Diving Helmets

A little about the diving helmet family.

It has come into common usage to call any bonnet & breastplate helmet a Mark V. To a degree you can blame ebay and all the various reproduction helmets available there. The sellers often are not any more savvy than the average would be buyers and mislabel their replica helmets. All Mark Vs are diving helmets, but not all diving helmets are Mark Vs. The basic types of diving helmets are U.S. Navy Mark V, Commercial, Lightweight Commercial (Sponge), Shallow Water, and Low Volume. Low Volume helmets can be "free flow" or "demand". Just as an auto maker builds car models to fit particular customer needs, different models of diving helmets have evolved to suit different divers needs. Some helmet models are further modified to a particular divers requirements or the requirements of a specific job.

DESCO manufactured much of the genuine equipment used in the film "Men of Honor". The helmets used were not actual U.S. Navy Mark V helmets. The films production company chose to use a Commercial helmet top mated to a Mark V breastplate. If you look closely at the helmets in the diving scenes you will note the side windows are oval, and the front door is a screw in (Commercial) type. The Helium Helmet depicted was not a genuine Mark V Helium Helmet. It was made by the film company. Pay close attention to the front door assembly.

Reconstructing history:

DESCO has been accumulating data on surviving diving helmets. We primarily focus on DESCO helmets but we also welcome information on other manufacturers helmets. Our purpose is to recreate to some extent the production record. Unfortunately records from DESCO's early period are all but non-existent. When a helmet is sent in for repair, comes up in ads, or online for sale we record the type, serial number, and date of mfg. We keep a list for our reference in cases where we are asked to authenticate a helmet. DESCO built helmets in batches during WWII and we check to see that the serial number and date fit onto the production schedule. A few minor anomalies have appeared in the lists but are explainable. Our list is far from complete. If you possess a helmet, or know of a helmet please submit the type, serial number, and date of mfg, plus any relevant additional information (i.e. modifications). diveq@execpc.com

To learn more about the history of diving equipment see the Wikipedia article on the timeline of diving technology .

Helmets by DESCO Corporation

Click on a helmet name to be taken to its information page.

U.S. Navy Mark V Diving Helmet U.S. Navy Helium Helmet

Three & Four Light Commercial Helmets Nuclear Diving Helmet

Sponge Helmet Abalone Helmet Agar Helmet

Fisheries Helmets Browne Utility Diving Helmet

Browne Commercial Helmet Shallow Water Helmets

DESCO Air Hat

All the DESCO helmets pictured above are still in production and available.

Discontinued DESCO Helmet models

Model 100 Model 106 Buie (early) Buie (Late) BU Helium

Helmets by other manufacturers

American Manufacturers

Morse

1918 Mark V Commercial

Schrader

1918 Mk V 5 Bolt

Miller Dunn

1943 Mark V Miller Dunn 1 Miller Dunn 2 Miller Dunn 3

Bob Kirby

Recirculator Gas Hat

Alfred Hale

Foreign Manufacturers

EUROPE

Siebe Gorman Heinke

ASIA

Japan

Yokohama helmet (photos courtesy of R. D'Onofrio)

Korea

12 Bolt

China

12 Bolt 3 Bolt

Other Helmets

Shallow Water Helmet by unknown maker. We have no information on this helmet.

Here is a helmet which will never be mistaken for a Mark V. Photos courtesy of Rich D'Onofrio

U.S. Navy Diving Helmet

Mark V Mod.1

SAFETY WARNING

NEVER, EVER DIVE A HELMET UNLESS YOU ARE ABSOLUTELY SURE IT IS GENUINE AND IN PROPER WORKING CONDITION. Replica helmets are not designed or built for actual use. Attempting to dive a replica helmet could result in serious injury or death. Only dive after you have received the proper training.

Notice to potential helmet purchasers

Many replica Mark V helmets are currently on the market. These helmets often have authentic looking tags with the names of legitimate manufacturers on them. The most common replica has a "Morse" Diving nametag, and there is a replica around with a "Diving Equipment & Supply" nametag. The most blatant fake is one bearing a nametag which says "Brooklyn Navy Yard 1911". The Mark V didn't even enter service till 1916. People have purchased replica helmets believing they are genuine. When considering the purchase of any diving helmet do some research before you commit.

Some things to look for are the telephone cup set back on the helmet top. Copper sheet used to make exhaust banana tube instead of the real cast brass tube. The top window set too far up on the top. Window frames held in with screws. No ductwork inside the helmet. The top and breastplate held together by set screws instead of interrupted threads. Two piece air and communication elbows. A front door pin which is not removable. A "stove pipe' appearance to the breastplate instead of the rounded appearance of a genuine Mark V breastplate. The Spitcock stem is held in with a large round nut instead of a washer and hex nut.

"Morse" Replica Mark V "Diving Equipment" Replica Mark V

Here are some close up photos of the reproduction Mark V helmet we used to sell.

Click on the picture to enlarge. Use your back button to return.

What is a U.S. Navy Mark V Diving Helmet?

Below are some things to look for in a genuine Mark V Helmet.

History

At the turn of the 20th century the U.S. Navy didn't have a standardized system for diving. The inventory of diving equipment in the U.S. Navy was a hodgepodge of various helmets, suits, pumps, and hoses by several manufacturers. Often as not pieces would not work together, making even simple assignments difficult. In 1912 U.S. Navy gunner G. D. Stillson submitted a report criticizing the way the Navy conducted its diving program. The Navy agreed and a group was formed in 1914 to standardize equipment and procedures. The original concept drawing is shown above. The Spitcock and Exhaust Valve are on the same side. The breastplate resembles a Commercial breastplate in the shape of the collar strap. In the 1916 U.S. Navy Diving Manual the Mark V Helmet first appears in its adopted form. The breastplate shape is unique to the Mark V being narrow across the shoulders and with a deep drop front and back. Some features remained from the concept helmet above with the exhaust valve on the right, a hinged front door, and air and communications elbows. The spitcock was moved to the left of the door, and guards specific to the Mark V were added.

All U.S. Navy Mark V helmets conform to a standard set of plans issued by the Bureau of Ships. Helmet shell, breastplate, all fittings and attachments are designed so regardless of the manufacturer all equipment would be compatible. Some small variances do occur between manufacturers but do not effect interchangeability.

Typical features of the Mark V Helmet are as follows:

Click on the picture to enlarge. Use your back button to return.

1. The helmet shell tapers to the neck ring. (Note: This rule is not hard and fast as some Mark V helmets were produced with a "bubble shell". Do not discount the authenticity of a helmet on this point alone.)

2. The front door is hinged and closure is with a toggle bolt. The hinge has a removable pin to remove the door, or attach a welding shield.

3. The Mark V helmet is fitted with round side windows and an oval top window.

4. The helmet has a air inlet elbow with a separate non return valve. Both the air and communications elbows are one piece castings, riveted and soldered in place with backing washers inside of the helmet. You normally cannot see the air inlet backing washer due to the ductwork inside the helmet.

5. The helmet has a communications elbow fitted to accept a standard U.S. Navy Communications/Lifeline (1.715-11 thread).

6. The helmet is fitted with a telephone cup and transceiver. The telephone cup has a shape specific to the Mark V with a bump out pointed towards the top center of the shell. The placement of the telephone cup is symmetrical between the top, left side window, and front door.

7. The Mark V helmet has a double spring adjustable exhaust valve with a exhaust tube extending under and behind the right side window. The exhaust body (known as a banana exhaust because of the shape) is a one piece brass casting its entire length. The exhaust can be activated from the inside by the diver with his chin. The bulb on the end of the exhaust is drilled with vent holes. The pattern of these holes varies some by manufacturer.

8. The helmet is fitted with a ball lever lock assembly. The ball lever pivots down from the top into a lockstop on the breastplate neck ring. The lock is closed with a latch which is secured with a cotter pin on a chain. Some Schrader helmets were fitted with a latch made from a piece of flat sheet stock. The lockstop was also slightly different from USN specifications.

9. The Mark V Breastplate has a unique shape. It is narrow across the shoulders, and deep on the chest and back. The front and back are nearly symmetrical.

10. The top and breastplate are joined by interrupted thread neck rings. The shell makes a 1/8 turn clockwise to seal the connection.

11. The Mark V Helmet uses its own style wingnuts. The four wingnuts at the brail joints are flanged.

12. The Mark V helmet is fitted with 2 loops on the front of the breastplate.

13. Most war years Mark V Helmets used a exhaust valve made by the Batteryless Telephone Equipment Company. BTE will be stamped on the flat area of the exhaust handle (star wheel). Later DESCO helmets uses our own 4 point exhaust handle which is rounder than the BTE.

14. A Mark V has a standard finish of tin plating (silver color) specified by BuShips . Many Mark V helmets have been polished by the owners or specially ordered as polished from the factory.

Helmet Identification Tags

Often the only way to authenticate an old helmet is by its tag. One should always be wary of taking an ID tag at face value. The most popular replica helmets have believable tags on them. It is not too difficult to forge a tag.

DESCO used three different tags for USN Mark V helmets. All three are etched sheet Brass with a black enamel background. The first two are referred to as football tags due to their shape. We have seen a few early war helmets with the Corp. tag on them. Our best guess is those tags were made incorrectly as the company name was "Diving Equipment & Salvage Company Incorporated", not "Diving Equipment & Salvage Corporation". The press of war production most likely compelled them to use the incorrect tags to meet delivery deadlines and not waste Brass. We don't have much in the way of documentation from the period so this is speculation on our part. In 2004 we worked on a breastplate that was dated 3-25-43 that had the Corp tag (see photo below). On our office wall is a photo of a Mark V with the Co. Inc. tag dated 11-1-43. The changeover must have occurred between April and November of 1943. Our estimate is we produced between 550 to 575 Mark V helmets in 1943. This estimate is based our our recording of helmets still in existence we know about. Our list has #214 dated 3-25-43 and #773 dated 12-21-43.

The USN specs actually called for oval tags like the third one. When DESCO changed its name from salvage to supply the new tags were designed to conform. The deviation of the earlier tags from the specification may be due to DESCO having tags for other helmets with the football shape. Adjusting the Mark V tag to this shape would allow for using a single blank and would save tooling and material, both necessary during the war.

Early war DESCO (Diving Equipment & Salvage Corp.) Mark V Tag. Note it says "MARK V" in the center and 'CORP" instead of "CO. INC.".