Picked up this M17 helmet with a M18 liner at a flea-market, the tail end of 2012. Looking closer, it does have a faint white stripe ( 40mm - 1,5 ins) in middle at the front, which runs up to the helmet crown. Do members have a idea what it's for ? The helmet seems devoid of any stamp marks, not maker's mark, no helmet size - would it be possible to establish who the maker maybe. Any help appreciated.
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Austrian shell with replaced M18 liner and post WW1 stripe for post war Austrian military /freikorps unit. Liner looks replaced recently.
JerryComment
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Stripe is typical for Austrian post WW1 Heimwehr paramilitary forces, fighting Slovenian guerilla in Carinthia and Styria.Comment
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Jerry, Tankredi,
Gentlemen thanks for the posts - I'm surprised to find its Austrian, is that because there's no makers mark stamps or the Heimwehr stripe? I had always thought Austrian Helmets had round-head liner rivets and the liner fingers draw string holes had metal eyelets ? Again thanks for the help.Comment
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Round head rivets would actually be post ww1 Czechoslovakian refurbished or newly produced helmets.Originally posted by soldon View Post
Liner seems to be German. Closeups of the liner band would help to tell definitively.
However, for post ww1 Heimwehr helmets it is not that unusual to find a mix of German with Austrian parts.
I once owned a German made m18, Heimwehr shield and stripe visible under the grey over-paint. Strap was German m18 issue whilst the liner was clearly Austrian with metal eyelets.Comment
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Here's a close-up of the liner band.Comment
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Thanks Tankredi for the confirmationComment
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