Argentinean M-1 Clone Maybe?

**MySonsDad** · 09-11-2012, 10:29 PM

I don't have a Danish M48 to look at but doesn't the M48 have a rolled edge?

It's not a French M51 for sure.......

**MySonsDad** · 09-12-2012, 02:07 AM

I took a few more photos that shows some of the poor craftsmanship of the welds on the bales, even a hole burned through the shell. The shell also has several long vertical cracks, not just in the back like the early M-1s but and the sides, near the front as well. Post war, China purchased M-1 clones produced by South Korea. These were said to have been of very poor quality craftsmanship as well. I know, at least the very early helmets were a single piece design and also had leather chin straps but did go to a cloth type T-1 strap later on. The South Korean chin straps were however, riveted on instead of sewn. Just a thought.....

Front seem joint & spot welds

weld mark or just a ding in the rim?

Poor workmanship in spot welds and hole burned through shell

**Opex** · 09-13-2012, 07:46 PM

Very interesting topic and lid, being a Front seam, and the swivel bales being poorly welded on leads me to think that this was a fixed bale pot originally.

**MySonsDad** · 09-14-2012, 01:19 AM

by Opex

Very interesting topic and lid, being a Front seam, and the swivel bales being poorly welded on leads me to think that this was a fixed bale pot originally.

Possibly...that would lend to an early Argintinean prospect a little better but I don't want to get too caught up on that and get tunnel vision.

I searched for several hours, the other night, looking for a match to the chin strap.......found nothing, nadda, goose egg!!! A lot of US helmets with similar style rivets found on another forum, but this isn't one of those for sure, I'm 99.99% sure is it not a US lid.

Russ

**MySonsDad** · 09-18-2012, 04:13 AM

I'm still stumped on the chin strap..........

**James C** · 09-18-2012, 07:42 PM

russ im sorry youve made no progress with the id of this lid ,i would definately consider dropping greg a line to get his thoughts m1 clones are his favorite cheers james

**MySonsDad** · 09-18-2012, 10:44 PM

by col james

russ im sorry youve made no progress with the id of this lid ,i would definately consider dropping greg a line to get his thoughts m1 clones are his favorite cheers james

Yea James, I was thinking about doing that, was hoping he'd stumble on in here and share his thoughts with everyone. I think I'll give it a few more days before I bug him with an email....the helmet isn't going anyplace.

Russ

9/19 Update: I decided to contact Greg via email and as it turns out, he has seen this thread but has also been unable to ID the helmet either, indicating that the chin strap hardware is nothing he can place, as of yet anyway. So the search for the truth continues!

**aj4010** · 10-26-2012, 04:39 PM

I thought I'd give this one a bump as I've just spotted this on eBay. Does anybody have any new ideas on the chinstrap buckles? http://www.ebay.com/itm/Military-Wor...item3a7b237d4d

Best Regards,

Andy

**James C** · 10-26-2012, 05:51 PM

well spotted andy ,this has to be the smoking gun weve been waiting for

**Greg Pickersgill** · 10-30-2012, 08:41 AM

I believe I may have a clue to this unusual chinstrap catch. I passed the pictures around a few collectors and the general opinion is that it is not (as we all suspected) a standard chinstrap catch of any kind, but in fact the catch from an element of US-issue webbing. This would imply that some sort of make do and mend has taken place with these helmets, where the damaged chinstraps have been replaced by whatever is to hand and works. This idea is certainly reinforced by the rivet on Russ' original query.

I know next to nothing about webbing of any country or period, so I can't say I know this is absolutely the answer, but for the time being I am happy to take the word from people who do.