Strange blue/yellow painted M1 Helmet

[Ryan D]

Hello, I recently acquired this front seam swivel bale helmet that came with the cover pictured below.



The liner is a late WW2 made CAPAC with the mold number of 2 which has a name tag inside with very faded writing on it. On the outside, it has been heavily repainted in olive green.

The helmet shell is quite unusual. The heat lot number is 291A but it is a swivel bale. The paint is dark olive drab on the inside, however the outer shell appears to have been once painted bright yellow, and then painted over with a blue/grey paint later on.

Lastly, the cover appears to be a 1965 issue Mitchell pattern cover (Contract No. 9085). On the Green side there is a very faded Insignia marking which i believe is staff sergeant.

What do you guys think?

[Redstalker]

Lovely navy M1 helmet you have there. It is a front seam, swivel bale, Schleuter helmet, WW2 period. These helmets in the navy were constantly repainted and reused right upto the Vietnam war. The yellow underneath the blue paint doesn't appear to be have been an over all coat and possibly you may have writing or symbols underneath painted in yellow under that last coat of blue paint. It's a helmet I would definitely have in my collection a very nice find.

[Ryan D]

Ahh yes, now I've taken another look under the light there is indeed an 'S' on the peak , that would make it my third Vietnam re-issued Schleuter, albeit the first with a front seam.

All the best, Ryan.