Posted 14 years ago
Kollector
(106 items)
From searching thru old aviation magazines this appears to be an early pilots helmet . It is thick leather moulded on some hard base and lined wirh felt with a leather lining . The flap extends down the back of the wearers neck. 2 ear flaps buckle under the chin and have two holes over the ears . All is leather and still soft. No marks except 55 stamped on the leather lining.
It looks a bit like an old tank driver's helmet too, although I wouldn't know.
It looks small in size and must have been a snug fit !
I know this is a very old post, but the helmet you have is an Italian M35 tank crew member's helmet. These helmets were made from 1935 through the late 1960s. the "55" stamp on your helmet is probably the size, not the date.