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

These helmets are no longer available.

Buie Mixed Gas helmets

Model 100 Model 106

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

Replica and reproduction helmets.

On the popular selling websites you will find various fake diving helmets. DESCO used to sell a reproduction helmet for decorating purposes as a alternative spending several thousand dollars for a fully functional DESCO Classic helmet. The importer we procured our repro helmets from discontinued them due to spiraling costs for the helmets and shipping from the far East. The one we sold was the best example of a repro we could find. Obvious differences were the brails, telephone cup, and banana exhaust tube and star wheel.

Below is an example of a poor reproduction Mark V helmet bearing a Diving Equipment & Supply nametag.

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.

Warning 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. Before purchasing any diving helmet do some research before you commit.

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