Posted 6 years ago
battlegear
(69 items)
France Mle26
Over 3.5 million M26 Adrians were produced and saw service throughout WWII. This helmet was designed in the mid 1920's and it was approved in 1926, hence M26.
The M26 was made of 0.9mm Manganese steel and in two parts, the shell and the crest, unlike its predecessor which had four parts. The original badges from WWI were still applied on these M26 helmets up until 1937 until the new smaller disc types were introduced.
Those made after 1935 are usually painted khaki, reflecting the French army movement to a more camouflaged uniform in the 1930s.
This helmet is complete with the original wartime black leather liner and leather chin strap, and also has a M37 disc on the front for the Infantry.
Wartime photo showing Algerian Soldiers of French Expeditionary Corps, Italy May 1944
In the last picture, they would have blended in better if they were wearing German helmets. LOL !!
I like the French Mle 26 helmet, I have another in a large size 61 that fits me perfectly! it feels like a hat since it's kind of light weight, one of the most comfortable steel helmets of WW2
but probably not the best design for protection in actual combat.