US WWI Aviation Pulp Novel Author, Robert J Hogan's, Aviator Signed Reunion Helmet
This item is listed for historical interest only. It was listed on our site previously but has been sold and is no longer available for purchase.
Sold for: $250.00

Original period manufacture. This is certainly one of the most unique artifacts we have ever offered for sale. Basically it is a US Model 1889issue summer helmet, likelypurchased as surplus from Bannerman's. Affixed to the front of the helmet is a red-white-blue oilcloth name tag which reads; "World War Birds,Third Migration", with thename Robert J. Hogan written in ink.Scattered around the surface of the helmet are the handwritten names and units of 10 WWI aviators representing the UK, USA and Germany. Robert J. Hogan was born in New York in 1897 and during WWI he trained as an aviator in Arkansas. Due to the Spanish Influenza epidemic in 1918 he never went overseas. After the war he tried his hand at a number of positions, but being a good storyteller, he drifted towards the aviation pulp fiction writing. In the early 1930's he began a series of stories under the banner of "G-8 and His Battle Aces". Incorporating his own experiences as a flyer and those of other pilots after the end of WWI. Several of the men who signed the helmet were worked into hisstories; Bill Schauffler former commander of the 90th Aero Squadron and Baron von Zastrow of FliegerAbt.31. The helmet shows a fair amount of wear in the form of damage to the cork body but in spiteof that it still displays well and will provide a lotof fun researching the names.