The HGU4/P aviator sunglasses.
Since 1982, Randolph Engineering has been supplying the HGU4/P directly to the U.S. Air Force. The classic Randolph Aviator is built to a set of military specifications designated as the Air Force HGU4/P. The HGU4/P was officially recommended by army optometrists in November, 1958.
The HGU4/P design was adopted because they worked much better with newer helmet designs, which had undergone major developments in the 1950s. Flight helmets were now being made with plastics, and equipped with communication equipment and oxygen masks. These helmets required a sleeker sunglasses design that could fit under the new wind blast visors with the additional equipment.
The HGU4/P is still the standard aviator sunglass specification that Randolph Engineering is under contract to produce for the U.S. Military. Randolph recently renewed their contract with the U.S. military to continue producing the HGU4/P for another five years.
