Flight helmets

Yes those were used early on. If you look at research programs such as the X-1 the strange looking helmets and the very tight pressure suits were used then as well. A quick Google search indicates the partial pressure suit is called the MC-3 and the helmet MA-1. I always thought they looked pretty unique and kinda cool. Later helmets are kind of dull but I think they provided much better peripheral vision. My dad actually had one of the helmets back in the 1970s but it got lost somehow in our moves.

Yes, the helmet is correct. My dad was a pilot in the 93rd BW at Castle AFB when this movie was filmed there. He had brought home that whole flight suit/helmet rig. I was seven when this movie was filmed and thought that rig was so Buck Rodgers it was beyond cool. And no they didn't use it often as it was quite a pain to get into and wear for any length of time.

They were the same suit and helmet early U-2 pilots wore. Later U-2 pilots graduated to the space like pressure suits you see now.