HGU-55/P Helmet

[CarbonFox]

Are there any plans of creating a pilot/RIO design with the HGU-55/P helmet and gray mask as an option? I can understand keeping the HGU-33 for the F-14A. The newer design would conform more with the year the F-14B is spec'd for.

 

 

[Swordsman422]

Considering the F-14B we have, it actually should be an HGU-68/P to be period accurate. Though considering the common tacair configuration used by F-14 crews, the -68 and -55 would be indistinguishable at view range. And it would be appropriate for the F-14A as well. Heck, the HGU-33 in the configuration we have was already on its way out by 1987, and Navy PRs were altering existing -33s to be cosmetically similar to the then new -55, removing the EEK-4 visor and replacing it with a bungee visor.

 

From what I know, there are plans to add the newer helmet as an option, and I guess the option will be triggered by a line in the description.lua for each livery. I look forward to this change. Navy HGU-55s and -68s are my favorite helmet types.

[Airhunter]

Cobra said it is planned as an option for the special options tab. When it actually arrives, no idea. Most likely with the 3d pilots.

[CarbonFox]

Thanks for clarifying. Also, I didn't know they were using the HGU-68 by the late 90s but yeah, they do look identical to the 55/Ps.

[Uxi]

Nice. I was hoping to hear the HGU-68 would be the option.

 

Did F-14D pilots use the same helmets in the same periods?

[Swordsman422]

Nice. I was hoping to hear the HGU-68 would be the option.

 

Did F-14D pilots use the same helmets in the same periods?

 

Pretty much all US Navy tacair assets were using some variety of low-profile helmets after ODS, first the HGU-55, and then the HGU-68, so Tomcat crews of all models were using it.

 

The differences between the HGU-55 and HGU-68 is primarily in the material of the helmet shell. The -55 is graphite/aramid and the -68 is nylon graphion and laminated graphite. Stock, the HGU-68 is issued with a 600kt low-profile track visor, but in fleet F-14 squadrons, the PRs removed these as they were incompatible with night vision systems like the ANVIS and replaced them with the same bungee visor you see on the -55. It's US Navy regulation to cover the helmet shell with 3M reflective tape, which hides the darker material of the -68 shell, making it indistinguishable at DCS view distance from the -55. Perhaps one of the only ways to tell is the screw holes for the 600kt visor track are often visible in the leather elephant ears and on the left side of the helmet forehead, though these latter screw holes are sometimes covered with tape dots. If you see a fighter crew with what looks like an offset streak of dark grey or black on the helmet, it's likely a -68.

 

This VF-143 crew are wearing -68s, and you can see the details I mentioned. Small things like that can be handled with texture work.

 

Edited July 8, 2020 by Swordsman422

[Cobra847]

This will be a settable livery option once we ship it.

[LanceCriminal86]

Pretty much all US Navy tacair assets were using some variety of low-profile helmets after ODS, first the HGU-55, and then the HGU-68, so Tomcat crews of all models were using it.

 

The differences between the HGU-55 and HGU-68 is primarily in the material of the helmet shell. The -55 is graphite/aramid and the -68 is nylon graphion and laminated graphite. Stock, the HGU-68 is issued with a 600kt low-profile track visor, but in fleet F-14 squadrons, the PRs removed these as they were incompatible with night vision systems like the ANVIS and replaced them with the same bungee visor you see on the -55. It's US Navy regulation to cover the helmet shell with 3M reflective tape, which hides the darker material of the -68 shell, making it indistinguishable at DCS view distance from the -55. Perhaps one of the only ways to tell is the screw holes for the 600kt visor track are often visible in the leather elephant ears and on the left side of the helmet forehead, though these latter screw holes are sometimes covered with tape dots. If you see a fighter crew with what looks like an offset streak of dark grey or black on the helmet, it's likely a -68.

 

This VF-143 crew are wearing -68s, and you can see the details I mentioned. Small things like that can be handled with texture work.

 

 

 

I was debating whether these were 55 or 68s, because there were tacair 55s with the same visor. But, being this was their final Tomcat flight as they took the bird out to AMARC as they transitioned to Hornets, it could be 68s.

 

VF-201 in 1998

 

VF-201 Last F-14 Flight 15 Nov 98-6 by NAS Fort Worth JRB, on Flickr

[Swordsman422]

Those are both unmodified -68s. The TacAir helmet elephant ears were cut short beneath the 600kt track and the visor cover snaps were higher and further forward. The HGU-68 cover snaps are in the same place as the visor snaps on the -55, which is why the modification to a bungee visor was so easy.

 

TacAir helmet.

 

[LanceCriminal86]

Would be neat if they could "borrow" the Hornet pilot head/helmet without the JHMCS to give us a 3rd option.

[Uxi]

Ah to again lament ST21 which would have had JHMCS making it even simpler still. ;)

[CarbonFox]

Would be neat if they could "borrow" the Hornet pilot head/helmet without the JHMCS to give us a 3rd option.

 

 

I would expect the Heatblur rendition of the HGU-68 will be more detailed than the current ED version in the Hornet and F-16.

[Texac]

I believe the JHMCS model, or ED's HGU-55 model in general has wrong dimensions.

 

If they are going to continue to expand this model to more airframes, I hope they get it more accurately shaped with more detail.

 

Likely you would create a new model from scratch, just as Heatblur is going to do?

[LanceCriminal86]

I hadn't heard the F-18 HGU-68 had issues, in fact I thought they recently updated it or redid it?

 

I was just mentioning it because the HGU-55 differs from the 68 in a number of ways and it would have been cool to have 3 options rather that one.

 

But realistically, most of the squadrons from what I understand that would have had the 68s may have been after the time period of the A models we are supposed to be receiving and of the B model we have now, with the exception of VF-201. The Hunters transitioned to F/-18As at the beginning of 1999 officially, so their last flight pic I showed above it seems they already had their HGU-68s on hand seeing as some had already begun the transition and had been to the F/A-18 RAG and they had some Hornets on deck for the official last flight and changeover ceremony.

 

But for the remainder of line squadrons before that and after it looks like they either completely stood down prior to the ~1997 date of our Tomcats (VF-111, 114, 21, 33, etc.) or they didn't transition to Super Hornets until the GWOT in the early 2000s and thus after the timeframe of our A and B models.

 

Basically I'd just like to have the -68 TACAIR so I can do those last flight VF-201 skins from 1998, specifically The JimBob Express.

[Swordsman422]

Visually, the -68 used by Tomcat crews looks almost exactly the same as the -55. That VF-201 image is unusual in that the -68s still have their 600 kt visors installed, but I don't supposed 201 was using ANVIS, which was incompatible with the 600 kt visor. It isn't unknown to see an F-14 crewman wearing a 600 kt visor, but it is pretty rare. On occasion in the F/A-18 you saw pilots wearing the bugeye visors from HGU-84s, but same general story there.

 

A low profile helmet with a bungee visor should cover the majority of scenarios from ~1988 to 2006. HGU-33's with bungee visors, eared edgerolls, and light weight bayo receivers, HGU-55s, and HGU-68s with bungee visors are fairly indistinguishable at distance. But that 600 kt visor just looks cool, so I wouldn't balk at seeing it as well.

[RhineHornet]

Is there any progress on this? Thank you very much!