Hello !

Yes, I collect helmets. Primarily FLIGHT helmets. Aircrew stuff.

I started my private collection of these artefacts after I retired as museum director and curator of the national aviation museum AVIODOME in the Netherlands - at Amsterdam airport Schiphol. (Since moved to Lelystad airport and renamed AVIODROME).

Why collect helmets? Well, they may be the closest link between an airman and his flying machine.

And in my early aviation career I learned to fly light aeroplanes.

Never made it to the real fast beasts.... That remained a dream, now represented by all those flight helmets, of which I wore only a few during actual flight on limited occasions.

And they are a lot easier to get - maintain - store - restore - and pay for - than aeroplanes .... (Nevertheless a helmet is still a little bulkier than a postage stamp!)

Going with the pilot helmets are things like oxygen masks and other equipment which would complete the scenery.

The pages I try to fill here at FLICKR are supposed to inform and educate those who take an interest - whether they are collectors themselves or not.

And it may be an excellent way to communicate with whoever is interested. FLICKR provides ample space to comment to what you see.

And underneath you find my regular email address - you might find it useful.

It will take some time for me to fill these pages and put everything in here.

In my PHOTOSTREAM you will see what I add in order of uploading sequence - which maybe rather haphazard. But I will also place all relevant pictures in an ALBUM named after specific subjects.

In FAVES you will find pics of other collectors etc which I find useful to keep at hand. And - as an aviation buff - I will collect interesting pics of (historic) aeroplanes that others have posted earlier.

I hope you may find it useful too - and enjoy it.

Wim