French Tanker Helmet?

[Nitram]

Good evening to you all, I was browsing the mess that is ebay, seeing if anything worthwhile pops up, and I stumbled across this French Tankers Helmet, unfortunately I can't find any detailed texts on these, could anyone tell me if it's in good nick and worth getting? Current bid is at 30 quid.






Thanks
Martin

[Tinhat]

It's a French M45 helmet, but the liner could be wrong for the model, although these helmets are big and I wouldn't think a standard M26 helmet liner would fit in that easily. You don't see many khaki painted, normally when they crop up they are blue. It should have a makers stamp and date in the shell.

Here is a link to another French Model 1945 Airforce Helmet
Steve

[Greg Pickersgill]

The liner is definately wrong for the Mle45 'Jeanne d'Arc' shell, and so is the chinstrap, I think (hard to tell from the photo). The correct liner is a Riddell-type strap cradle. The majority of these helmets were finished in Armee de l'Air blue, and isues to the Air Force (obviously...) which is why they're the most commonly seen. This helmet - notionally a general issue, not specifically a tankers helmet despite resembling many pre-WW2 French armoured/motorised troops models - was produced in comparatively small numbers, highest cited is usually 30,000, and a complete one in good condition is a good thing to get if you can find it. And afford it. This is an interesting *variation* (the liner might, just might, have been put in by an original user (but don't bet on it) and as a Mle45 fan *I* would certainly be inclined to buy it. If I hadn't already spent all my money elsewhere.

"...the mess that is ebay..." - surely not. To some of us it is the only source of anything interesting, and apart from anything else the prices are usually not jacked up to ridiculous proportions as they often are by usually uninformed and often uninterested 'specialist dealers'.

[James C]

nice unusual lid ,im wondering if this is the belgium version of this helmet