Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice early U.S. WWII M1 helmet manufactured by McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company, complete with a scarce Hawley pressed-fiber liner, original sweatband, correct khaki chinstrap, and an original helmet net with its long rear tie string.

The helmet shell is the desirable early front-seam, fixed-bale pattern. It retains its original cork-textured olive drab finish, stainless steel rim, and fixed chinstrap loops. The heat-lot number is stamped: 401C

This relatively low McCord heat-lot number is consistent with production during approximately mid-1942.

McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company of Detroit, Michigan was selected by the U.S. Ordnance Department as the principal manufacturer of M1 helmet shells. The shells were formed from Hadfield manganese steel and fitted with a separate stainless steel rim. Early examples used fixed chinstrap bales before production shifted to swivel bales later in the war.

The shell retains all of its original WWII components and shows honest service wear. The exterior has areas of denting, heavy paint loss, scratches, oxidation, and surface rust. Additional rust is present on the interior, as shown in the photographs. Very little finish remains on the stainless steel rim, which commonly lost paint through normal handling and use.

There are several stress cracks along the rear and sides of the shell. These are commonly encountered on early high-dome M1 helmet shells and are fully visible in the accompanying photographs. Despite the wear and cracking, the helmet retains a strong original appearance and displays very well.

The original khaki chinstrap remains attached and is fitted with the correct stamped brass hardware. It shows expected age and service wear but remains an important original feature of the shell.

The helmet is fitted with an extremely scarce Hawley pressed-fiber liner. These early liners were manufactured from layers of resin-treated paper or fiber material and were produced in relatively limited numbers before the more durable high-pressure fiber liners became standard.

The Hawley liner follows the general shape and interior configuration of later M1 liners but lacks the front insignia grommet found on many high-pressure examples. Its suspension is made from a system of canvas web straps riveted directly to the liner body and adjusted with small metal buckles.

This liner remains in fair but displayable condition. The pressed-fiber body shows denting, tearing, cracking, and minor material loss, all typical of the fragile Hawley construction. These liners were far less resistant to moisture, impact, and long-term storage than later types, making complete surviving examples increasingly difficult to find.

The web suspension remains in very nice condition and retains its original internal arrangement and sweatband. The sweatband leather is especially well preserved considering its age. The liner chinstrap is no longer present.

Also included is an original helmet net. It remains in good condition and retains the long tie string at the rear, a feature often missing from surviving examples. The net adds considerably to the helmet’s early-war appearance and gives the complete set an especially strong display profile.

This helmet clearly saw wartime service and retains the dents, finish wear, oxidation, stress cracks, and liner deterioration expected from an early example. At the same time, it was not excessively abused and still presents with the highly desirable worn-in appearance collectors associate with genuine field-used WWII equipment.

The combination of an early McCord fixed-bale shell, low heat-lot number, original chinstrap, rare Hawley liner with sweatband, and complete helmet net makes this a particularly appealing and difficult-to-find M1 helmet set.