Unknown helmet needs identified.

[Blindpew]

Hi Folks,
Hope nobody minds me posting a photo as I'm struggling to determine what it is. I'm busy searching but so far no luck.The comb on top looks like the French adrian, but the shape is unlike anything I'm aware off.Anybody come across anything like this before?Appreciate your thoughts...

Colin

[Theodor]

Looks to me like a M45 "Jeanne D'Ark" French driver's helmet.

Yes, yes, that must be it, here a cmplete one /with the front pad preserved/:

http://www.cascoscoleccion.com/francia/frfo45se.htm

[Edelweiss]

Theo is right, except on the fact that it's not a "driver's helmet", but the french army M.45 helmet ; it's called "Jeanne d'Arc" due to its likeness with the helmet she wore. Here's one in it's original shape :

[Blindpew]

Hi Theodor,
Nice one mate . It is rusty enough to be Roman , but my luck ain't that good.
My usual lack of flash in camera has given me crap photos again, but yes your photo looks bang on to me.There is no liner left, but there is the 4 drop down hangers that are similar to the adrians.My photo doesn't show it too well, but should be enough to get the idea.I paid £20 for it - thought it was worth a risk, for it's unusual-ness.
Do you know if they were "common", or when they stopped producing them?
Thanks,
Colin

[Edelweiss]

Yes, these lids are a REAL pain in the ass to find (even here), and especially in the army kaki color, as most of them were delivered painted in dark blue for the air force.

[Theodor]

Thanks Chris! I've always thought them only drivers. Interesting lids! Why didn't I doubt even for a minute that you'll show a mint one /like for almost any other type discussed / what was Ty saying... "hog"?

[Blindpew]

Inside,

[Blindpew]

Thanks Chris, you must have posted when I was typing up!
Cheers mate.

[Theodor]

It's IMHO a rare helmet and the price is excellent! About the link, have a look at the rest of the site, this is a Spanish collector and he has a really impressive things!!

P.S. Seems the 3 of us posting at the same time, only a little mess

[Edelweiss]

Well yes Théo, the Hog strikes again !

I've been looking for a nice one for decades, and moreover I absolutely wanted it in green : a kind of little (and not always expensive) Graal...

Here's what the liner looks like :

[Theodor]

then congratulations, Chris!!! Wow, looking for decades for a nice one, this must be a real rarity! Great !

[Edelweiss]

Markings. This one was made in 1948 ; production stopped in 1951 when the new model - based on the US M1 helmet - came out.

[Edelweiss]

Well, I'm not very surprised the one showed on Théo's link is blue ; and even these are not to be found every day...

As an end, a view of a french trench in Dien Bien Phu (French Indochina) during the year 1954 ; you can see the M.45 in use, along with some other lids : a driver's helmet in the center (the mistake is easy to make) and US M1s : as always in the french army, even in 1954 the M.51 helmet was not yet in a general use.

Now, I guess a moderator will move this thread in the "International forum"...

[Blindpew]

Great stuff and photos guys
Albeit based on Jeanne d'ark helmet, is there any possibility it was manufactured as a "dig" at stahlhelms, or even perhaps thought up during the occupation period? - but never got round to manufacturing while the German's were there? - The French would never admit that though!
Thats the sorta stuff that goes round my head,..... maybe the helmet does deserve a place here?
Thankyou again,
Colin

Beautiful helmet you have Chris!

[Edelweiss]

Thanks Colin. No, this helmet was manufactured after the end of the war ; its shape was in fact inspirated by the shape of the driver's helmet : this lid was in use at the end of the war in the Free French Forces as a general purpose helmet and, due to this, it was very "on fashion" and appreciated a bit later (1945) in the french army. That's why it was decided that the general look of the new M.45 helmet had to be very close to the driver's model.