Original U.S. WWII Named US Navy Aerographer’s Mate “Weather Gussers” Painted Front Seam Swivel Bale Schlueter M1 Helmet with Inland/Firestone Liner - AG2 Iannucci
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Original Item: One-Of-A-Kind. Now this is a rather rare, lovely example of a WWII US Navy “Haze Gray” personalized M1 helmet. The helmet is painted for US Navy Weather Services for use by Aerographer’s Mate 2nd Class Iannucci. We have not been able to locate service information for AG2 Iannucci, making this an exceptional research opportunity.
Aerographer's Mates researched, predicted, and forecasted the weather for aviation and nautical safety. Initially known as Aerographer, the enlisted rating was changed to Aerographer's Mate in 1942 with the abbreviation of AG. The rating was opened to Women Accepted for Volunteer Emergency Service (WAVES) during World War II.
This example is in good condition considering signs of honest wear from use, and decades of storage wear. The Helmet features a shell painted in standard WWII U.S. Navy Haze Gray with extremely nice AG rating related painted artwork. Haze gray is a paint color scheme used by USN warships to make the ships harder to see clearly. The gray color reduces the contrast of the ships with the horizon, and reduces the vertical patterns in the ship's appearance.
The U.S. WWII M-1 helmet was only produced from 1941 to 1945. The first production batch resulted with over 323,510 M-1 helmets before the start of the American involvement in the war. The Ordnance Department selected McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company of Detroit Michigan to produce the steel M1 helmet bodies. These bodies were made from a single piece of Hadfield Manganese steel that was produced by the Carnegie-Illinois & Sharon Steel Corporations. Each completed raw M-1 helmet shell weighed 2.25 lbs each.
The early M-1 helmet shells had a set of fixed chinstrap loops called "bales" and a stainless steel rim. These rims were both rust resistant and had "non-magnetic qualities" that reduced the chance of error readings when placed around certain sensitive equipment (such as a compass). In late 1943, a set of bales which swiveled were introduced, which reduced the risk of breakage like the earlier fixed bales. This particular helmet is of the swivel bale variety, with OD#7 chinstraps fitted with a painted steel buckle. As typical with WWII Navy helmets, the shell has been painted several times, but the original cork finish is still evident on the exterior.
The steel shell is stamped 235A over a large S, indicating Schlueter manufactured this helmet in early 1944.
To start off with the liner, it is a double stamped example featuring the Inland logo with the Firestone “F” stamped over it. After the end of WWII, already existing stockpiles of helmets and liners underwent some changes which were done by other companies for use in the Korean War/Early Vietnam.
The correct "high pressure" style M-1 Helmet liner was manufactured in Dayton, Ohio by Inland Manufacturing Division, as indicated by the embossed INLAND (covered by the “F”) logo inside the crown. This company started M-1 helmet liner delivery to the US Army in September 1942. They produced approximately 1,900,000 M-1 helmet liners and converted about 75,000 liners to airborne configuration. Inland Manufacturing discontinued M-1 helmet liner production in 1943 when their manufacturing services were deemed better used elsewhere.
This true US WWII M-1 helmet liner can be identified through the frontal eyelet hole. Other correct WWII features include cotton OD Green #3 herringbone twill (HBT) cloth suspension liner, however it is definitely quite worn. The leather sweatband and chinstrap are no longer present.
This fantastic condition M1 shell has correct late war swivel (movable) chinstrap loops called "bales" and a stainless steel rim with a rear seam. These rims were both rust resistant and had "non-magnetic qualities" that reduced the chance of error readings when placed around certain sensitive equipment (such as a compass). In November 1944 the specification was changed to have the rim seam in the rear of the helmet. This helmet is an excellent service worn example and still retains most of its original WW2 parts and the shell has all original "corked" grain paint.
Comes more than ready for display.
- This product is available for international shipping.
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