M1 Cloned Para / Dispatch Helmet With Ear Flap ??

[feldgrau33]

Yesterday i got this interesting helmet in here and in the same time, my friend got a camera so i took the chance to took the photos of it and showed it in here.
Here you go, M1 helmet i think safe to say it's a cloned one and complete with leather ear flap and chin cup!









The helmet have 4 rivets. 1 on each side except in the front. Also there's a rivet on the crown of the helmet

Liner of the helmet and flaps





Holes for the laces



Initial "SP"

It's either the initial name of the old owner or it's initial of "Sekolah Para", the paratrooper school

The liner padding, like the Mark II Helmet?? Also based on the heavy cork accompanied with the liner, is the liner based too from the Mark II Para Helmet?


The liner ring




The bails for the chin cup chinstrap




The bail on the rear side of the helmet is not on the straight line with the holes of the laces


Chin cup, front and rear side



I still can't find any photo of this helmet used by the TNI. The use of steel helmet complete with ear flap in the TNI is for the paratrooper school and military police. Both used whether Mark II para or British Dispatch helmet


Interestingly, a year ago i found an M1 shell in online advertisement and you can see it's have the same rivet emplacement with my helmet. Could it be, this helmet shell once the same helmet with mine?


I'm speechless when i see this helmet for the first time. And to be honest, this helmet become one of my favorite.
Anyway, is there anyone here once see this kind of M1 helmet before? And what do you think about this helmet?

[Greg Pickersgill]

Wow. You do find the most extraordinary things. You're a very lucky person! I wouldn;t dare offer any opinion as to how this helmet came about, because there are so many possibilities. It would be genuinely exciting to know whether it is a one-off or a true short-run local conversion.

[feldgrau33]

Thank you. I wonder what i will found next in the future. I'll share it in here, when i find another interesting helmet.
I see sir, i think it's a local conversion by the TNI.

[feldgrau33]

Finally i got from what unit this helmet originated.
It's a paratrooper school in margahayu bandung.


It's from magazine dated August 29th 1964. The article is about volunteer's para training for action against malaysia in dwikora operation.