Militaria Romandie - Top
Display your banner here
Results 1 to 9 of 9

Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

Article about: I've noticed some members on this forum is very fond of M1 clones. Especially the European ones. And this made my want to share a helmet or two from my collection especially the following he

  1. #1

    Default Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    I've noticed some members on this forum is very fond of M1 clones. Especially the European ones.

    And this made my want to share a helmet or two from my collection especially the following helmet.

    The helmet is re-painted in a blue/grey colour and given a blue thermo-plastic liner.
    Blue liners were only given to navy helmets, and since the navy did not use the same amount of helmets as the army and civil defence, there is an equally small number of blue helmet liners. The liners, like the army and CF liners are made by the Danish company Dansk Kunststof Industri.
    This liners differs not only in colour, but in chinstrap material as well.
    Green army liners were given a webbing chinstrap with brass buckle, but this blue navy liner has a thick tan leather chinstrap instead.

    This M1 style helmet would have been used on the larger ships. The MTB (Motor Torpedo Boats) used a different, specially designed helmet, made of lightweight materials instead.

    The (hand-painted?) decal on the front is for a 1st. Lieutenant

    Since I am an "army guy", and this being the only navy item I own
    I had to ask what the NK stood for, and I've been told the NK is for Næstkommanderende = Second in command.
    A good friend of mine that collect navy items only helped me out he is alas not a member here, since I want to give him credit and he has an amazing collection.

    This helmet found its way into my collection solely because it is a M1 clone. I intend to own every single M1 clone used in the Danish army, navy and CF.
    I think I am about 80% done at the moment.

    I am sorry about the picture quality, I seems as if the forum up-loader is butchering my picture quality


    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy
    Last edited by 37Webbing; 07-20-2012 at 11:10 PM. Reason: Better picture

  2. #2

    Default Re: Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    very nice example thanks for sharing i cant tell from the resolution but is the shell a dark green colour thanks in advance james

  3. #3

    Default Re: Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    i knew you had to comment first,should have betted on it,as your the main euro postwar helmet collector on here,i thought ah m1 clone james will be along in a mo and if by magic here you are,cheers dave.

  4. #4
    ?

    Default Re: Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    That's a nice helmet, and some some very useful information on Danish M1 clones too. M1 clones are a subject that I find confusing on times. Thanks for sharing.

    Best Regards,

    Andy
    Best Regards,


    Andy

    [COLOR=#ffa07a]
    [/COLOR][CENTER][COLOR=#ff0000][SIZE=3]URGENTLY LOOKING FOR: 1982 era Argentine military issue goggles. Fravida 109, and "Sanbuee" French lens type
    [/SIZE][/COLOR][/CENTER]
    [CENTER][COLOR=#ff8c00][SIZE=3]

    [/SIZE]Have a look at my 20+ (so far, work in progress) albums for lots of M1's, rare liners and other stuff, including WW2British helmets, Falklands battlefield pickup helmets and let me know what you think!
    [/COLOR][/CENTER]

  5. #5

    Default Re: Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    you really are a cheeky chappie dave it gave me a giggle though as for the main clone collector i would beg to differ i really only have a handfull of them but if my bank manager agrees im might be able to buy some other examples cheers pal

  6. #6

    Default Re: Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    i used to get called the cheeky crafty cockney chappie,have we met in a past life james,i think your underating yourself as to the size and variety of your awesome collection my friend i certainly would'nt say no to it if you get bored i mean haha,take it easy and keep posting your new lids as you get them,cheers dave.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    sorry 37 webbing i think we have gone off at a tangent so back to the thread, i believe die hard us M1 fans probably wouldnt even entertain these underated clones which is a shame i think they deserve a place in every helmet collectors collection some of these post war clones could quite possible be over 50 years old by now and some are very rare to find post up any others you might have please thanks james

  8. #8

    Default Re: Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    Quote by col james View Post
    sorry 37 webbing i think we have gone off at a tangent so back to the thread, i believe die hard us M1 fans probably wouldnt even entertain these underated clones which is a shame i think they deserve a place in every helmet collectors collection some of these post war clones could quite possible be over 50 years old by now and some are very rare to find post up any others you might have please thanks james
    Hmm I prefer the majority of my fellow collectors remain sceptical about the M1 clones.
    If they remain an underrated out-cast they remain cheap = more helmets for me

    To answer you previous comment, the helmet shell is painted in a blue/grey finish. It is hard to tell since it has seen a fair bit of use, but it is not abused.
    You can't tell from the pictures, but you can actually see the brush strokes on the helmet, this and the green webbing chinstrap on the shell indicates that it was originally an army shell, refitted with a navy liner and re-painted by hand. When they re-painted it, the covered up the makers mark And I do not dare to speculate where it is hidden underneath the paint, and try to find it.

    I've got a very early M1 clone I think you will find interesting. With a resin liner. It is not at all manufactured with the same level of detail and care as the later generations.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

    Next up:

    I suspect this M1 clone is one of the first M1 clones to appear in Denmark.
    It is intended for the CF (Civilforsvaret). Since the CF was founded in 1949, this helmet is most likely from a batch bought / made in the 1950s, but since there is no makers mark in it, it is hard to tell where it is from. The only helmet producing factory in Denmark, Glud og Marstrand (they produced all the variations of the M/23 helmet and M/46 helmet), should in theory be busy producing the "new" M/46 helmet, however production of this helmet stopped after 1948, and this M1 clone could have been produced there?

    You have to consider, that the first batch of German helmets bought by Denmark came with a resin liner, similar to the one that came together with this clone, but the helmet shell is magnetic, the first German made M1 clones are made of a non-magnetic alloy, were of a much higher quality, and came with makers marks, and a liner that fits.

    The years between 1945 and 1950 are all a bit in the dark. I need some literature on the subject! Danish equipment in the immediate aftermath of WWII is very confusing. We used a mix of Swedish, British and pre-war equipment, and a organisation like the CF used 4-6 different types of helmets.


    Let's stick to what I know about this helmet:
    #1: It is made of a magnetic steel, rendering it useless as a military helmet.
    #2: The "rim" is crudely overlapping in the rear, and is spot-welded in place.
    #3: The swivel bales are spot welded in place.
    #4: There is a faint, red, CF stamp in the dome
    #5: The shell chinstrap in grey cotton webbing with steel fittings. Not brass. Only the "hook" part is brass.
    #6: The liner chinstrap is made of a leathery material. Very thin, and I fear it will brake every time I handle the helmet.
    #7: Only factory stamp, is the serial number: 37170. The stamp seems to be applied by hand, one number at the time.
    #8: The liner webbing is a grey cotton webbing. Similar colour to the helmet paint, and the chinstrap. (Grey was the colour of the CF)
    #9: The liner fits poorly into the shell. The shell is far to large for the liner. The is NO stamps on the liner. Whatsoever.

    That is about it. It has never been issued, and was most likely sold by the government in the early 1990s when the cold war "ended" and the CF was re-organised into the Beredskabstyrelsen. A much smaller organisation.

    Compare it to this, later variant that Mannie Gentile owns: Mannie Gentile: Combat Helmets of the 20th Century: Danish M48 Steel Helmet - Civil Defense to fully understand why I think this is a, quality wise, inferior helmet.

    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy
    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy
    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy
    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy
    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy
    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy
    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy
    Yet another M1 clone shell, with a twist of navy

Similar Threads

  1. M1 helmet clone

    In World Steel Helmets
    07-01-2016, 09:47 PM
  2. Soldbuch with possible Twist (?)

    In Soldbuch, Wehrpaß, Ausweis, etc
    01-15-2011, 06:30 PM
  3. 11-10-2010, 06:07 PM
  4. Tankers helmet with a twist....

    In World Steel Helmets
    07-11-2010, 10:14 AM
  5. 08-27-2009, 03:38 AM

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
Rg-militaria - Down
Display your banner here