The Bundeswehr M1 Helmet

[Gordon Craig]

Bernhard,

Thanks for correcting my info on the Belgian M1 helmets in Baer's book.

Regards,

Gordon

[Bernhard]

Hi fellow collectors ,

as I have added some Bundeswehr helmets to my collection lately
I thought I could add them here in this thread.

First pic will show another BW M1 helmet this time with original issue paint on the outside.
Like all my other BW M1 this helmet is also a Quist made specimen from 1956.
As you can see the overall appearence is very american- US-like.

[Bernhard]

Here is another shot of this helmet :

[Bernhard]

The liner has a quite interresting feature , it seems that someone
has added a kind of extra cushion to the top of the liner shell.
This modification is quite well made and surely adds some comfort wearing
this helmet.
Of interrest also is that this liner has the thinner version of the brown leather chinstrap.
I tend to say that this (thinner) version was the first issued.

[Bernhard]

Here are the two different chin straps that can be found on the liners

[Bernhard]

Here for comparison I show a M57 Austrian M1 version.
This helmet is dated 1958 and has the issue net and band.

[Bernhard]

Here a shot of the two liners , the austrian is on the left.
Note that the neck band on the german liner is sewn on whereas the austrian clone has the same snap system as the original US liner.

[Bernhard]

The Austrian Army kept the two piece helmet for the next thirty years
while the german Bundeswehr invented a one piece helmet at the end of the fifties.
A very interresting helmet that resembles the politically correct US/NATO
style from the outside and utilizes a modern variant of the old M1931 liner system on the inside.

Here is what I think is a very early version of the so called "Schwedenhelmet" that found it`s way into my collection with a very nice camo cover.
The helmet seems unissued and shows a very nice stamp and a tag on how to adjust the liner.
The liner system is the socalled FJ 60 system made by the firm of Römer.

[Bernhard]

Inside view of this helmet .

[Bernhard]

Detail of the hook on the chinstrap that seems to have kind of a seewing error if you compare it to other helmets.

[Bernhard]

Stamping in the dome of the helmet.
I am not sure about the "3" in the stamping could either mean the month or the size of the shell.
The first "59" is quite sure the year and the second "59" by coincidence would be the lot/rate number.
The tag gives exact information on how to adjust the liner to the wearer`s head.

[Bernhard]

Here another view on the stampings of a swedish made M1A1 helmet , this time we have a helmet from 1961 with the center screw for the I60 made
by Schubertwerke Braunschweig (the original inventor of the M31 liner )

[Bernhard]

Here we can see the stamping on a M1A1 helmet produced in Germany by VDN (Vereinigte Deutsche Nickelwerke aka as NS producer of WWII helmets )
I love this helmet because of the 12/62 date which is my birth date

[Bernhard]

Better view of the stamp.

[Bernhard]

Here a pic of my helmet covers .
They are made after the same pattern using hoods of the camo parka.