Posted 6 years ago
doomhaunted
(1 item)
Hello, I bought this helmet when I was about 8-9 from a antique shop in Shrewsbury. I'm moving house and stumbled across it in the loft and thought I'd try and find out its origin. Initially, I bought it as I was obsessed with Saving Private Ryan and the American helmet. I liked the way they put the chin clasp on the lip of the helmet. I used to attempt to do it with this but it wasn't the same.
So far from looking at this site, I believe the lining to be Austrian. I looked up the M75 helmet but it definitely isn't one. The clasps are connected to the inside of the helmets whereas most others seem to have a D-shaped piece of metal attached to the lip of the helmet. Can anyone help? There is a serial code number inside the helmet and the same numbers faintly appear on the leather. They are 57-61.
Thanks.
Interesting. The leather pattern appears to be German WWII and also pig skin like the German. Odd thumb screw at the back of the liner that appears be for adjustment. The 61 would be the shell size (cm) and the 57 would be the head size.
The shell sure looks Amerikan. Maybe post war adaptation with Kraut liner modified to adjust, for some branch of German service, such as guard, cop etc.. It is a puzzle.
Thank you for your response blunderbuss2. I'm gradually learning more and more about the helmet. I presumed helmets were simply helmets: I had no idea they could be adapted - regardless of their original use - to another line of work in another country. Thanks again. If you know anyone who may know more, please link them to this. Other than this site I don't know of any others.