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    Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue

    Wolverine
    Wolverine
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    Name : Andrew
    Location : Canada
    Registration date : 2014-01-18
    Number of posts : 1409

    Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue Empty Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue

    Post by Wolverine Mon Jul 08, 2024 12:47 am

    I recently acquired this M35 helmet that was reissued at some point in the Bulgarian army. Can anyone help me to translate the writing on the liner?

    The helmet shell itself was originally manufactured at the Gyor plant, but after the plant was destroyed by a USAAF bombing raid, it was salvaged along with many other shells and completed at the MAVAG factory in Budapest (hence it has maker's stamps for both manufacturers). The shell size is 64.

    Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue Img_9310
    Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue Img_9312
    Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue Img_9311

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    Kl1989
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    Location : North America
    Registration date : 2023-03-26
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    Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue Empty Re: Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue

    Post by Kl1989 Thu Jul 18, 2024 4:49 pm

    most likely captured during the 1945 campaign, when 1st Bulgarian Army fought against Axis (including Hungarian) forces in Hungary, then reissued postwar. Some WW2 German helmets found their way into BNA depots this way and later refurbished postwar, but first time i see a Hungarian! Liner appear to be the original Hungarian. Still has Hungarian style chinstrap, but look like long side replaced by Bulgarians with a thin black leather.

    Writing in liner: C.Ж. (S.Zh.) = soldiers initials, Ичера (Ichera) = village south of Kotel (Котелско), probably his home village.

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    Wolverine
    Wolverine
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    Name : Andrew
    Location : Canada
    Registration date : 2014-01-18
    Number of posts : 1409

    Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue Empty Re: Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue

    Post by Wolverine Sat Jul 20, 2024 1:42 pm

    Thank you for the reply and for the translation.

    Yes, I had guessed also that the helmet fell into Bulgarian hands after Bulgaria changed sides late in the war.

    I too was surprised that the original liner survives. The repair of the long side of the chin strap is quite rough and crude. It seems to use a generic aluminium rivet in place of a proper split pin. The new rivet doesn't even catch the liner band!

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    Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue Empty Re: Hungarian M35 helmet, Bulgarian reissue

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