Leather flying helmet

Common card · No. 470100

A leather flying helmet, also known as an aviator hat, bomber hat or soft flight helmet, is a cap with large earflaps, a chin strap, and a short bill that is commonly turned up at the front to show the lining (often fleece or fur). As protective gear that was developed at the start of the 20th century it was worn by pilots during the world wars. It may be made of other materials, such as felt. With the rise of motorsport and aviation at the start of the 1900s, leather became a popular choice for protective gear from the cold and the engine noise. It had many advantages that made it ideal for flying helmets being warm, durable, impermeable to liquids, flexible, and able to be cut to curve around the head. It is also wind proof and had the advantage of not accumulating dust. Leather helmets also offered some protection to pilots against fire. Manufacturers of early flying helmets were Alfred Dunhill Ltd. and Gamages of London, England, and Roold in Paris. Female pilots in the early part...

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