Original Item. Only One Available. This is a scarce and heavily service-worn original U.S. late-WWII M1-C paratrooper helmet, later reissued and modified during the postwar period, most likely during the late 1940s or 1950s. The helmet retains the correct airborne shell configuration with swivel bales and snap-equipped chinstraps intended to connect to a jump liner, together with an original Westinghouse factory-produced paratrooper liner. An 82nd Airborne Division decal is applied to the right side of the shell, while evidence of another decal remains beneath overpaint on the opposite side. The helmet is rough and incomplete in places, but the combination of original late-war M1-C shell features, factory airborne liner, and later 82nd Airborne markings makes it an especially interesting example of airborne equipment that continued in service after WWII.

M1Cs were a variant of the U.S. Army’s popular and iconic M1 helmet developed in WWII to replace the M2 helmet. There were several differences between the M1 and M2 including the bales (chin strap hinges). The M2 had fixed, spot welded “D” bales, so named because of the shape they took. It was found that these bales broke when sat down or dropped. It was refitted to use the swivel bales, which could be moved around and was therefore less prone to breaking.

The M-1C helmet retains its original cork grain paint and swivel bale chinstrap loops, although it was likely repainted when it was reissued. It also has original shuttle loom sewn chinstraps set with original hardware and snaps, but one snap has broken off in the liner snap. The shell is marked with a faint heat stamp which we believe to read 1128B indicating it was manufactured by the McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company of Detroit Michigan late in the war. The shell itself has a front seam with a manganese rim.

The liner is an original WWII issue M1 helmet "high pressure" liner, stamped with the Westinghouse Company logo, and is an original manufactured paratrooper liner. Many liners were "updated" after production to fill the need, but this example was that way from the start. The liner is heavily worn and damaged with retained suspension and sweatband, although the sweatband is a bit cracked, and the suspension has some tears and staining. The two yokes are intact with a period correct canvas “chincup” attached. The liner is definitely a correct "high pressure" WWII issue, and stamped with a W for the Westinghouse Electric Co Manufactured in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. As mentioned, one of the M1-C snaps is broken off in the liner. The liner chinstrap is retained though crazed.

This "high pressure" manufactured M-1 helmet liner is identified by an embossed "W" in the crown (which is still Westinghouse's logo to this day). Westinghouse was the largest M-1 helmet liner producer and had two production divisions; Micarta and Bryant Electric. The Micarta Division produced about 13,000,000 M-1 helmet liners and the Bryant Electric Division about 10,000,000. Westinghouse Electric Company started M-1 helmet liner delivery in May 1942. Westinghouse did have a contract to produce airborne liners and converted an unknown amount to airborne configuration. Westinghouse discontinued production around August 17, 1945 when the war ended.

The liner is inscribed Frank R. Healy R.A.16277784, for a Korean War period serial number that we could not research.

The helmet shell has an applied 82nd Airborne Division decal on the right side, and on the left side there looks to have been another one, which was then painted over. The decal was likely applied in the late 1940s or early 1950s.

With its late-WWII McCord-type M1-C shell, transitional front-seam manganese rim, airborne chinstrap snaps, original Westinghouse factory jump liner, surviving A-yokes and chin cup, postwar 82nd Airborne Division decal, and evidence of later repainting, this is a particularly compelling example of an American paratrooper helmet that appears to have remained in airborne service beyond WWII.