DC-4 pilot pressure suit

DC-4 pilot pressure suit, possibly for use with MiG 25s and designed to assist pilots flying at high altitudes. The DC-4 is a Chinese variant of the Russian VKK-4 pressure suit. The left and right shoulders of the suit have metal zips extending from the neck to the tip of the shoulder. This is the entry point for the wearer. All zips on the suit are metal and have nylon grip tabs sewn to the zip loops. Sewn inside the left shoulder is a white rectangular cotton label with Chinese characters on the right side and translated on the left side as 'DC-4 / 880011 / 9 / 1988.6.17'. Stamped next to this is the number '18' inside a circle. Down the front of the suit is a chest to stomach nylon drawstring arrangement which would be tightened and tied off when the pilot was inside the suit. On each side of the drawstring, a metal 'D' ring is attached low down. Below this is a crotch to stomach zip. Either side of the zip is marked in white paint '9-11'. On the back of the suit is a zip running vertically from between the shoulders to the lower back. Down the left and right side of the back from the neck to the ankles of each leg are nylon drawstrings to further tighten the suit when being worn. Further drawstrings run from the back of the left and right shoulders down to the wrists. Zips are located at the left and right wrists and ankles to make the suit tight to the wearer. Running from each wrist to ankle on the outside of the suit are rubber tubes. The tubes are joined by another rubber tube across the top of the back and a further tube attached from the right hip, over the stomach to the left hip. Another tube is attached from the left side to a stabilising bladder located inside the suit over the stomach area. Two tubes extend out from the left side of the suit which couple to the cockpit of the aircraft. All tubes are covered with green nylon with the main outer tubes secured to the suit by a series of nylon tapes from the wrists to the ankles.

Collected by Flight Lieutenant Scott Leggo (81 WG Intel) and Squadron Leader Sal Sidoti from Al Asad Air Base, 29 April 2003. The two men were deployed to the Middle East as part of Operation Falconer, the Australian contribution to the invasion of Iraq in 2003. The RAAF contingent included fourteen 75 Squadron F/A-18 Hornets with ground support, three 36 Squadron C-130H Hercules aircraft and 150 support personnel and two AP-3C Orion aircraft and 150 support personnel. 75 Squadron flew 350 operational sorties and dropped 122 Laser Guided Bombs, 36 Squadron flew logistics and combat support missions and the 2 Orion aircraft flew electromagnetic intelligence (ELINT) operations in the region.