ww2 Hungarian helmets

[CE41]

Hi!


You have an original ww2 period hungarian made but finnish issued helmet shell. DM 62 means that this helmet was produced in Budapest by MÁVAG factory (Magyar Állami Vas-, Acél- és Gépgyár). In Hungary this modell was regularized as 35M (and not M35 because of Hungarian language) and examples were stamped MÁVAG 62, 64, 66, 68 or GY 64, 66, 68. Only MÁVAG produced size 62 helmets anyway. Helmets for Finnland were marked as DM 62, 64, 66, 68 (Datieren MÁVAG) and DR 64, 66, 68 (Datieren Rába) without any national marking so the use of royal hungarian coat of arms was not allowed on these helmets though the unique rear loop was yet applied despite the government's efforts to conceal the origin of the 75.000 helmets. In Finnland this model was issued as M38 however it was used in the continuation war and not in the winter war. Liner system basically is the standard M27 type hungarian modell (metal band with 3 leather pads, D-rings with chinstrap) but in Finnland these hungarian helmets were heavily modified, overpainted, relined, repaired and reissued so helmet liners and paint are quite chaotic but generally the original ww2 color is rather ike the german early applegreen (darker and greyer compared to the hungarian field green-brown) and postwar paint is referred as dark matte grey.

Excellent information, thank you! A few more questions:

- what modifications did the Finns do to these helmets? I noticed that there are extra holes on each side. Typical liner modification?
- did the Finns use Hungarian liners or were they all modified?
- any pictures of Finnish liners?
- is the paint of this shell Finnish WW2 made? is the tone right?

Basically I'm trying to figure out should I leave the shell as it is or should I repaint it and get a repro liner. I'm not going to do any painting if the current paint is WW2. Liner: maybe.

CE41

[moaning minnie]

you certainly know your hungarian helmets,thanks for the clarification,cheers dave.

[kradman]

With the Finnish used helmets some have the original Hungarian liners and some are fitted with German ww2 liners made to fit by putting extra holes in the liner band as the pins dont line up , Post war the Finnish Army carried on using these helmet way into the 1960s and some of these are fitted with post war liners that look like the ww1 German liners but have white leather pads

[dastier]

Excellent, informative thread. Thanks to all for sharing. Makes me want to get a Hungarian helmet now.

[maximus71]

I may get another one, since I have the blue version it makes me want a green one!

[easternwarfront]

Some more hungarian helmets from my collection..
Hope you enjoy them!

[dastier]

Very nice! Thanks for posting.

[maximus71]

Lovely collection, which one do you want to sell me? haha

[TrondK]

I like the Red cross helmets alot. Thanks for sharing.

[Scout]

Great looking helmets. I quite like the Hungarian lids with the distinctive bracket on the back. Good quality pics too.