THE HELMET THREAD

Not sure why ive just bought this as apart from it being a helmet it doesnt fit into my collection anywhere . I did a few years ago have a late EG helmet with the different liner so guess i was just curios to see what an early one looked like. Stamped into shell II
8
59

A few years these were ten a penny and quite cheap but now days bloody Airsofters are trashing them trying to convert them into naff looking Airborne helmets

This one i am glad to say is in 100% untouched condition and while it isnt the rare early one with screw in liner this one has a LTD liner but is dated 1945(cannot remover the liner to check shell markings).

Paintwork is also original WW2 textured brown.

This type of helmet remained unchanged(apart from different liners and chinstraps) and was issued up to the mid 80s as an RAC,RN and Royal Marines Helmet.

I can't post pics yet but I have:

NZ issue M1 steel helmet with unissued Mitchell pattern helmet cover. No idea when it was issued. Picked it up in the 80's in NZ. (NZ used Mitchell pattern helmet covers before they came up with their own camo.)

GENTEX ACH helmet made in 2009 - unissued, size medium. Complete with booklet and predrilled hole for NVG Mount

Steel PASGT helmet. Made in Asia. I love this one. I bought it for Paintball.

Fibreglass PASGT helmet with SKYDEX PASGT upgrade kit - pads and strap/retention system. Nice!

loski wrote: My Para helmets



Left to right front to back
Repro British Mk3 Para helmet it started life in the 50's as a British tank crew helmet I fitted a Mk5 liner and 3 point para cin strap and repainted it with
NATO green paint not pernect but looks the part when worn.
Brand new British current kevlar para helmet with DPM cover and cats eye band I got this helmet for £50.00 on ebay bargain.
Back
Rebuilt French Mle 51/56 Para helmet bought as a shell only I rebiult it using a new french liner and a chin strap i made by copying one on a helmet in the
collection of a bloke I know.
French F1 All arms helmet was used by paras and ground troops untill the introduction of the Spectra helmet(and is im told still prefered by French paras)
I replaced the chin strap with one I got from ebay it was listed as a experemental 3 point chin strap for a US helmet I dont know wich helmet and a DPM
cover.
feel free to comment.

Very nice collection Graham,very nice,look forward to seeing more additions posted here Mate

Love the latest additions Rich nice one, I particularly like the IdF ,SA,IDF lid mate, a real curiosity that one

Flecktarn Australia wrote:I can't post pics yet but I have:

NZ issue M1 steel helmet with unissued Mitchell pattern helmet cover. No idea when it was issued. Picked it up in the 80's in NZ. (NZ used Mitchell pattern helmet covers before they came up with their own camo.)

GENTEX ACH helmet made in 2009 - unissued, size medium. Complete with booklet and predrilled hole for NVG Mount

Steel PASGT helmet. Made in Asia. I love this one. I bought it for Paintball.

Fibreglass PASGT helmet with SKYDEX PASGT upgrade kit - pads and strap/retention system. Nice!

Look forward to your contributions when you get the chance to post them here,Gary

Easy Gee wrote:Love the latest additions Rich nice one, I particularly like the IdF ,SA,IDF lid mate, a real curiosity that one

Cheers Gary.

Still not 100% sure on the ID but been after an Israeli type helmet now for a good few years so quite happy.

Interestingly this week there was one on Ebay UK that went cheap-£60ish from memory but what worried me was the location was down as Israel so a potential for getting cloobbered with Vat,Customs etc so i didnt bid

ACH Number 2(sold 1st one).

Nice ACH Gulf1.
My latest addition , an '85 British Mk6 with 1st Gulf War Cover

parafal wrote:Nice ACH Gulf1.
My latest addition , an '85 British Mk6 with 1st Gulf War Cover

Nice early Mk6 there.

Not sure when they came into service but the earliest dated one i have is 1984.

Nice ACH Rich.

And nice Mk 6 Parafal, the first versions were issued in a smooth satin finish, second version rough matt finish. Not sure if this helps..hope so

As Before Rich,love this CF lid Mate,nice one

Were there ever covers issued for these or just ones made from hoods?

Thanks.

Hello,
There were covers made, but I am not sure if they were issued. I think the camo hood was the common thing.
Scott

As before very nice Italian para lid, Fantastico casco mi piace come il mio amico

This is gonna take a while for me. I am going to post them as I go thru the boxes. So.. 1st off, Some M-1 helmets and liners.

WW2 M1 liner used in the 1950's while the 100th Division was in Ky as the 100th Airborne Division(reserves). Liner is a WW2 Westinghouse.


"Aim Ready" crest on right side of helmet.


100th Division decal on left side

WW2 liner used in the 50's by the 70th Division. Liner is a WW2 Seaman Paper Co.


70th Division decal on right side.

WW2 liner used in the 1950's by the 38th Cav. Regt. (Always in Front). Liner is a WW2 Westinghouse.


38th Cav. decal on left side.


Armor decal on right side.

WW2 liner stenciled to a US Army T-5. Liner was made by Seaman Paper Co.


T-5 stencil on front of helmet.

Korean War era liner used by the Infantry School at Ft. Benning. Liner was made by Firestone.


Technical/Sargeant 1st Class green on blue stripes decal on front of liner.


Blue and white stripe painted around helmet and Infantry School (Follow Me) crest decal. This decal is on both sides.

Korean War era airborne liner used by the 11th Air Assault test unit. Liner is a Firestone.


11th Air Assault decal on right side of liner.

Early 60's liner used by the USATC Armor center DI's and cadre. Early 60's era Westinghouse liner.


USATC Armor decal. This is on both sides and the red/yellow/blue stripe goes all the way around.

M1 helmet shell, stainless rim rear seam. Has battle damage that goes thru the side. The wearer would have lived thru this. This one turned up in a box of turn in shells from Ft Benning that was sold surplus in the late 60's. How long it had sat in the wooden crate before that is hard to tell.


bullet hole in side of helmet.

Late war magnesium rim rear seam. This one was brought home from Iwo. I bought this at a barn sale off the vet in the mid-80's for a dollar. It is field camo painted with added black spots. The damage is in the front and is at least 3 strikes in the brim and the front. At least 1 went thru. Wearer was probably KIA as the strikes are consistant with an MG.


Left side


Front


Right side


rear

Early Vietnam War era M1 using WW2/Korea shell and liner. Direct vet aquisition. Vet served in the USAF in the early part of the Vietnam War. Helmet is a WW2 rear seam with US 45 M11 marked liner. Cover is early un-dated twill Mitchell patern.


Left side with 2 rolls of TP


Front


Right side with match book.

1980's era M1 with woodland cover. Liner is 75 dated with a 73 dated pull-out web liner. Cover has stenciled "Zig-Zag" logo and back says "Hondo Rat" Palmorola AT87.


The Zig-Zag guy.


Front showing rank and soldier's name on camo band.

Got into the next stack today.

1983 dated Berlin Brigade liner. Gloss black painted with enlisted man's hat badge on front and Berlin Brigade and USAEUR(Berlin) decals on sides.



early 80's plastic OPFOR helmet cover and liner

Some WW2/Korean War liners

Korean War 2nd Inf. Div. liner (KW era Firestone)



102nd Div Eng. Regt. liner. Has painted over decals of 102nd Div and and engineer regiment. Liner is a WW2 era Westinghouse.



Infantry School OCS liner. shows several layered OCS decals on the front. Sides both have painted over Infantry School decals and blue and white stripes. Liner is a Korean War era Firestone.



31st Fighter/Bomber Group Air Police liner. Liner is a WW2 Westinghouse.

Dammmn,how many helmets do you own??

late 1950's USAEUR chrome parade helmet. M1 is a WW2 front seam. Liner is a WW2 Sinclair Rubber, issued in 1957 to the 102nd Infantry, 11th Division, US Army Europe(Berlin)



Korean War M1 and liner. WW2 frontseam with KW era lighter OD repaint. Liner is a WW2 Westinghouse with 52 Micarta rebuild tag.



Korean War era M1 with OD twill cover.

Gulf91 wrote:Dammmn,how many helmets do you own??

LOL I dunno.. I've never counted.. There's a whole wall of them tho.

Fins...

And a lot of M1s-Great Stuff.