Original Item: Only One Available. This is an incredible all original example of a very early Model 1935 German Pre-WWII "double decal" helmet, with lots of history and research potential! This helmet appears to have been overpainted with lightly textured Luftwaffe blue at some point, but that was removed, showing that it was originally issued with both decals. It looks like an early "Droop-Tail" Luftwaffe Eagle decal is on the left side, and a "National Colors" decal on the right. Unfortunately the decals are somewhat covered with paint still, and have parts missing, so we cannot verify the legs of the eagle to confirm it is a "Droop-tail". The decals are still both retained at over 50%, and it looks like the eagle may have even had another eagle decal on top of it at one point. Just lots to take in, and we aren't even at the best parts!

While the exterior was overpainted once, the interior was not, and it has some incredible painted on unit markings! The rear skirt is marked with:

The inside of the top dome is marked with a date and a different unit marking.

We unfortunately have not been able to decipher these markings, so we leave them as an excellent research project.

All three liner retaining pins are intact, with varying amounts of paint remaining. The reverse, interior, neck guard apron is batch number stamped 2829, and the interior, left side, apron has a stamped manufacturer’s code and size, ET62. This indicates it was manufactured by Eisenhuttenwerk AG of Thale, located in the Harz district in Saxony, Germany in size 62. Size 62 is a nice smaller size that can accommodate liners from 54cm to 55cm or US 6 3/4 to 6 5/8.

The helmet still has its correct good condition VERY EARLY M31 liner, with all 8 fingers intact and flexible. The leather is still somewhat soft, and does not show major wear, though the top tie is missing. The liner band is the correct early war aluminum, correct for a helmet of this vintage, and is marked on the left side with 62, indicating the shell size it fits. In this case, the size information is stamped into the leather itself, with the full manufacturer information:

The right outer side of the liner band also has the full manufacturer and date, which is clearly stamped:

This liner does not have additional aluminum layer around the chin strap bales for reinforcement, which is correct. This is the earliest liner that we have ever seen, probably kept at arsenal for years due to the rare smaller size, and then fitted to what is a VERY early M-35 helmet.

The chinstrap is intact, and still soft, though it looks like it is a wartime arsenal replacement. It has all galvanized steel hardware, and is marked Riebel & Söhne / Ingolstadt / 1941.

Overall a very nice 100% genuine very early double decal Luftwaffe helmet with loads of history and research potential! We do not get helmets like these very often at all. Ready to display!

The first "modern" steel helmets were introduced by the French army in early 1915 and were shortly followed by the British army later that year. With plans on the drawing board, experimental helmets in the field, ("Gaede" helmet), and some captured French and British helmets the German army began tests for their own steel helmet at the Kummersdorf Proving Grounds in November, and in the field in December 1915. An acceptable pattern was developed and approved and production began at Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz, (Iron and Foundry Works), in the spring of 1916.

These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. The M16 and M18 helmets remained in usage through-out the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era and on into the early years of the Third Reich until the development of the smaller, lighter M35 style helmet in June 1935.

The Luftwaffe pattern national eagle was originally introduced for wear by Fliegerschaft, (Pilot Base), personnel of the DLV, Deutscher Luftsportsverband, (German Air Sports Association), the clandestine, civilian, forerunner of the Luftwaffe on August 18TH 1934, and adopted for wear by the Luftwaffe on March 1ST 1935 along with the national tri-color shield for wear on the helmet.

The first pattern national eagle was utilized until a modified second pattern eagle was introduced in late 1936 or early 1937. Regulations of June 12TH 1940 discontinued the use of the national tri-color decal and further regulations of August 28TH 1943 abolished the national eagle decal and dictated that it was also to be removed from all helmets although the directives were not completely adhered to.