M40 helmet

**Alexander** · 06-22-2011, 04:32 PM

I have just bought my second M40 helmet. This one is a Luftwaffe Field Division helmet complete with liner but no chin strap. It is marked ET66 (Eisenheuttenwerk Thale, 66cm size) and it retains some of the Luftwaffe eagle decal.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 06-22-2011 04:32 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**DougB** · 06-22-2011, 08:56 PM

The M40 EF helmet you posted is typical of how the patination is on EFs, they tend to turn a very dark greenish/black over time which I think is pretty cool. Probably a 1941 made helmet.
The LW is not necessarily a Feld Divisionen helmet, they were typically overpainted in a green, this looks like a patina'd dark LW blue. This could be more than likely a Flak units helmet. Nonetheless it is a nice M40 LW.

**Alexander** · 06-23-2011, 08:47 AM

Thanks for the comments.
I don't know enough about the Luftwaffe helmet to say for sure where it was used. The dealer who sold it to me said it was Field Division due to its darker, field grey color. He had some bluer Luftwaffe helmets as well. The pictures don't show the color too well, in natural light it is more grey than blue. But, as you say, its a nice helmet and I didn't buy it with a particular unit in mind (though I did think it may have been FLAK); I'm just happy to have it as an example of a M40.
By the way, the Luftwaffe M40's factory/lot number stamped into the back shirt is 74.
I also like the dark green patina on my HEER M40.