Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. Officially known as the "Helmet Steel, Airborne Troops," this is a paratrooper helmet of British origin worn by Paratroopers and Airborne forces. It was introduced in Second World War and was issued to Commonwealth countries in the post-1945 era up to the Falklands War. As with the similarly shaped RAC helmet, it was initially manufactured by Briggs Motor Bodies at Dagenham.
This is a nice refurbished example of the WWII MkIII Paratrooper helmet, as used by British and Canadian forces. It differed from the earlier MKII by having a canvas chin strap, replacing the leather chin strap used in the MKI and MKII varieties. The MK III began to replace the MK II helmet in February of 1944. The MKII was not widely issued until September 1944, although some were used by the 6th Airborne Division during the Normandy Invasion in June, 1944.
This example was refurbished for use post war, as the MkIII was in use all the way until the Falklands war. The shell looks to have been repainted after the original textured paint wore off. The chinstrap and leather cup are present and in great condition. The liner comes complete with all padding and suspension strap, though most likely the leather and foam were both replaced, as the foam is still quite soft, very rare to see with the original WWII issued foam. The aluminum liner band is also more typical of post-war produced helmets, so possibly only the shell is WWII issue.
Warman's World War II Collectibles price guide values fully original examples of this type of helmet as high as $1,700, but you will many times see them listed for over $2000. They are very are as most were refurbished, as this one was, but it still has that iconic look!
This helmet is in very nice condition, and would make an excellent addition to any collection.
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
