my latest budeswehr lid

[James C]

hi folks i just to share my latest aquisition and forgive me if i get this wrong but i believe it to be an m1a1 in superb condition im not sure the date of manufacture enjoy james

[oradour]

I am not sure the date of manufacture, enjoy. James

James....That will be 1985 to around 1991......it is an M85 - M1A1 "modifiziert Bodentruppenhelm"(evident by its 3 point harness) M1A1, it has its correct Flecktarn cammo cover, inside on the white side there will be a size for the cover, for example 57-61, this size will be preceded by a letter "S" stahlhelm, I can see it is for the stahlhelm (as opposed to a "G" for Gefechtshelm) because its cammo attachment loops are in an "X" over the cover, on the Gefechtshelm cover the loops would run front to back x 2......the next thing to do is to count the number of rivets on the shell and any filled in rivet holes, this will determine wether it was made in 1985 on, or is a refurbed M60/62.....see explanation below on the subject...looks to me like number 3). Nice helmet set !
Prost ! Steve.

" After 1981 it was intended that all steel helmet models were to be upgraded. this list shows all variants of the basic M60/62, sorry for any mistakes, as I have had to translate from French. 1) Models M81 - M-1A1 "modifiziert, Bodentruppenhelm": shell second type, side edges thin, with interior model 1981 (which has a plastic neck protector added) , with a 2-point chinstrap. 2 external rivets for the chinstrap. Screw head on crown.
2) M85 - M-1A1 "modifiziert, Bodentruppenhelm": shell second type, side edges thin, with interior model 1981, with the new 3-point chinstrap. 3 external chinstrap rivets, screw head on crown.

Also old helmets M60/62's were upgraded:

1) M60/85 - M-1A1 "modifiziert, Bodentruppenhelm": shell first type. Interior model 1981. The 6 old rivet holes are sealed and 3 are added to the 3-point chinstrap. Screw head on crown. This is the standard M85 M60 renovated (9 visible rivets).
2) M60-62/85 - M-1A1 "modifiziert, Bodentruppenhelm": first shell type.Interior model 1981. The two old rivet holes of the former interior are sealed, three new rivets are set for the new 3-point chinstrap. Screw head on crown not visible. This is brought to standard M60/62 M85 (5 visible rivets) specification.
3) M62/85 or M81/85 - M-1A1 "modifiziert, Bodentruppenhelm": shell second type. interior model 1981. The two rivet holes of the old interior are sealed and three new rivets are set for the new 3-point chinstrap. Screw head on crown visible. This is brought to the M62 or 81 to standard M85 (5 visible rivets) specifications.
Note: The interior 60 and interior 81 is easily interchangeable, can be found in M60/62 or M62 equipped with interior model 1981 after upgrade. Note, all have the plastic neck protector as part of the 1981 interior package".

[James C]

steve what can i say many thanks for all this great info this must of taken up a lot of your time and im sure im not the first person you have had to do this for so thanks for you patience with an ignorant layman like myself and for giving me a rough date of manufacture ,yes the cover starts with an S and im glad you say its correct for the lid thats a relief, i didnt want to make the same mistake again when i jumped right in with what i thought was a correctly flectarned m60 but was identified as an m62 ,can you explain what the m1 a1 LL is ive seen it mentioned a few times on the forum the bundeswehr forum is a wealth of great information i think it should deserve its own place on here and not just as a sub forum there must be a big enough following anyway ive now been bitten by the budeswehr bug so its time now for my collection to begin, im also a huge fan of the flectarn corect me if im wrong but i believe its origins lie from nazi germany ,ive got a very nice fleck parka on route as i speak many thanks james

[oradour]

Can you explain what the M1A1 LL is ive seen it mentioned a few times on the forum, im also a huge fan of the flectarn corect me if im wrong but i believe its origins lie from nazi germany

James...the M1A1 LL is officially designated the Fallschirmjager M59 (Luftlandetruppenstahlhelm) Airborne helmet, made in 1959...see here for more in depth information... ALEMÁN 59
As for Flecktarn being Nazi inspired cammo design, I have not heard that before...Flecktarn cammo items were largely issued throughout the 1990's and into the new millennium, although it was trailed throughout the 70/80's in various forms and combinations....the first BW field uniform was to be in a Nazi designed cammo "Leibermuster", believed issued right at the end of WW2, but it was dropped at the last minute in 1955 and never used, the BW opted instead for a version of the wartime "Splintertarn", worn from 1955 into the early 1960's.
Prost ! Steve.