Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Luftwaffe M40 single decal steel helmet, stamped hkp62 and complete with its original size 55cm M31 leather liner and 1942 dated chinstrap. It retains over 90% of its original lightly textured Fliegerblau blue gray exterior finish, approximately 85% of its Luftwaffe eagle decal, all three original liner retaining pins, and a very complete interior with only light service wear.

The stamped steel shell retains more than 90% of its original lightly textured Luftwaffe Fliegerblau paint. The exterior texturing remains particularly strong, with only scattered scuffs and scrapes interrupting the finish. The interior retains an even higher percentage of its original paint and is correctly smooth, as the textured finish was applied only to the exterior.

The wearer’s left side carries its original Luftwaffe eagle decal, which remains approximately 85% intact. Some areas have flaked away where the exterior texture is more pronounced. The decal also shows light age related checking and minor discoloration.

The rear interior neck guard is batch numbered:

14

The wearer’s left interior apron is stamped:

hkp62

The hkp manufacturer code identifies Sächsische Emaillier und Stanzwerke A.G., Germany, and 62 denotes the size. Towards the end of the war, the SE marking was discontinued in favor of three letter code "hkp", and later this was moved to the rear skirt. Size 62 is a smaller size that can accommodate liners from 54cm to 55cm or US 6 3/4 to 6 5/8.

All three original liner retaining pins remain intact and in very good condition. The front two pin heads have lost much of their paint, while the rear retains considerably more. The exposed metal has an appearance consistent with galvanized steel.

The helmet retains its original M31 leather liner with all eight fingers present and the original top tie still in place. The leather is a pleasing light beige color and shows only light use, with some staining and wear around the forehead and outer rim.

The galvanized steel liner band is marked:

62 n.A. / 55

indicating a size 55 liner fitted to a size 62 shell. The leather itself is also stamped:

55

inside a circle. There are faint markings on the opposite side of the liner band, but they are too lightly struck to read reliably.

The chinstrap is the correct later war pattern with painted steel buckle and attachment studs. The hardware shows wear to the paint and light oxidation but remains functional. The leather strap is full length with all thirteen adjustment holes present and no tears or major damage. It has stiffened somewhat with age but shows no obvious dry rot.

The end of the longer strap is faintly maker marked and dated:

C. KORN
ALZEY
1942

With its hkp62 shell, batch number 14, over 90% surviving Fliegerblau finish, approximately 85% retained Luftwaffe decal, original size 55 M31 liner with top tie, and complete 1942 dated C. Korn chinstrap, this is a particularly attractive lightly used M40 Luftwaffe helmet. The decal flaking, paint loss on the front liner pins, light liner staining, faint unreadable liner band marking, and minor chinstrap stiffness and hardware oxidation are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Luftwaffe M40 helmet, hkp coded shell, 1942 dated combat headgear, or advanced German WWII helmet collection.

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original Model 1940 German WWII helmet with a single Luftwaffe Eagle decal, size 55cm liner, and 1942 dated chinstrap. This stamped sheet steel construction helmet still retains over 90% of the original lightly textured Luftwaffe Fliegerblau (flyer's blue) paint, which utilized aluminum oxide as a texturing agent. There are a few areas of scuffing and some scrapes, but the texturing is very well retained, and there is far more of the original finish than we usually see. The interior of the helmet retains the paint even better, and is correctly smooth, as the texturing was only used on the exterior.

The original Luftwaffe eagle decal is retained at about 85%, with scattered areas having flaked away due to the texturing, which is somewhat heavily applied. It shows some age related checking and a bit if discoloration.

The reverse, interior, neck guard apron is batch number stamped 14, and the interior, left side, apron has a stamped manufacturer's code and size, hkp62 indicating it was manufactured by Sächsische Emaillier und Stanzwerke A.G., Germany. Towards the end of the war, the SE marking was discontinued in favor of three letter code "hkp", and later this was moved to the rear skirt. Size 62 is a nice smaller size that can accommodate liners from 54cm to 55cm or US 6 3/4 to 6 5/8.

All three original liner retaining pins are intact and in very good condition, looking to have galvanized steel heads. This has unfortunately caused much of the paint on the front two to flake away, while the rear pin is only missing a few chips. The interior of the helmet still has its original M-31 leather liner with all 8 fingers present and an original top tie. The leather is a nice light beige color, showing only light use, with some staining and wear around the rim and forehead area. The outer side of the galvanized steel liner band over the left ear is marked 62 n.A / 55, indicating that this is a size 56 liner for a size 64 shell, and the leather is stamped 55 in a circle as well. There are faint markings on the right side, which are probably a very lightly stamped maker mark that we cannot read at all.

The chinstrap on the helmet is the correct later war version, produced with a painted steel buckle and attachment studs. They now show wear to the paint with light oxidation, but are still functional. The leather portion is still full length, with all thirteen length adjustment holes still present, and no tears or major damage. The leather is a bit stiff from age, though we do not see any areas of dry rot or other issues. It is very faintly maker marked and dated on the end of the longer portion:

C. KORN
ALZEY
1942

Overall great genuine complete M40 Single Decal Luftwaffe helmet, with great lightly used look.

More on Luftwaffe Helmets
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.