First developed in the early 1960s, GSh-6 series of helmets became the primary helmet for all Soviet and Russian pilots flying at high altitudes up to these days.

All of the GSh-6 helmets have a two-position clear visor. Its lowering mechanism is made in such a way that when the visor is in lowered position, it's sealed to the helmet and won't allow air either come in or escape from the helmet. Main visor is automatically heated to prevent it from fogging up in lowered position. Smaller sun protective visor is located inside of the helmet and operated via a small knob on the right side of the helmet.

GSh-6 shell does not have any communication equipment, thus requiring pilot to wear internal helmet. This helmet is made out of green material with built-in speakers. Microphone is mounted to the helmet on a small boom, which allows pilot to lower it to any desired position. Just like in the ZSh-3 series of helmets, GSh-6 internal communication helmet has a padded ridge on top for better and more stable matting with the main shell.

There is a three-step process pilots have to undergo to wear the GSh-6 helmet. First, after getting into their VKK suit, they lower GSh-6 neck ring over their shoulders and tuck its material under the suit. Next, pilot connects internal helmet's communication plug to the neck ring and only after that puts the GSh-6 shell over the head and locks it in place.

GSh-6 was the first production model of GSh-6 series. There were less then 3,000 of original model GSh-6 helmets produced making it a very rare helmet these days. This first version of GSh-6 helmet is equipped with excatly the same pressure exhale valve as GSh-4 series of helmets. Helmet also has a very unique outer visor lowering mechanism - its backing plate has a special guide 'rail' that lowering axle slides through, such plate were unique to only original GSh-6 and few early GSh-6M helmets.

Another noticeable difference is the neck ring of the GSh-6 helmet - it's made out of two metal rings. The top portion attaches to the helmet via 6 pins, while lower ring can be freely rotated in horizontal axle. This neck ring design was used on GSh-6 and GSh-6M helmets and was replaced on GSh-6A helmet with a new, one piece neck ring design.

GSh-6 series of helmets are available in 6 different sizes. There are three main sizes - 1 through 3 (where 1 is small and 3 is large). Each of the main sizes is then divided into 2 sizes abbreviated with either Russian letter "M" or "B" ("M" stands for small, "B" is for large). So in the end we have following sizes: 1M, 1B, 2M, 2B, 3M and 3B.

 

Early GSh-6 communication helmet. This type of helmets were used on all of the GSh-6M and early production GSh-6A helmets. It was then upgraded with newer and more comfortable for the pilot microphone assembly.
Right view of the GSh-6M communication helmet.
Microphone assembly of the GSh-6M internal helmet. It can only be moved up or down.
GSh-6 helmet - front view. Outer visor is open, internal visor is lowered.
And here is the helmet with lowered outer visor and internal visor is back in its housing.
Left view of the GSh-6 helmet.
Back view of the helmet. Note pilot's name in red ink. Given this helmet's low serial number and the fact that it came from Moscow region, it's likely that it was used by Russian military (NII VVS) test pilot Leonid Fadeev.
Right view of the helmet. Note metal visor heating mechanism and exhale valve like those used on GSh-4 helmets.
ID tag inside of the helmet on internal visor housing.
And here helmet's serial number stamped out on the front of the shell.
Exhale valve as seen inside of the helmet.
Place where oxygen hose connects to the shell on inside is covered by metal cover with 5 openings.
Close up on the outer side of the exhale valve.
Close up on the backing plate. Note its guinding "rail" - this feature can only be seen on GSh-6 and early GSh-6M helmets.