GSG9 Helmet

[Gordon Craig]

Mike,

Sorry I confused the issue by saying the chin strap was missing. It is obviously present. Helmets like the blue one you asked for ID on do not have a chin cup. The chin strap fits under the chin.

Jens,

These trial helmets can be found with a number of different liners. Some like the one in the blue helmet shown here, others very similar to the WWII FJ liner. If you have a copy of Ludwig Baer's book "Von Stahlhelm zum Gefechthelm, Volume II" look on page 132 through 139 and you will see several different liners and helmet shapes shown. Different firms, such as Romer and Schubert, used different types of liners. They also made different shapes of helmets.

Regards,

Gordon

[Gordon Craig]

Gentlemen,

As Gran Sasso says, these are very rare prototype helmets. Baer indicates in his Volume II that this type of liner was used by Romer. The helmets were probably produced by Romer as well.

Regards,

Gordon

Gordon, are you really shure that this was once a BW helmet ?? Beside the colour that looks very much like the "schwarzgrün" ("black-green") used by different BePo and the BGS the lining looks different to the helmets I saw ...:



(No, not mine - both are in someone elses collection...)

For me it look like a new type of liner in compare to these pictured ... and GSG9 used this type of helmets very much longer (until today??) then the BW...

Regards,

Jens

[Mike Yokum]

Thank you for all the input and help gents, especially you Gordon!.

I'm feeling very good about the helmet as I'm primarily an FJ collector and with only approximately 2500 of these made it's at least a scarce piece if not flat out rare. To own a 50's prototype FJ helm in this condition is very exciting to me!

[Gordon Craig]

Mike,

I am glad that we could help. That is what the forum is all about. Good luck in building your FJ collection especially the BW part.

Regards,

Gordon

[Collectinsteve]

Great info. I don't know much about the details of these helmets, especially the prototypes. I only have the later US style FJ helmet.

I don't know why such a scarce helmet is so relatively easy to find. There is usually one on eBay each month. They usually go for between EUR 150 and EUR 250. I've seen the GSG-9 type called FJ and the FJ type called GSG-9. I guess it's whichever the seller things will bring more money

It appears the most common size is in the 56 range. I'm still kicking myself for not bidding harder on a mint condition Size 60 a number that was up for sale a few years ago. That is something I probably won't see again.

Steve

[Gran Sasso]

I don't know why such a scarce helmet is so relatively easy to find. There is usually one on eBay each month.

Well, they were never used in combat, so none got lost. And this modell is not in use anylonger since years, so they are around. And ebay is the place to "get rid" of stuff.

[Mike Yokum]

Well, they were never used in combat, so none got lost. And this modell is not in use anylonger since years, so they are around. And ebay is the place to "get rid" of stuff.

I keep a sharp eye out for these and don't see them very often.

And I for one am very glad you got "rid" of this one Patrick.

[Gran Sasso]

I keep a sharp eye out for these and don't see them very often.

And I for one am very glad you got "rid" of this one Patrick.

I just "got rid" (= sold) that one, as it is bit to young for my collecting interest.

I have owned some in the past, but never kept one for myself.