Ssh-40 Revisited

[Wesley's Dad]

Forum,

Recently, on and off forum, I have participated in discussions regarding various details of Ssh-40 helmets. Most often these revolve around the common question of “Is this a wartime helmet”. As result I am putting together an article that I will most likely post to this forum in the future. I wanted to get a few other opinions on one particular detail before moving forward with that.

What I would like to discuss is the use of chinstraps on Ssh-40 that have the metal tip or termination on the end. For the purpose of this discussion, I would like to limit the scope and focus only on the archetypal example and not what might be seen on the broader population of helmets. I define the archetype as the Lysma (LMZ) made helmet.

Based on date stamp versus liner configurations is would appear that Lysma made its major transition for Ssh-39 to Ssh-40 some time in the later part of 1941 to early part of 1942. I base this opinion on helmets of Ssh-40 configuration (3 pads, six rivets) that still contain the Ssh-39 type, full “LMZ”, 41 dated stamps that exist… .Which are followed by helmets with the revised type stamp that contains just the Cyrillic “L” for the maker. 42 is the earliest date I have seen demonstrated for that stamp.

My present wisdom would be that the metal tip on the chinstrap was dropped at this transition and that the archetypal wartime Ssh-40 does not have this feature. That said, I have recently seen a couple of examples of 42 dated, Lysma Ssh-40 that have the metal tipped chinstrap. It is not the wider type so universally seen on mass produced, postwar Ssh-40, but narrower, 20mm Ssh-39 type.

My question for the forum is... What is your opinion of this feature as related to wartime Ssh-40? Might helmets made during this 41/42 transitional period still retain the Ssh-39 type, metal tipped chinstrap, only to have it deleted later in production?

[Wesley's Dad]

Anyone?

[guscanoesp]

Wish I could help, as I think it is a fantastic idea for a thread. Unfortunately I only have a Ssh-39 helmet specimen (without the chinstrap metal tip) and cannot be of much help.


Regards,

Gus