Swiss M18/40,46 dc

**James C** · 08-11-2015, 07:42 PM

Thanks paul

i wasnt aware of an earlier alpenflage cover would this be a dedicated cover or just material from the splittermuster 31/ 55 liebermuster variant uniform's ,well spotted on the Valle Crucis Abbey up here in north wales ,ideal site for camping and where i picked up the zuckerman whilst snooping round the shops in the town

**austromunga** · 08-17-2015, 07:47 PM

Just re-discovered an old favourite site!!
suiza fundas camo
here is listed not just one.....but three distinct types of the libermuster for the M18/40,46!!!!
time to get my searching cap on again methinks!!!

**James C** · 08-17-2015, 08:21 PM

what an interesting site paul showing a myriad of different style covers

i have an interesting alpenflage sunhat id like to share with you ,its been made in the field from scrap materials and i can only speculate very unique to say the least

**austromunga** · 08-17-2015, 09:06 PM

Wow what a find!!!! most certainly a absolute unique one of a kind!!!! looks a bit like something the Swiss family Robinson would have made!!!!!!! the core of it seems to be an old hat!!!!!????

**James C** · 08-18-2015, 06:00 PM

i totally agree paul ,somebody put a lot of time and effort into it

**battle gear** · 08-20-2015, 10:00 PM

This experimental helmet looks a lot like the Swiss M18

Artifacts!

Region: United States (Worcester, Massachusetts)
Artifact Type: Prototype Experimental Helmet Model 2
Date: 1917
Materials: Steel
Weight: 2 lb.
Length:

Armor began coming back into common use after 1900. Since the west no longer had a tradition of armor design, military leaders looked to history to provide ideas. This experimental helmet was produced for the U.S. Department of War during World War I. The designer was Bashford Dean, curator of armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, who based his design on medieval models. In order to create and assess the prototype, Dean turned to Worcester industrialist John Woodman Higgins. The collaboration between these two men set Higgins on the path to building his national-level collection of armor.

Mr. Higgins included examples of Worcester Pressed Steel products in his "industrial museum". During World War I his colleague Dr. Bashford Dean served in U.S. Army Ordnance to develop body armor and helmets. As Worcester Pressed Steel had been involved in military production since 1914, Dr. Dean sought its services in the manufacture of experimental helmets. This sample was used for research but production was abandoned because service types could not be made in untreated manganese steel. The form of this helmet undoubtedly appealed to Higgins as it was directly influenced by medieval European prototypes.

**Greg Pickersgill** · 03-22-2016, 01:18 PM

I mentioned in an earlier posting on this thread that I had realised that all of the M18s I have with the 1963 pattern liner ( the one with only three loops for adjustment cord) do *not* sit flush to a flat surface, whereas all the earlier M18 (complete hoop liner ring) helmets do. Obviously this implies a very slight upturn to the rear of the helmet. This is still baffling me slightly as I haven't found any reference to this elsewhere. Does anyone know anywhere that has mentioned this point as a design change? Am I just missing the obvious (not for the first time...).

In the pics below the /63 is on the left, on the right is a very definate original M18.

**battle gear** · 03-22-2016, 07:59 PM

here's my Swiss M18/40 with the old style "full ring liner" the rear of my shell doesnt sit flat, it has a noticable rise when placed on a flat surface. Same as your 18 / 63 helmet.

**Greg Pickersgill** · 03-22-2016, 08:59 PM

Now then, battlegear, this is interesting and fits in with something else I have found out today. It turns out that there may be a link between this slight upturn at the rear and helmets produced - at any time - by the Swiss manufacturer Kyburz, who so far as I know was the only maker to identify their products, using a very small K over IX mark on the inside rear of the helmets. So can you check - it is definately very hard to find if it is there, being quite small and often lightly impressed into the metal.

I'm not able to check any of my /40s at the moment but I can say that of the 18s and /63s I have only those with the Kyburz mark show the uptilt. So this may well be a manucaturing variation. Or not. Consider this a general call for all to get a piece of flat board and put your M18/40/63s on it!

**battle gear** · 03-22-2016, 09:43 PM

by Greg Pickersgill

Swiss manufacturer Kyburz, who so far as I know was the only maker to identify their products, using a very small K over IX mark on the inside rear of the helmets. So can you check - it is definately very hard to find if it is there, being quite small and often lightly impressed into the metal.

I'm not able to check any of my /40s at the moment but I can say that of the 18s and /63s I have only those with the Kyburz mark show the uptilt. So this may well be a manucaturing variation. Or not. Consider this a general call for all to get a piece of flat board and put your M18/40/63s on it!

yes, I did find a very small marking that looks like a K over IX , so my helmet must be manufactured by Kyburz.