flying dress helmet
Report a Mistake- Object Number 19560001-003
- Event 1914-1919 First World War
- Affiliation --
- Artist / Maker / Manufacturer Woodrow
- Date Made --
- Place of Use Continent - North America, Country - Canada
- Category Personal artifacts
- Sub-category Clothing, headwear
- Department Arms and Technology
- Museum CWM
- Inscription WOODROW 46 PICCADILLY LONDON ALSO AT 42, CORNHILL, E.C.; MANCHESTER GLASGOW; LIVERPOOL DUBLIN
- Materials Mammal leather, Mammal wool
- Service Component Royal Flying Corps
- Measurements Height 26.0 cm, Length 23.0 cm, Width 20.0 cm
- Caption Alan Arnett McLEOD, VC
- Additional Information McLeod won the Victoria Cross on 27 March 1918, at Albert (Somme), France. His citation reads: "While flying with his observer (Lt. A.W. Hammond, M.C.), attacking hostile formations by bombs and machine-gun fire, he was assailed at a height of 5000 feet by eight enemy tri-planes, which dived at him from all directions, firing from their front guns. By skilful manoeuvring, he enabled his observer to fire bursts at each machine in turn, shooting three of them down out of control. By this time Lt. McLeod had received five wounds, and while continuing the engagement, a bullet penetrated his petrol tank and set the machine on fire. He then climbed out on to the left bottom plane, controlling his machine from the side of the fuselage, and by side-slipping steeply, kept the flames to one side, thus enabling the observer to continue firing until the ground was reached. The observer had been wounded six times when the machine crashed in 'No Man's Land', and 2nd Lt. McLeod, notwithstanding his own wounds, dragged him away from the burning wreckage at great personal risk from heavy machine-gun fire from the enemy's lines. This very gallant pilot was again wounded by a bomb whilst engaged in this act of rescue, but he persevered until he had placed Lt. Hammond in comparative safety, before falling himself from exhaustion and loss of blood."
- Caption Cold Weather Flight Suit
- Additional Information This leather flight suit protected air crew in open cockpits from the extremely cold conditions experienced at high altitudes. A set of goggles and a face mask were worn in the winter, but frost-bite was a constant danger to pilots.