Transitional austrian wehrmacht m16 stahlhelm single decal helmet

**danhashman** · 04-08-2019, 05:47 AM

Hallo Kumpels

Today i bought this Austrian Transitional M16 Helmet.

I liked the textured finish and decal, but there is something that confuses me. The External Chinstrap- rivets look larger and flatter than the examples that i know, almost like a external liner rivet.

It has a very nice makers mark, even though i donk know who it is..

The chinstrap seems also a little unusual.

But then i know that those helmet were used from 1917 - 1945, being often adapted or modified, therefore all kood be very ok.

So i am asking the opinion of the best experts in the world..

Transitional austrian wehrmacht m16 stahlhelm single decal helmet

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**Espenlaub Militaria** · 04-08-2019 05:47 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**real steel** · 04-08-2019, 12:30 PM

Not sure what you have here. Maybe a commercially made M16 ? The "maker stamp" leads me to think that
D.

**helmet2id** · 04-08-2019, 02:25 PM

It is an interwar commercial droop bill shell - manufactured at the DRP Ang factory. Jim G

**helmet2id** · 04-08-2019, 02:29 PM

Here is a similar shell type. Definitely not Austrian.

**danhashman** · 04-08-2019, 05:59 PM

First of all, thanks for the answer and the ID- ing of this piece.

Therfore i love WRF, and encourage ALL to become members here, its just worth it !!!

"INTERWAR COMMERCIAL DROOP BILL SHELL" ... Wow, did not even know that this existed.

i did my studies on the " droop bill" - topic and could already identify many other examples, some SS, some Luftschutz, so they are totally llegit and respectable as the WW1 ones

Some out there even call it the "HIMMLER HELMET".. how cool is that?

So, i conclude that the m16 - manufacturing continued after ww1, well into the weimar republic times and these helmets where privately bought, by Freikorps- men and such i guess..

Any thoughts on finish, decal and chinstrap?

**real steel** · 04-08-2019, 07:50 PM

Decal appears to be an "Ed Strache". Acceptable to be seen on a helmet such as this.
D.

**helmet2id** · 04-09-2019, 02:10 AM

The Himmler helmet shell type is actually a different interwar commercial shell type. I'll post a few shots when I get home to illustrate the difference. Jim G.

**helmet2id** · 04-09-2019, 02:38 AM

Here are a few"Droop bills" followed by a few "Himmlers" for comparison. Jim G.

**real steel** · 04-09-2019, 02:50 AM

Jim...a "bombardment" of classics !! Thanks for sharing these (really). The Alg. SS is stunning, well they all are
D.

**helmet2id** · 04-09-2019, 02:51 AM

The chin straps on the earlier manufactured commercial shells were attached to the liner bands but experience proved this to be a problem as the liners were cheaply made and the straps tended to fail at the anchor points. With later runs the chin straps were attached to the shell on dedicated rivets above the break between the apron and the dome. I posted photos that show both Droop Bills and one of the Himmlers that do not have the later chin strap attachment configuration. The last 2 Himmlers are different from the other Himmlers in that in place of the lugs vents there are screen vents. There are almost too many variations oh Third Reich helmet shell variations to count! I hope these pictures help you learn how to tell the difference between the Droop Bill and the Himmler style shells. Jim G.