Need help identifying this helmet, please

[KarenFC]

Can't find any markings on this rust bucket. Polish boards said perhaps Italian? Anyone here have an opinion?

[MySonsDad]

The Italians never used an M-1 style helmet.

[Standartenfuhrer]

Perhaps Norwegian? Attachment 386111 Seems to be a similar symbol.

No idea.

[Greg Pickersgill]

Odd thing. I have no idea what it is at the moment, but a couple of comments; the M! actually *was* used by the Italians, by airfield protection police (equivalent of the RAFR?) during the 60s and 70s (I think..ought to check but can't offhand remember where I read all this!) post WW2 anyway. Also, the insignia shown is definately not that of Norway (which is a lion rampant) and while that or Poland is an eagle (as this may be) it faces left rather than right. Having checked the gallery of national coas on Wikipedia (Gallery of country coats of arms - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia) I see nothing that is even close. Obviously it may not be a national coa at all, but I was rather hoping for a clue at least. Hmmm.

[moaning minnie]

well its deffo US ww2 vintage,looks like the set have been together for years,not a clue regarding paint+markings,regards minnie.

[Vegard T]

Perhaps Norwegian? Attachment 386111 Seems to be a similar symbol.

No idea.

No way this is Norwegian, just saying.

[stuka f]

No way this is Norwegian, just saying.

I agree on that!
My thougt would be Iran, but I need to check thise!
cheers
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[Greg Pickersgill]

Well, bloody hell. that's amazing, you'd never guess, well whaddaya know (etc). While idly trying to remember where I read all that stuff about Italian airfield security police I had a speculative look in Marzetti and lo and behold (etc) the illustration of the appropriate helmet is indeed a blue one with exactly the yellow insignia shown on the mystery helmet. (The Marzetti example has th eagle looking definately to the left as seen head on, the query helmet *appears* to be looking right, but I now think this is an application error or other ilusion to cause some confusion in the unwary).

Anyway, we have a definate identification - M1 helmet as used by Italian Air Force/specialist airfield security - must be a correct designation but I haven't found it yet - Marzetti translates as "survelliance units at military airports".

(NB Marzetti also implies that M1s were sometimes used by regular Italian Infantry units. Well well well.)

Later edit: - I think the branch of service may be the Vigilanza Aeronautica Militare, which came into action in 1958, and the painted emblem is an adaptation of the normal IAF insignia.

[MySonsDad]

the M! actually *was* used by the Italians, by airfield protection police (equivalent of the RAFR?) during the 60s and 70s (I think..ought to check but can't offhand remember where I read all this!) post WW2 anyway.

Greg, another piece of great information to add to the M-1 data base, thank you for adding this.

I spent a couple of hours seaching for this insignia, looking through coat of arms, colonial crown/lion insignias etc and came up empty. Possibly not even an "official" insignia. I'll take another stab at it this evening, this one is intreguing.


Oppps...... Looks like no need to search, I didn't see/read Greg's last post before making this post..... Well done Greg

Russ

[MySonsDad]

Now the questions is, Is this helmet of US decent or possibly an early West German M-1 clone?

Russ