Forum: General F-16 forum

Hey Tyger:

Thanks for sharing the photos of your set.
Please do not hesitate to post them, specially any new items like the vest.
Do you think you could post more images of it, including the labels.

By the way, just a quick comment. The PCU-15 is the one used by F-15 Eagle drivers. You can tell because of the different quick release compared to the one used by the F-16 drivers.

regards

F-16.net Sponsor

Hello guys. My name is angela and I am sharing email with my dad.

I am looking for F-16 pilot wear like flight helmet, flight suit, boots and oxygen mask? i am doing a film documentary on usaf pilots at Nellis AFB 64th Aggressor Squadron and would love to collect the stuff they wear.

If you can assist please email me or msn me at dangerouslady@[Link pending approval]

Hi Angela:

Get your wallet ready. Ebay is the place where to obtain all your flightgear needs. There are other places such as Barnstormers but I would say Ebay is the most convenient.
You can buy almost anything you want there and if you look long enough maybe even find an F-16 fighter plane.

in the search button type for example HGU-55 or MBU-12 and items will come up.

regards

Angela wrote:

hello guys my name is angela and i am sharing email with my dad.

I am looking for f16 pilot wear like flight helmet, flight suit, boots and oxygen mask? i am doing a film documentary on usaf pilots at Nellis AFB 64th Aggressor Squadron and would love to collect the stuff they wear.

If you can assist please email me or msn me at dangerouslady@hotmail.com

Yup be prepared!!

That wallet is going to take a MAJOR hit if you want new stuff! You're going to find out, all about two magic words called "Lead Time!"

I can break you down prices if you have "stong" scotch handy!

All total, we are talking prices in the THOUSANDS of dollars, when it is all brand-spanking. Another problem for you would be that new equipment arrives at Life Support unassembled, and/or unprepared. Remember Murphy's Laws of Combat: "The things which have to be together to work, usually can't be shipped together." You'd need a Life Support troop, and all of the equipment which they use, just to fit it and prepare it. The aforementioned ebay may help, but clashes in types of (and mislabled) equipment can be problems on sites like ebay.

Beers and MiGs were made to be pounded!

TC is right! I had to make two or three trips to Tyndall to get stuff fitted. I had no idea how the hell the Hardware went on the PCU-15 Harness & thats the item that attaches you to the ACES II!!!!! I couldn't have figured out the G-suit adjustment which is like a corset. That took the best part of two hours!

Not alot of flying is going to get done without the Life Support Troops! Thank god for them all!

Let me give you a breakdown of my gear..

NEW
Kevlar HGU-55/P Flight Helmet with "slick 85", Custom Paint & Artwork & Chrome O2 receivers Oregon Aero Zeta Liner & Comfort Seals - $1587.60

New
MBU-20/P HA/LP (with combat edge hoses, not put on) - $1687.00

NEW
MBU-12/P Mask - $648.00

NEW
CSU-13B/P Medium Reg- $500.00

NEW
PCU-15/P Ejection Seat Harness (With Hardware) - $422.00

NEW
CRU-60/P Terminal Block - $228.60 PCU Mount - $37.00

NEW
Visors for both mask types:
Dark - $87 x2
Gradient - $217 x2
High Contrast Yellow - $162 x2
Clear - $80

New USAF 2007 MSV Integrated Life Preserver / Survival Vest - $1,432.97
AN/PRC-112 GPS Radio- $450
Lowrance GPS - $399.99
ASEK system - $90
MS2000 with IR filter - Strobe Marker - $85
Dye Marker - $8
Laser Flare - $70
Pyro Flare & Smoke - $65
TSSI First Aid kit - $45
TSSI Survival Kit - $55
4x Cyalume High Intensity & IR lightsticks - $26
LED Flashlight - $80
Leatherman - $65
Lensatic Compass - $45

2x CWU-27/P Nomex Flightsuit - $188
CWU-36/p & 45/P Flight Jackets $326 & $386
Gloves - $30
Skull Cap - $8 each
Chippewa Pilots Boots - $188
HGU-4/P Sun Glasses - $65
My (48th TFW) Patches around $250

Don't even say WOW thats alot or i'll freakin cry!! I know i've spent a damn fortune on my Life Support Gear I can feel my wallet crying as I type!... But HEY, Whats Your Life Worth To You!???

This took me the best part of a year to put together! You can't even buy the Combat Edge masks! You have to call in favours & do favours! Bribe, Beg Borrow & Steal! It took 3 months for my helmet to end up on my door. Hell I waited 5 months to get visors from Gentex! Counter pressure vests aren't for sale, unless you see them on ebay, by which time they're totally wrecked or de-milled.

Good Luck! Be Patient!!

Those Gradient visors are D@MN EXPENSIVE!!! You could buy 2 or 3 really good pairs of Oakleys, Gargoyles, or Ray Bans for the same price. I'm not too familiar with the Gradient visors, as they were not available when I was a troop. Tyger, don't the Navy guys fly with the Gradient visors? (think the "MiG" pilots in "Top Gun")

Our guys flew with Gray (standard), Clear (night), and High Contrast (special cases...Flight Surgeon waiver req.). Some drivers had double-button straps, so they could fly with both visors, and could swap as conditions required.

LTs were the WORST on the equipment, especially visors. We finally had to sit the LTs down, and teach them to remember to put the visor cover back on when you aren't using it, even if you were only placing it in the helmet bag. Things got so bad that when the LTs started b#tching about scratched visors (their fault), the squadron C/C finally said that no LTs will get new visors until they learn to take care of the ones they are issued.

We had a LS shop full of visors, but as Tyger showed, they aren't cheap enough to just give away.

Beers and MiGs were made to be pounded!

Well I believe in "Top Crap" the F-5's we're the AF Version as were the pilots, they flew with HGU-55's that the Navy didn't have at the time.
Yes I see the Gradient on the Navy HGU's pretty regularly now.

The high contrast yellow visors don't work for everyone, some people do have problems identifying colours from the warning panel & MFD's with the HCV. I couldn't give you the Aero Medical terminology or the actual specifics, but I do know I guy that does!
I fly with mine on a crappy day the world becomes alot more "Visable"! It's great.

I had both my visor covers embroidered so if I actaully put them on the visor they would scratch. So I had the visor cleaning microfibre cloth sewn onto the back to keep them scratch free, hell I don't even like touching my gradient without my gloves on!

Hey Tyger:

That sounds like a massive blow to the wallet.
I bought all my stuff second hand, but again I only fly in my dreams.
Ebay is good if you are collecting and you do not have to fly with the gear (display only)
If I were to fly with the stuff, I would not buy second hand.

Ah, F16VIPER!
You're a man after my own, "Over The Top Safety Concious Self!"

Very good point!

My first HGU-55 was an "ebay" child! Soon after it fell 3ft to the ground and cracked like a chocolate Easter Egg, it was time to rethink the sense of invincibility I was flying with.

Anyone know what an F16C jet fighter pilot dog tag look like? or the format?

Newbie Joined: Aug 14, 2005 - 04:35 AM Posts: 18

All our dog tags are standard format as below:

LAST
FIRST M
123-45-6789 AF
BLOOD TYPE
RELIGION

Thank you

What would the blood type line look like? And what kind of flight boots do F-16 pilot wear in Iraq?

Newbie Joined: Aug 14, 2005 - 04:35 AM Posts: 18

A POS is how my blood type appears on my tags.

I found that the high contrast yellow visors were great for low level under an overcast, but I needed the dark visor over the top (an old unit of mine got some prototype versions for evaluation)

Never flew with the gradient visor...

As for the gear, the quoted prices are a shocker...almost makes me want to give back my helmet, clear and gray visors, and COMBAT EDGE mask from my display shelf....nah!

PS...the price for the sunglasses was awfully high...I remember buying them in the exchange for 9 bucks...

Forum: General F-16 forum

Gear worn by Viper drivers