Love for Transitional helmets M16/M18 - Austrian shells

[Schwerpunkt]

In the early stages of collecting Transitional helmets had less appeal to me , in the stage where I am at now I absolutly adore them.

Before the war soldiers wore these helmets before the M35 shell came into mass production. We know the SS used black Austrian shells , first with painted insignia and later with decals.

Transitional helmets were pretty much used during the entire war.
Germans soldiers were wearing them during the Blitzkrieg in Poland , the low countries and France.
Almost all double decal.

Mid to late war single decalled Transitionals popped up and a lot of them reissued in 1942/43 and 44. Repainted and re-decalled and often also re-linered.
Seen on photos of the Normandy campaign and Volkssturm.

Because there are so many configurations it is often really hard to date these helmets , especially the double decalled ones.
In my opinion the earliest ones carried a Pocher decal or a W Abels decal. The W Abels decal never really got used in quantity on any M35 shells.

I'll show you some examples.

I acquired this one this month :
M16 shell with Pocher decal and early WW1 style liner.
Part of the WW1 chinstrap was included.

[Schwerpunkt]

This one I also acquired around September.

Black painted Austrian shell with Heer decals (Also Pocher)
Early liner with steel band this time.

A helmet like this was probably first worn by SS soldiers and later used by the Heer.
The fact that the inside is not painted under the leather is typical.

[Schwerpunkt]

A harder to find M18 shell , this one has also been repainted but the color comes close to the factory M35's.
Again a Pocher decal set.

Very nice on this helmet is that it is the earliest M31 liner. It has a 1931 stamp imprinted in the leather.
And it has the thick studs holding the leather to the band.
This was quickly replaced with small round and flat aluminium rivets.
Also note the early carabine chinstrap

[Schwerpunkt]

This M16 is somewhat similar to the helmet above except that it carries the W Abels decal.
Also has the early 1931 imprinted leather but has the later flat rivets that hold the leather to the band.
And same carabine clip chinstrap. Typical for early helmets (1936 or earlier is my believe)

[Schwerpunkt]

This one is your typical Austrian shell.
Dated around 1939.
Austrian DD shells can carry a host of different decals.
HJ&K , Reissue , This one which I term ET style

[Schwerpunkt]

And to close. Also an Austrian shell with the holes that held the Austrian Police badge.
A Polizei transitional , hard to date this one but probably 1940 or later because of the bordered decal.
Usually these are found with early green color and an unbordered decal.

[Schwerpunkt]

I had a few mid war reissues in my collection but they have been replaced by these double decalled lids.
Here is one of these which now resides in another collection.

[Gimmie]

Wow, these look amazing!
Thank you for sharing your helmets with us.

-Bas

[SteveR]

Great thread friend.

[harryamb2]

very nice collection.