M40 or M42?

[Berthier92]

i bought this reproduction helmet for reenactments and i want to know, is this an M40 or M42 model helmet? i've always found those two models the hardest to distinguish any tips on their differences?

[GIZMO8Z]

I believe your helmet would be a repro of an M40.

I'm still learning a lot myself, but I find that the easiest way to tell the different between an M42 and any other German helmet is that the M42 does NOT have crimped bit of metal around the brim of the helmet. Instead, the edge flares out.

Like this:


Also, I believe the best way to tell the difference between M35 and M40 helmets is that on M40s the air vent is stamped into the metal, while on a M35 it is a separate piece.

Please! Someone correct me if I'm wrong!

[Andrew]

you Are correct.
the m-35 has the seperate vent lug and a rolled edge
m-40 has the rolled edge but a stamped in air vent
m-42 has the stamped vent but a raw or non rolled edge

[ObKrieger]

Exactly right! The air vent is stamped on an M42 as well.

Your repro M40, presumably without decals as it is, would be best for an Army or SS impression from perhaps 1943 until the end of the war. Judging by your smock, you do an Army impression, so you could either leave this helmet as it is or put a single Heer decal on the left side. Don't put a party shield or tri-color on the other side as this would be historically incorrect!

[VolksJager]

From the pics it looks like there is a seperate air vent, making it an M35, but it is hard to tell

[Berthier92]

Exactly right! The air vent is stamped on an M42 as well.

Your repro M40, presumably without decals as it is, would be best for an Army or SS impression from perhaps 1943 until the end of the war. Judging by your smock, you do an Army impression, so you could either leave this helmet as it is or put a single Heer decal on the left side. Don't put a party shield or tri-color on the other side as this would be historically incorrect!

Thanks Obkreiger, but im re-enacting neither Heer nor SS, I re-enact in a Luftwaffe Field Division, so we use Heer equipment but wear luftwaffe tunics and trousers, so its ok for that. does anyone know why some helmets never had decals? i have seen some German Heer ww2 footage and some soldiers didn't have decals, why is that?

[Berthier92]

Thought this might help

[Teutonicknights]

I heard an old story from an Old German War Vet who said he never saw very many helmets that actually had decals on them...

Mike

[davejb]

In 1940 an order was issued that all tri-colour shields be removed from helmets as the the decal was too distictive in the field, but like most orders they were not strictly adhered to, In 1943 another order was issued that all helmets of the M42 type were not to be issued from the factories with any decals at all, but this still didnt stop soldiers from buying decals and placing them on their helmets, so you will see a mixture of different helmets all through the war ,some with decals some without

[Berthier92]

Intresting, did that include helmets for secondary line troops like Luftwaffe?