Item:
ONJR23HGAA003

Original German WWII Refurbished Repaint M35 Single Decal Luftwaffe Helmet with 57cm Liner & L.B.A. Marked Chinstrap - Size 64 Shell

Item Description

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice original Model 1935 German WWII helmet with a single original Luftwaffe Eagle decal. It was brought home by a USGI after the war, and to "spruce it up" it had camouflage paint applied to the exterior, and the interior was then completely refinished in gray. It looks like it was then artificially aged a bit on the exterior to give it a great service worn look. If you were looking for a nice post war repainted "battle worn" camouflage helmet for your collection, this is it! Original examples of Luftwaffe field camouflage usually go for many times what this helmet is being offered at.

The interior of the shell looks to have been cleaned extensively before it was repainted light gray, which unfortunately has removed almost all of the markings. There are traces of the markings under the rear apron, but we cannot find any over the left ear. We measured the shell, and it is about 65cm in exterior circumference, so the interior measurement is 64cm. This is a nice medium size that can accommodate liners from 56cm to 57cm or US 7 to 7 1/8. Size 64 shells are harder to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector.

All three liner split pins are still intact, and retain the camouflage paint well. The helmet still has its correct M31 liner with all of the 8 fingers present and supple, complete with the original top tie, which is deteriorated. The liner leather has matured to a dark chestnut brown color. showing that it did see a good deal of service during the war. It is a bit stiff but has no major cracking issues, though the rear seam is pulling open. 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 64 n.A / 57, indicating that it is a size 57 liner for a size 64 shell. It is also maker marked and dated on the other side:

SCHUBERTH - WERK K.-G.
D.R.P.
1939
BRAUNSCHWEIG

This liner is right in period for an M35 helmet, and we are fairly certain that it is the original liner that was issued with the helmet, before it was "restored". The attached chinstrap is in good condition, however it does have a steel buckle and studs, so it is probably a wartime replacement. It is in somewhat delicate condition, but does not have any tears or major cracks. It also has an L.B.A. stamp on it, for Luftwaffebekleidungsamt, which means Air Force Clothing Office.

Overall a nice condition genuine M35 Single Decal Luftwaffe helmet, "restored" post war while retaining the original liner and decal. A great way to fill a hole in your collection at an economical price.

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.

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