DESCRIPTION
This helmet was recently acquired through a trade along with a number of other mainly German WW2 helmets. The owner told me he thought it was WW2 but wasn't certain and suggested because of the white paint it may also possibly be from the Korean war as well 1950-53. To my own shame and somewhat embarrassment I just am not that knowledgable when it comes to non-German helmets. Yes, I should just bite the bullet and buy an $80 text book and drill down into the subject but they just don't grease my wheels like Wehrmacht helmets do and so I guess I have been somewhat lazy to learn about them.
I believe this is what is called an M1 helmet and since it has a rear production seam would have first been introduced in November of 1944 to replace the front seam models and features a manganese steel rim and swivel style chinstrap bales.
The inside liner shell is made of high-pressure molded laminated canvas/duck cloth and resin. These rigid liners feature cotton herringbone twill (HBT) suspension webbing, generally in olive drab #7 (dark green). They replaced earlier, fragile compressed paper/fiber liners. I have been told that the reason for this double shell system is that when an artillery shell or grenade goes off nearby the percussive explosion knocks off the outer metal shell but leaves the internal shell still in tact thereby protecting the GI's head. During D-Day apparently some soldiers were told not to connect their chinstraps beneath their chins as close enough explosion might actually blow the young soldier's head off. Better to allow for the outer metal shell to fly off on it's own and leave the rest behind I believe was the thinking at the time.
At the very bottom dome on the inside of the nested internal shell is marking stamped with the symbol "W" with an elongated circle around it which stands for Westinghouse. I believe Firestone, Westinghouse and McCord were the three main makers that made these. Not sure if they only made the internal liners and not the outer metal shell or both.
I really don't know much more about this helmet and may be way off in terms of my description above. Just selling to get rid of it but yes I do need to learn about these and get a book on the subject.
$150
Please call, text or email me if interested.
Tel/Text: 1-438-502-5052
Email Us: helmetsofwar@gmail.com
HELMETS OF WAR INC.
PO Box 555
Champlain, NY 12919-0555
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