Original Items: All Sales Final. No refunds, returns, or exchanges. These helmets have serious imperfections to the shell and often to the liner that prevent them from being sold as Grade One examples. They are offered strictly as is, with no selection available for size, color, liner type, shell variation, or condition.

In another major military antiques discovery, IMA acquired the remaining known stock of German manufactured WWII type steel helmets held by the government of Finland. The remarkable story of this find was featured in Military Trader magazine in the article “Cache of Dreams: Thousands of German Made Helmets Discovered in Finland.”

These are genuine German manufactured M40 type steel combat helmets produced by Hans Römer Fabrik of Neu-Ulm, Germany. Helmets of this pattern were supplied during WWII and were later manufactured under a special 1955 contract for the Finnish Army, leading collectors to commonly refer to them as M40/55 helmets.

The postwar contract helmets were produced in the same factory, using the same machinery and reportedly some of the same workers who had manufactured steel helmets during WWII. They are nearly identical in construction to German WWII M40 helmets, featuring the classic rolled edge, correct steel thickness, and pressed ventilation holes. Because of their close similarity, examples are sometimes incorrectly represented as original German wartime issue helmets.

We also have good reason to believe that some helmets within this stock may be refurbished German WWII M35 or M40 shells. Under this theory, wartime markings and original paint were removed before the helmets were supplied to Finland, possibly in response to Allied restrictions on the postwar sale of German military equipment. Because individual examples vary and many markings were removed during refurbishment, we cannot guarantee that any particular helmet shell was manufactured during WWII.

The leather liners and chinstraps were manufactured in Finland for the Finnish Army, which designated the helmet as the M55. Liner and chinstrap styles vary because some helmets remained in service into the early 1970s and were repaired, refurbished, or updated as needed. Some helmets may also have additional liner holes drilled into the shell during Finnish service.

These are offered in Scratch & Dent condition and will have substantial flaws. Typical examples may show significant dents, surface rust, deep scratches, paint scuffs, paint loss, staining, corrosion, deformation, worn or damaged liners, missing or damaged chinstraps, loose or missing rivets, and other serious service or storage related imperfections. Some helmets may have damage affecting both the shell and liner.

These helmets were issued, refurbished, stored, and used by the Finnish military for many years. They are genuine military surplus helmets used by actual soldiers, and some examples did not fare as well as others during decades of service and storage.

The shells can accept our reproduction German WWII M35 style leather helmet liner and chinstrap using reproduction WWII style split pins and washers. Depending upon the individual shell and liner combination, installation may require drilling new holes in the reproduction liner. Due to the Scratch & Dent condition of these helmets, additional fitting, repair, or restoration work may also be necessary.

No selection is available for size, shell size, color, paint shade, liner style, chinstrap condition, markings, dents, rust, or any other individual characteristic. Helmets will be chosen at random from the available Scratch & Dent inventory.

This is an affordable opportunity to obtain a genuine German manufactured military steel helmet for nearly the same price as many modern Chinese or Indian reproductions. Each example is imperfect and sold as is, but remains an original military issued helmet with decades of Finnish service history.

History of Finnish Combat Helmets:

Finland imported tens of thousands of helmets for the Winter War of 1939-40 and the Continuation War of 1941-44, and imported again in 1955. Since IMA acquired the last of all the known helmet stock from the Finnish government you may wonder did we get German WWII marked helmets? Yes, and they will be offered at a far higher price. Did we get other types of helmets? Yes, we also received Hungarian WWII M38 (1938) helmets as well. This deal is a treasure trove of WWII era combat helmet history.

History the German & Finnish Alliance-

In 1938 Finland became very concerned with Stalin's Soviet expansionism and turned to Great Britain and France for support. Both Countries were under supplied themselves so Finland, perhaps reluctantly turned to NSDAP Germany for aid. AH was swift to assist supplying great quantities of materiel including thousands of German Battle Helmets.

The Russians invaded Finland in 1939 driving deep into the country. The Finns resisted with amazing tenacity that has been the subject of legend and the wonderful WW2 Movie "THE WINTER WAR" (offered by IMA). The Russians paid a very heavy price and sued for peace in early 1940 keeping the invaded areas of Finland. Finland totally exhausted agreed with great regret.

In the summer of 1941 AH's NSDAP War Machine invaded the Soviet Union driving everything before them. Finland whom had received so much help from Germany then rose up and drove the Soviet presence out of Finland. However Finland would not "invade" the Soviet Union, they declared themselves not to be aggressors.

It is true however that the Germans recruited great numbers of Finnish "Volunteers" for their "SS UNITS" that did invade Mother Russia but that was true of all the overrun European Countries and even some others, still independent including apparently England and the United States, although these number were said to be very low.

At the close of WW2 with Germany defeated Finland was highly penalized by the Soviet Union, again gave up the lost territory of 1939/40 but did manage to retain it's independence unlike so much of Eastern Europe.