belgium m71 parachutist helmet

[MySonsDad]

Could it be that the Belgians simply wanted the best of both worlds with the W German M1A1 Para shell being superior to the French F1 Shell and the French F1 liner being more to their liking than the W German M1A1 Para liner?

[Greg Pickersgill]

Well, the obvious is not necessarily untrue, as the great Walter Willis once wrote. But its apparent that only some of the LLM1A1 shells were converted and that after significant time in service. I think so, anyway, based on not much information. The problem here is that unlike for example the yards of documentation devoted to those comparatively short-lived Third Reich helmets there's next to no information available on a long-service postwar object like this. One begins to suspect that the answer wil be known only to a relative few people in the Belgian QMS, and the world will never know.

I'm trying to find out something/anything anyway, and will post results if any.

G

[MySonsDad]

I recently bought a couple of these - one with the French and one with original German liner.

So there are examples of the Belgian M71 that posess the original M1A1 Para liner? I have not seen an example of one of these nore have I come across any information that indicating this. Very interesting and good to note. Russ

[Greg Pickersgill]

OK, the thing is that the original Belgian M71 (the para helmet under discussion) is pretty much exactly the German LLM1A1 except for a slight modification of the chinstrap (an extra piece making a chincup). So given that it is a genuine variant of the German original already, collectors please note! Although to be awkward I am sure I have seen Belgian-issued examples that don't have the chincup...difficult, isn't it.

Anyway, up until comparatively recently all the examples I had seen (outside ELMETTI) had the German liners; it is only recently that I have seen examples with the F1-type liner on sale.

I'm still short of information here, though having checked all my books I did find in Brayley's TIN HATS TO COMPOSITE HELMETS that "In the late 1980s some M71 helmets were fitted with the harness and suspension used with the French F1 helmet". Which doesn't tell us much, except that there is a date which implies that for at least fifteen years the helmets were used with the original German liner. Well then.

G

[moaning minnie]

hi james to be honest i didn't know weather 50 euro was good or bad,i was more interested in the fact that you lot actually collect them,never thought they appealed to anyone,to be fair its one of the better looking clones,dave

[James C]

Thanks Dave ,and Greg thanks for all the information ,is it possible this example isn't missing the chin cup after all

[moaning minnie]

hi james and yes you are very right when stating about being beaten to the post,and that is because that collecting has i think doubled in interest over the last couple of years and as a result there are now some very big players with as you said disposible income and there buy the item even if its way over priced because its the winning that counts not the amount,so unless your prepared to pay well over the odds on certain popular items to win your be on the losing side each time,there are really only a few choices for us either go for something thats not mainstream collectible and who knows maybe one day it will be or pack up your kit and get the hell out of dodge my friend.all the best dave.

[battle gear]

Belgian M71

here's another in the same configuration as the OP
helmet

[battle gear]

I recently bought a couple of these - one with the French and one with original German liner. What baffles me is exactly *why* the Belgians went to the effort and expense of changing the liners on some but not all of these shells. It apparently was done in-house and they weren't delivered from new as such. There's no obvious reason why the Belgians did this as they did not/do not otherwise use the F1-type liner in any other shell.

Anyone have any solid information on this?

Greg Pickersgill

possibly because the F1 liner system is adjustable one size fits all the German liner is non adjustable

makes it easier to supply by using the F1 liner for airborne use

[MySonsDad]

I've been searching the net and have not yet found an example of the Belian M71 with the original M1A1 LL liner. Can anyone show me one?