My first ww2 M1 helmet liner

[Roger M]

Hi Guys
I picked this liner up from a car boot sale over the weekend.
It is made by Westinghouse with Olive painted A pieces. The lining tapes in the front have been hand stitched back together.
The adjustable nape strap has been added as have the fabric inverted A's for the chin strap. The buckles look to be brass.

Any thought as to when these additions took place ?

[SteveR]

Could be rigger done airborne but I am not sure. Airborne really isn't my field of focus.

[Roger M]

Thanks SteveR.
My thoughts were the same, its a mid war (?) liner with late/postwar rigger attachments.

[ruddersrangers44]

There are plenty of threads on these Liners over at USMF and most are of the opinion that these were infact factory refits for the jump into Japan that obviously never happened,they were taken from un-issued existing Infantry stocks,this practice continued upto around 1950,these are going up in value and have much become a sort after item,the whole thing about "Rigger" just because the A frames were set seperately from webbing just isn't the case at all,with new info coming all the time,collectors really need to re-address there way of thinking regarding these liners.............

[Roger M]

I picked up a Schleuter M1 Front Seem,Fixed bail Helmet shell to go with the liner from an autojumble. It needs a bit of repair work as it has a pick axe hole in the top and a stress fracture that displaces on one side.

I think the heat stamp is 267 with the S below.

[greatwhite]

I wish i could find jumbles like yours here in the UK,, are you sure it isnt a small caliber bullet hole, if so i would leave as is,, if its a restoration you want to do i have done one and really enjoyed doing it,, there is a thread in the m1 section.

[Roger M]

I actually picked up 2 wartime M1 helmets at the same time, they both had pick axe strikes in the top from the inside. No liners though. Both had been painted white after the holes had been put in. I should of sold them as veterans of the Battle of the Bulge with the white paint on I am sure I could of come up with a good story .

They probably had been used as hanging baskets

The second helmet is swivel bale, front seem but no visible markings.Picture attached.

Buying things at the car-boot sale can be good but it means early mornings twice a week, I am normally there from 6.30 as their is a lot of competition.

I have welded the bad fracture already and will fill the top hole after closing it over. I am keen to leave the texture as it is original. It may not be a full restoration but I like it with character.

[Roger M]

2 pictures to show the repairs.
The front shows where the bad displaced split was welded up and the top shows where the hole was.

Its not as glossy as the flash makes it look and the texture is the original.

[anton67]

A fixed loop really would not get paired with a rigger liner. A rear seam M1C would be more appropriate.