Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Luftwaffe M35 double decal steel helmet, stamped Q62 and complete with its original smooth Fliegerblau finish, second pattern Luftwaffe eagle decal, National Colors shield, 1939 dated M31 aluminum liner band sized 54cm, and a partial 1942 dated chinstrap. The helmet remains in especially attractive lightly service used condition, retaining more than 90% of its original exterior paint, over 80% of the Luftwaffe decal, an even stronger National Colors decal, all three liner retaining pins, and its complete eight-finger leather liner.

The M35 was the first of the standard German steel helmet patterns introduced before WWII and is distinguished by its rolled edge and separate ventilation fittings. Early Luftwaffe examples were finished in a smooth blue gray Fliegerblau paint and originally carried two decals, with the Luftwaffe eagle on the wearer’s left and the National Colors shield on the right. The use of the National Colors decal was discontinued during the war, making surviving double decal examples especially desirable to helmet collectors.

The Luftwaffe eagle decal remains more than 80% intact, with localized scuffing and flaking concentrated toward the center of the eagle. The National Colors shield is even better preserved, with only scattered chips and areas of wear. In several places the abrasion has passed through the red and black portions down to the white layer beneath. Both decals have developed slight yellowing from aging of the clear protective topcoat.

The exterior retains more than 90% of its original smooth Luftwaffe blue gray Fliegerblau paint. There are scattered areas of service wear and minor paint loss, but no major oxidation or heavy rust. The interior is even better preserved, giving the helmet a particularly clean early-war appearance while still retaining an honest lightly used patina.

The rear interior neck guard is heat lot stamped:

25442

The lot number appears to have been struck twice, with the first impression apparently too shallow.

The wearer’s left interior apron is stamped:

Q62

This indicates it was manufactured by F.W. Quist G.m.b.H in Esslingen, 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 7/8.

All three original liner retaining pins remain present. Their nickel alloy heads retain less than approximately 25% of their original paint and have developed an oxidized aged patina.

The helmet retains its original M31 leather liner with all eight fingers present and still supple. The leather has matured to an attractive chestnut brown, with darker wear around the lower rim where some flaking and splitting has developed. Most of the original crown tie is missing, although a short surviving section remains threaded through the eyelets of the liner fingers.

The aluminum liner band is the later aluminum pattern with reinforced sides and square aluminum chinstrap loops, immediately preceding the transition to galvanized steel liner bands. The wearer’s left exterior is marked:

62 n.A. / 54

indicating a size 54 liner installed in a size 62 shell. A faint:

54

within a circle is also stamped on the rear liner finger.

The wearer’s right side of the liner band is maker marked and dated:

SCHUBERTH-WERK K.-G.
D.R.P.
1939
BRAUNSCHWEIG

The surviving 1939 date is an important detail and is fully consistent with the early M35 configuration.

The chinstrap is only partially intact. It retains the correct early aluminum attachment studs, although the buckle section has broken away. The leather is somewhat stiff and cracked, and the aluminum fittings show oxidation. The longer section still retains all thirteen adjustment holes.

The end of the surviving strap is marked:

VYBIRAL
1942
WEIMISSLITZ

This later 1942 dated chinstrap section may have been installed as a replacement during the helmet’s service life. No claim is made that it was the strap originally fitted to the helmet in 1939.

With its Quist Q62 shell, smooth early Fliegerblau finish retaining over 90%, strong double decals, heat lot 25442, original 1939 dated Schuberth-Werk aluminum liner band, complete eight-finger 54cm leather liner, and surviving 1942 dated chinstrap section, this is a particularly appealing early Luftwaffe M35. The decal wear, minor paint loss, worn liner pin heads, splitting and flaking at the liner rim, mostly missing crown tie, stiff and cracked partial chinstrap, missing buckle, and oxidized aluminum fittings are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Luftwaffe double decal helmet, early M35, F. W. Quist, 1939 dated combat headgear, or advanced German WWII helmet collection.

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.