Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very good condition all original example of a late war German Model 42 Heer Army "Single Decal" Steel helmet, with some great period wear. This stamped sheet steel construction helmet was originally painted a late war Panzergrau dark blue gray color, but during service, was given a field repaint with color similar to early war Apfel-grün (apple green). This was applied with a brush, and the texture of the strokes can still be seen. It was only applied to the exterior, in typical field repaint style, and the Heer Eagle decal was left uncovered. This has given it a great service used look that is impossible to duplicate.

The repaint is very well retained, showing a great patina of age. There are some areas of wear through, but nothing out of line with standard service. The original Heer Army decal is still retained at about 80%, showing overall wear from use in service. The helmet overall has the fantastic patina that only real wear in the field can give.

The reverse, interior, neck guard apron is batch number stamped, 1893 and the interior, left side, apron has a stamped manufacturer's code and size, ET68 indicating that indicating it was manufactured by Eisenhüttenwerk AG, Thale Harz, Germany in size 68. Size 68 is a rare extra large size that can accommodate liners from 60cm to 61cm or US 7 1/2 to 7 5/8. Size 68 shells are the hardest to find and are therefore the most valuable to a collector. There is even a nice "Dome Stamp" on the interior crown, something we rarely see!

All three liner retaining pins are intact, with the paint retained to a varying degree due to service. The interior of the helmet still has the original M31 leather liner with all eight of its fingers intact, with the leather still very close to the original natural color. It is really in great shape, with the leather still supple, and the top tying string intact. The late war issue galvanized steel liner band is marked on the left outer side with 68 nA / 60, indicating that the liner is a size 60, intended for a 68 shell. The right side displays the full manufacture information, as well as a date:

The attached chin strap features the correct later war galvanized steel hardware, which shows oxidation from age. It is in very good condition, still supple, with most of the wear only in the finish. The end of the longer portion with is maker marked dla / 43, for 1943 manufacture by Karl Barth of Waldbröhl / Rheinland, a known maker of all types of leatherware during the WWII Period.

Overall a very nice late-war M42 Single Decal Heer Army helmet, completely correct with a great field repaint and lightly worn look! M42 helmets of this quality are always the hardest to find on the market. This is an item that will only continue to appreciate in value over time.

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.

In 1934 tests began on an improved Stahlhelm, whose design was a development of World War I models. The Eisenhüttenwerke company of Thale carried out prototype design and testing, with Dr. Friedrich Schwerd once again taking a hand.

The new helmet was pressed from sheets of molybdenum steel in several stages. The size of the flared visor and skirt was reduced, and the large projecting lugs for the obsolete armor shield were eliminated. The ventilator holes were retained, but were set in smaller hollow rivets mounted to the helmet's shell. The edges of the shell were rolled over, creating a smooth edge along the helmet. Finally, a completely new leather suspension, or liner, was incorporated that greatly improved the helmet's safety, adjustability, and comfort for each wearer. These improvements made the new M1935 helmet lighter, more compact, and more comfortable to wear than the previous designs.

The Army's Supreme Command officially accepted the new helmet on June 25, 1935 and it was intended to replace all other helmets in service.

The M1935 design was slightly modified in 1940 to simplify its construction, the manufacturing process now incorporating more automated stamping methods. The principal change was to stamp the ventilator hole mounts directly onto the shell, rather than utilizing separate fittings. In other respects, the M1940 helmet was identical to the M1935. The Germans still referred to the M1940 as the M1935, while the M1940 designation were given by collectors.

The last wartime upgrade to the standard helmet took place on 6 July 1942 at the request of the Army High Command. The rolled edge found on M1935 and M1940 helmets was discontinued as a measure of economy. On 1 August 1942 the first M1942 helmets were placed into production, and this was the model produced until late in the war, when most factories were captured or stood idle due to material shortages.