwritten 6/88 (June 1988) placing it at the height of the Cold War.

Historical Context:
The Mk 10B ALPHA was the quintessential British aircrew helmet of the late Cold War and 1990s. While used extensively by the Royal Air Force (RAF) for ground-attack and air-defence missions—including the Tornado GR.1/F.3 and Harrier GR.5/7/9 during the Gulf War (Operation Granby) and Balkan conflicts—this specific example is a dedicated Royal Navy (RN) Fleet Air Arm variant.