Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Luftwaffe M40 single decal steel helmet manufactured by F.W. Quist G.m.b.H. of Esslingen, stamped Q66, and fitted with a partial M31 liner sized 59cm. The shell retains a substantial amount of its original lightly textured Fliegerblau finish, approximately 60% of its Luftwaffe eagle decal, all three liner retaining pins, and its original galvanized steel liner band.

The shell is constructed from stamped steel and finished in the correct lightly textured Luftwaffe Fliegerblau blue gray paint. The surface shows honest service wear throughout, including scuffing, scratches, and worked in dirt, particularly across the crown. There is also a noticeable scrape near the right side liner retaining pin.

The interior finish is better preserved than the exterior, although there are areas of paint loss and oxidation within the dome. The lower rim has lost most of its paint from wear, and there is also a small amount of white paint visible along the brim area.

The original Luftwaffe eagle decal remains approximately 60% intact. The decal has developed an attractive yellowed age tone and shows overall checking and wear. The right wing is largely missing, while the remaining portion still retains clear recognizable detail.

The rear interior neck guard is batch stamped:

DN223

The left interior skirt is stamped:

Q66

This indicates it was manufactured by F.W. Quist G.m.b.H in Esslingen, Germany in size 66. This is a nice large size that can accommodate size 58cm and 59cm liners, or 7 1/4 - 7 3/8 US. Shells of this large size are harder to find, and more valuable to a collector.

All three original liner retaining pins remain present and are in very good condition, each retaining more than 90% of its original paint.

The helmet retains a partial M31 liner assembly. Most of the original leather liner has been lost, with only small leather remnants surviving around portions of the inner band near the retaining rivets. The felt padding beneath the liner is, however, very well preserved.

The outer side of the galvanized steel liner band above the left ear is marked:

66 n.A. / 59

indicating a 59cm liner fitted to a size 66 shell. The liner manufacturer marking could not be read.

Overall condition is very good for a heavily service used M40 helmet with partial liner. The original Fliegerblau finish remains well represented, the Luftwaffe decal is still clearly identifiable, the three retaining pins are intact with excellent paint, and the liner band and felt padding remain present.

With its Quist Q66 shell, DN223 batch number, approximately 60% surviving Luftwaffe eagle decal, substantial original Fliegerblau paint, original liner pins, and 66 n.A. / 59 marked partial M31 liner assembly, this is a particularly appealing service used Luftwaffe M40 helmet. The missing liner leather, interior oxidation, rim paint loss, exterior scuffing and scratches, crown dirt, right side scrape, and decal loss are all fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Luftwaffe steel helmet, Quist manufacturer, M40 single decal, large shell, or advanced German WWII headgear collection.

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.