Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Luftwaffe double decal M40 steel helmet with a later lightly textured Flyer’s Blue overpaint, second pattern Luftwaffe eagle decal, national colors shield, 1940 dated size 58 M31 liner, later pattern chinstrap, and interior ownership markings to Erich Niehaus. The shell is stamped ET66 with rear lot number 498.

The stamped steel shell appears to have originally been finished in the smoother semi-gloss Luftwaffe Fliegerblau, or Flyer’s Blue, associated with earlier production. It was subsequently repainted inside and out in a slightly darker, lightly textured finish, with replacement decals applied to both sides. Service wear has since exposed areas of the earlier smooth paint beneath the overpaint, while the interior also shows places where the original finish had already flaked before the later repaint was applied.

The left side carries a second pattern Luftwaffe eagle decal retained at approximately 30%. The eagle remains readily identifiable, though large portions are missing from wear. It is unclear whether this loss resulted entirely from service and age or whether some of it may reflect postwar abrasion. The right side national colors shield is considerably better preserved at approximately 75%, with scratches, localized losses, and overall age toning. The use of the second decal had been discontinued in 1940, and in 1943 it was ordered that helmets with the national colors have them removed, so finding a helmet with both still intact is a rarity.

The left interior skirt is stamped:

ET66

identifying manufacture by by Eisenhüttenwerk of Thale, located in the Harz district in Saxony, Germany. Size 66 is a rather large size that can accommodate liners from 58cm to 59cm or US 7 1/4 to 7 5/8. Size 66 shells are harder to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector. The rear interior skirt is stamped with lot number:

498

All three liner retaining split pins remain present and retain most of their paint, with only minor chipping exposing the steel beneath.

The helmet retains its M31 leather liner with all eight fingers present and the top tie still intact. The leather remains supple and has aged to an attractive chestnut brown tone, with only minor splitting where it folds over the inner liner band.

The galvanized steel outer liner band is marked:

66 n.A. / 58

indicating a size 58 liner fitted to a size 66 shell. One of the liner fingers is also stamped with a circled:

58

The opposite side of the liner band is marked, though partly obscured by oxidation to the galvanized finish:

SCHUBERTH-WERKE K.-G.
D. R. P.
1940
BRAUNSCHWEIG

The liner itself also bears ownership or identification markings. The front right interior is marked:

Msch

while the rear is named:

Erich Niehaus

An attached later pattern leather chinstrap has a steel buckle and steel attachment hardware. It remains in very good service used condition with oxidation to the fittings and general staining and finish wear to the leather, but no major cracks or tears. All thirteen adjustment holes on the longer section remain present. The hole closest to the pointed end was never completely punched through and still retains the small leather plug.

Overall, the helmet has a strong service used appearance with substantial wear to the textured overpaint, scratches, scuffs, exposed earlier paint, and age toning to both decals. The liner remains notably well preserved, and the named interior adds an additional point of interest.

With its ET66 shell, lot number 498, double decal Luftwaffe configuration, layered Flyer’s Blue finishes, 1940 dated size 58 Schuberth-Werke liner, complete later pattern chinstrap, and interior name Erich Niehaus, this is a particularly interesting service worn M40 helmet. The approximately 30% surviving Luftwaffe eagle, approximately 75% national colors shield, overpaint wear, exposed earlier finish, liner band oxidation, and general chinstrap wear are all fully disclosed. It would fit especially well in a Luftwaffe helmet, named German headgear, M40 steel helmet, double decal, or advanced WWII collection.

German 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.