Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. The MkII "Talker" helmet was developed in 1942 for naval personnel, allowing communications headgear to be easily worn under the helmet. It was a very large and somewhat ungainly helmet to wear though it did serve its purpose very well. It was designed to accommodate wearing headphones for Radiomen or anyone using shipboard sound-powered phones.
The Mk-2 was manufactured by the McCord Radiator Company in Detroit Michigan; the "Arsenal of Democracy". Its composition is non-magnetic Hadfield manganese steel. In addition to accommodating headphones, it also provided a great deal of protection to the wearer. The bowl is so wide it even provided some coverage to the shoulders of the sailor who was underneath it.
Painted sea blue, the Mk II, like the Mk I, has cork applied with the paint to provide a textured, non-reflective surface.
These helmets have become much harder to find lately, especially genuine WWII examples. This example is in very good condition, with great paint job. Also, the original paint stamped U.S.N. and MK-2 markings are fully visible. It also has V2 / TALKER / 13 stenciled on the front of the shell, something we have not seen before.
There is some paint chipping and light rust on the interior around the rim. The original liner is intact, though when the helmet was last repainted at arsenal, they painted over the liner, as we often see. However, it is still somewhat flexible and soft, so the foam underneath is still intact. The chin strap is in very good condition, with light wear and very little cracking or other age-related degradation.
Ready to display!
- This product is available for international shipping.
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