Original Item: Only One Available. This is an original German WWII Luftwaffe single decal M40 steel helmet manufactured by F. W. Quist of Esslingen, stamped Q66, with a relic condition size 59cm M31 liner. The shell retains nearly all of its original lightly textured Fliegerblau Flyer’s Blue finish, along with an exceptionally well preserved 2nd Pattern Luftwaffe eagle decal and a faint interior dome stamp.

The exterior finish is very well retained overall, showing only scattered scratches and scuffs without any large areas of paint loss. The interior is even better preserved, with little visible finish loss or oxidation. The Luftwaffe eagle decal is nearly complete and still shows a clearly visible lacquer top coat, which has yellowed somewhat with age. There are also a few small areas of light oxidation affecting the decal and surrounding surface.

The interior left side of the shell is stamped:

Q66

indicating that it was manufactured by F.W. Quist G.m.b.H. in the German city of Esslingen. Size 66 is a nice larger 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 neck guard is lot stamped:

325

A faint dome inspection stamp is also visible inside the crown of the shell.

All three original liner retaining pins remain intact and retain their original textured paint very well, closely matching the shell finish in both color and surface texture.

The original M31 leather liner is still present but is now in relic condition from extensive drying and deterioration. The leather has torn where it folds over the liner band across nearly the entire front half of the helmet, with additional tearing elsewhere, and portions are fragile and beginning to separate. The galvanized steel liner band is marked over the left ear:

66 n.A. / 59

indicating a size 59 liner fitted to a size 66 shell. The leather itself is also stamped 59. The right side of the liner band is too oxidized to permit reading of any maker or date markings.

No chinstrap is present.

Overall this is a strong Luftwaffe M40 helmet with exceptionally well retained original shell paint, a nearly complete 2nd Pattern eagle decal, matching painted liner pins, Q66 Quist manufacture, lot number 325, and an unusual surviving dome stamp. The principal condition issue is the heavily deteriorated size 59 liner, which has extensive dry rot, tearing, and fragile leather, while the absent chinstrap is also fully disclosed. It would display especially well in a Luftwaffe helmet, Quist M40, single decal German steel helmet, or advanced German WWII headgear 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.