Early TR M18 Police Helmet, Tilted Tricolor, Scraped Mobile Swatika

[helmet2id]

Hi All, Here is an early TR M18 Police helmet, an ET 62. Also stamped in the skirt is a capitol "R" (meaning - ?), and under the maker/size stamp is a reclining Lion (I have been advised on another forum that the Lion is a logo of the ET/Thale factory). Although it is a small size, it has non-stepped vent lugs. The liner is a civic type, and the short portions of the chin strap, including the carabiner clip, are original to the piece (the long center portion is hand made, probably by a former collector, not period, but it was there when I bought the helmet and I just left it there). The tilted tricolor decal is the early small pointed variety, and you can tell that the scraped swastika was "mobile" and also the early small size. It was originally gloss black, but appears to have been repainted red post war, which paint has since been removed, dulling the exterior finish in the process. Hope you like it. Cheers, Jim G.

[big ned]

Hi Jim,

The capital 'R' you are unsure about is the code letter for the steel mill, more correctly rolling mill, that supplied the raw material to the helmet manufacturer.

ET and Q marked M18 helmets were supplied steel by Stahlwerk Rochling of Volkingen.

Other German steel mill codes were:

'B' - Stahkwerk Becker of Kiefield;

'Bi' - Oberschlesian of Bismarckhutte;

'E' - Eschweiler Stahlwerk of ????

Austrian produced helmets had different rolling mill codes. Hope this helps.

Regards, Ned.

[helmet2id]

Hi Jim,

The capital 'R' you are unsure about is the code letter for the steel mill, more correctly rolling mill, that supplied the raw material to the helmet manufacturer.

ET and Q marked M18 helmets were supplied steel by Stahlwerk Rochling of Volkingen.

Other German steel mill codes were:

'B' - Stahkwerk Becker of Kiefield;

'Bi' - Oberschlesian of Bismarckhutte;

'E' - Eschweiler Stahlwerk of ????

Austrian produced helmets had different rolling mill codes. Hope this helps.

Regards, Ned.

Thanks Ned, I have had this one for many years and never noticed the R and the Lion until taking the pictures today! I learn something new about this hobby every day on this forum! Thanks for your help. Best regards, Jim G.

[DougB]

Beautiful helmet Jim, absolutely a lovely earlier example, Prussian police - Goering I believe. I have been looking for an example with the white bordered tricolor to no avail. One of the rarest German helmets, too bad the small mobile swaz is missing. I have a civic that would date right after this pattern, yours would be a mid 33 - early 34 I think.

[SteveR]

Rare helmet. Good example even missing the Swastika.
SteveR

[cricketchris1944]

This is a rare helmet in any condition.
great find.
chris

[relicz]

This is a rare helmet in any condition.
great find.
chris

+1 - Nice find!

[Munich]

+2

[Kromal]

Hello,

I have o few questions. Can you help me?

I have similar helmet, but I don't know, is that air vent original or replica?

Why the air vents are so short? It's size 62.

It was only police model helmet or in Reichswehr too?

What does TR mean in "TR M18"?

[helmet2id]

I upgraded this one a few years ago. Here are shots of a more complete example. Jim G.