Early Post-WWII M 40

[sundowner]

I believe that the helmet pictured is an example of what Clawson calls an early post-war M 40. He shows the characteristic chin strap but not an example of the the 'cloth covered pads.' Is my interpretation correct?

[Dom]

Hungarian M50 friend

[Gunny Hartmann]

I was not aware that the Ssh40 ever had a leather chinstrap apart from the model for airborne troops!..

[sundowner]

Thanks Dom, Foiled again, but I am learning things. You just cannot rely on one book! I will offer another potential mistake in a few days.

Gunny replied but his post did not produce a reply button. Check out page 69 of Clawson for the leather chin strap

[Greg Pickersgill]

Well, that is genuinely amazing. I have had a copy of the Clawson for *years* and never noticed that particular photo. If anyone had shown me that picture I would have bet real money it was a Hungarian M50. And I still believe it is. I've checked around a few other usually reliable references and I cannot find any mention os a true Russian helmet with leather chinstraps and cloth pads (other than the ssh40M with its 4-point strap, of course).

I wonder if Clawson still stands by that, and if there is any proof. Nothing relevant on his website - Russian Helmets, by Robert W. Clawson - so I wonder whether anyone can find a way of contacting the man himself.

[sundowner]

Thanks for pointing out that Mr. Clawson ad a web site, I was not aware of it. Perhaps he will get wind of this thread and add to his list of corrections. I bought most of my Soviet helmets in the nineties when emigrant's were showing at militaria shows with loads of Soviet items. Most did not really know what they were selling and it was fun to come home with a lot of stuff for very little money even if you were not sure of what you had. It really became fun when pioneering books began to appear. I will be posting pictures of helmets from these years in the future. Guess I will be cost averaging up!