Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Luftwaffe M38 Fallschirmjäger paratrooper helmet, complete with its 57cm Karl Heisler liner and original style chinstrap assembly. Manufactured by Eisenhüttenwerk Thale in shell size 68, it retains a substantially preserved Luftwaffe eagle decal with the lower mobile swas portion removed during the postwar period. The helmet displays consistent service wear and an appealing untouched appearance throughout.

This is an early M38 configuration fitted with the second pattern liner and chinstrap system. The complete interior assembly is secured to the shell by four vented spanner bolts. From the visible condition of the fasteners and components, we see no clear evidence that the liner or chinstraps have been removed or substantially altered, although their uninterrupted association cannot be documented beyond the physical evidence.

The exterior retains much of its original lightly textured Feldgrau, or field gray, combat finish. The interior paint has a smoother texture but closely matches the exterior color. General scratches, surface wear, age toning, and small areas of oxidation give the helmet an honest service used appearance.

The left side retains its Luftwaffe eagle decal. The lower mobile swas portion has been completely removed, most likely as a postwar sanitization. The surviving eagle is substantially retained and shows cracking, oxidation staining, and minor surface loss. The remaining design continues to display strong definition.

The interior side of the shell is stamped:

ET68

The ET code identifies Eisenhüttenwerk Thale as the manufacturer, while 68 indicates the shell size. The rear skirt is stamped with the steel heat lot number:

176

This low lot number is consistent with early production, though we are unable to assign a precise manufacturing date from the lot number alone.

The shell is fitted with a complete size 57 liner. Its early aluminum support band retains the foam rubber spacers positioned between the band and leather liner. The rubber remains present but has stiffened with age.

The liner leather has matured to an attractive chestnut brown color. It remains complete but shows flaking and wear around the lower edge where the leather folds over the inner band. Several tears are present between the large ventilation holes inside the crown, and the aged leather should be handled carefully.

The rear of the liner is size marked within a rectangular border:

Kopfweite Gr. 57
Stahlhelm Nr. 68

This identifies a 57cm liner fitted to a size 68 helmet shell.

The liner also retains the supplier marking:

Karl Heisler
BERLIN C2
D.R.G.M.a

The original chinstrap rig remains present and is still relatively supple. Its snaps and buckle remain functional, and all principal components appear to be present. The straps show expected age and use, including stitch pulling and several small tears at stress points. The softer suede finished leather on the interior surfaces shows additional wear, cracking, and tearing.

The M38 helmet was designed specifically for German airborne troops, with a reduced brim and specialized liner and chinstrap system intended to provide a secure fit during parachute operations. Complete examples are often encountered with missing, replaced, or damaged liner and strap components, making the survival of this helmet’s substantially complete interior assembly especially appealing.

With its early ET68 shell, low heat lot number, substantially retained sanitized Luftwaffe decal, complete 57cm Karl Heisler liner, four vented spanner bolts, and original style chinstrap rig, this is a highly desirable service used example of specialized German WWII airborne headgear. The decal alteration, liner tears, stiffened rubber, strap damage, finish wear, and oxidation are fully disclosed, while the helmet’s completeness and consistent patina give it strong appeal for a Fallschirmjäger, Luftwaffe airborne, German WWII helmet, or advanced paratrooper equipment collection.

Fallschirmjägerhelm M38

Fallschirmjägerhelm M38 ( M38 Heisler / M38 ) - was a German steel paratrooper helmet intended for Fallschirmjäger airborne units from World War II. Originally, the German airborne troops used the standard Stahlhelm M35 helmets throughout the German Army . It soon turned out, however, that this helmet was not suitable for parachuting, as it caused significant air resistance during the jump. A too loosely fastened helmet could have been torn from the jumper's head, and if it was tightly fastened it could cause suffocation.

Therefore, from 1936, work was carried out at the Eisenhüttenwerke factory to create a helmet dedicated specifically to the airborne troops. Their effect was a parachute helmet designed by engineer Karl Heisler, which under the designation M38 was adopted by the army.

The M38 helmet was derived from the standard M35 helmet. However, it was smaller, more streamlined and with a significantly reduced hood. The front part of the hood was only marked, and the rear part was shortened to 1.8 cm. (in experimental versions - 2 cm). The rims of the bell were rolled up. The helmet bell was made in a series of operations from one piece of steel sheet 1.5 mm thick. It was produced in sizes marked as 66, 68 and 71.

The internal equipment of the experimental versions of the helmet was identical to that of the standard M35 helmet. In the version adopted for equipment, a new type of fascia was used, which better protected against possible injuries. For this purpose, the bell walls were additionally lined with a shock-absorbing micro-rubber insert cut into 7 "arms" with a thickness of 10 to 13 mm. The actual fit was in the form of a leather cap with round holes cut for ventilation. Both the micro-rubber insert and the leather cap were attached to an aluminum rim with a thickness of 1 mm. All interior fittings were bolted with four screws to the helmet bell.

A new type of lining was also used in the parachute helmet. The standard two-point suspension was replaced with a four-point "Y" -shaped suspension, which ensured better fit of the helmet on the head. In the model adopted as an accessory, the straps of the lining were widened to 20 mm and latches were introduced to protect the helmet against accidental unfastening.

The helmet's bell was initially painted gray-blue. A national-colored shield on the right side and a Luftwaffe eagle decal on the left side were put on. Later during the war, the bell was painted gray-green or sand colored. Various covers and masking nets were also used. In winter conditions, the helmet bell was painted white.

Polish tankers from the 2nd Corps of the Polish Armed Forces in the West would use captured M38 helmets. The reason for this was their small size and the fact that they fit very tightly to the head. However, they were strictly forbidden to use them, as it happened that their own infantry mistook the tankers leaving their vehicles as Germans and opened fire on them.