Original Imperial German WWI M16 Stahlhelm Helmet with Panel Camouflage Paint with Leather Liner - Stamped BF62
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Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice & battlefield-worn example of a totally original WWI German M16 Helmet, with a faint "paneled" camouflage paint scheme. This was a very popular type of camouflage used on both sides of WWI. The colors include greens and and browns, with thick black lines separating each color, the CLASSIC pattern. The stamped, sheet steel construction helmet retains about 65% of its original hand painted camouflage paint. This was painted over the original field gray paint, so this is visible in areas where the paint has flaked off, while others show the bare steel, now heavily oxidized. This example looks like it was brought home and left in a barn for 50 years. Interestingly, two of the liner pins have been switched around.
The shell is faintly stamped B.F.62. indicating that F.C. Bellinger of Fulda manufactured it. This company made shells in sizes 62 and 64 for the war effort. Size 64 is a nice medium large size that can accommodate liners from 56cm to 57cm or US 7 to 7 1/8. There is a rolling mill mark beginning with R, R297, indicating that the steel was made by Stahlwerk Röchling, Volkingen.
The helmet still has both of the dome headed chinstrap retaining rivets, which hold the interior pickelhaube style chin strap lugs in place. Both of the chinstrap end pieces are still attached to the rivets. The shell also retains both of the extended ventilation side lugs, which are the correct short version without any step for the larger size 66 shell. This would ensure proper installation of a Stirnpanzer brow plate regardless of shell size.
An original M1916 leather liner is retained inside the helmet, with all three interior pillows and the original drawstring tying the pads together. Since the two liner pins were switched on this helmet, we can’t say the liner has always been with the helmet, but it is definitely an original M1916 German liner. There was once a name written in white under the rear skirt, but the paint loss has worn it away.
A very nice M1916 camouflage Stahlhelm, ready for further research and display.
- This product is available for international shipping.
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