Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is a fantastic condition all original example of a German WWII M40 helmet, issued to the Heer (Army) and complete with liner and chinstrap. It looks to have only seen light service, and is even named on the inside of the liner! The information written is as follows:
Gefr. HELLMUTH R. JTA3 522
F. 01222
Gefr. is short for Gefreiter (Exempted), an enlisted rank about the level of a U.S. Army Corporal. We assume that the other information listed is their identification numbers, making this a fantastic research opportunity!
This stamped sheet steel construction helmet retains about 90% of its original lightly textured panzergrau paint, with a small area on the top that chipped off, showing the underlying steel, which has not oxidized much. There are also the usual scratches and chips from service, however it still looks great. The left side of the helmet features a wonderful Heer eagle decal, which is retained over 95%, with a great lightly yellowed color to the silver eagle. There is just a bit of chipping to the decal, and it still reflects the light well.
The reverse, interior, neck guard apron is heat lot number stamped 4882 and the interior, left side, apron has the stamped manufacturer's code and size, ET66 indicating that it was manufactured by Eisenhüttenwerk AG of Thale, located in the Harz district in Saxony, Germany. 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.
All three liner split pins are still intact, and retain almost all of their paint, which matches the color and texture of the shell perfectly. The helmet still has its correct M31 liner with all of the 8 fingers present and supple. It shows light to moderate use, and has a lovely color, with an intact top securing string. The liner band is aluminum, with square aluminum chin strap loops attached to reinforced sides. This is the last pattern before the move to galvanized steel bands. The left exterior of the liner band is marked 66 n. A. / 58, indicating that it is a size 58 liner for a size 66 shell. The right side has the full maker information clearly stamped:
Metall-Lederverarbeitung W.Z.
1940
Bln.- Ch'burg 5
This indicates production by the metal and leather working company Werner Zahn, based in Berlin - Charlottenburg, in the year 1940, which fits right into the early war period.
The chinstrap is still present, and in good shape. The longer section has has been shortened by a few inches, a common field modification if it is too long and gets in the way. Both securing studs are the correct early war aluminum, however the buckle is steel, so it's possibly a wartime replacement. This helmet was made during the changeover period from aluminum to steel.
Overall a great 100% genuine M40 Single Decal Heer Army helmet, named to a German soldier! M40 helmets of this quality are always hard to find on the market. This is an item that will only continue to appreciate in value over time.
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.
In 1934 tests began on an improved Stahlhelm, whose design was a development of World War I models. The Eisenhüttenwerke company of Thale carried out prototype design and testing, with Dr. Friedrich Schwerd once again taking a hand.
The new helmet was pressed from sheets of molybdenum steel in several stages. The size of the flared visor and skirt was reduced, and the large projecting lugs for the obsolete armor shield were eliminated. The ventilator holes were retained, but were set in smaller hollow rivets mounted to the helmet's shell. The edges of the shell were rolled over, creating a smooth edge along the helmet. Finally, a completely new leather suspension, or liner, was incorporated that greatly improved the helmet's safety, adjustability, and comfort for each wearer. These improvements made the new M1935 helmet lighter, more compact, and more comfortable to wear than the previous designs.
The Army's Supreme Command officially accepted the new helmet on June 25, 1935 and it was intended to replace all other helmets in service.
The M1935 design was slightly modified in 1940 to simplify its construction, the manufacturing process now incorporating more automated stamping methods. The principal change was to stamp the ventilator hole mounts directly onto the shell, rather than utilizing separate fittings. In other respects, the M1940 helmet was identical to the M1935. The Germans still referred to the M1940 as the M1935, while the M1940 designation were given by collectors.
The last wartime upgrade to the standard helmet took place on 6 July 1942 at the request of the Army High Command. The rolled edge found on M1935 and M1940 helmets was discontinued as a measure of economy. On 1 August 1942 the first M1942 helmets were placed into production, and this was the model produced until late in the war, when most factories were captured or stood idle due to material shortages.
- This product is available for international shipping. Shipping not available to: Australia, France, or Germany
- Due to legal restrictions this item cannot be shipped to Australia, France or Germany. This is not a comprehensive list and other countries may be added in the future.
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