A leather flying helmet, also known as an aviator hat or bomber hat, is a usually a leather cap with large earflaps, a chin strap, and often a short bill that is commonly turned up at the front to show the lining (often fleece or fur). It is often worn with goggles. It may be made of other materials, such as felt.
With the rise of motor sport and aviation at the start of the 1900s, leather was becoming a popular choice for protective gear from the cold and the engine noise. It has many advantages that made it the ideal material for flying helmets: it is warm, durable, impermeable to liquids including water, flexible and can be cut to curve around the head. It is wind-proof and has the great advantage of not accumulating dust. It was also found that leather helmets offered some protection against fire. Manufacturers of early flying helmets were Alfred Dunhill Ltd. and Gamages of London, England, and Roold in Paris
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