My M1... the helmet that started it all!

**GIZMO8Z** · 06-08-2011, 05:28 AM

Hello all!

This is the helmet that started my fascination with World War 2 and my modest militaria collection. I received it about 15 years ago as a gift from my uncle.

I don't know too much about it... any additional information would be of great help!

I do know that it has an MSA liner AND fits my head great considering how humongous my melon is. When I first received the helmet the leather chin strap was missing. This past weekend I was able to obtain an authentic replacement from a vendor at the Reading WW2 weekend in Reading, PA. Hopefully that was a good move on my part...

I am a high school history teacher and have brought it in along with a few other helmets in my modest collection for my students... It was a tense situation as a handful of my students aren't always exactly the best behaved. With that being said, sharing the helmets with them was a hit and I'll continue to do so for years to come.

What do you guys think?!

**militarymania** · 06-08-2011, 06:31 AM

nice WWII lid you have there...

**ObKrieger** · 06-08-2011, 06:37 AM

M1 helmets are 'one size fits all'. I have a big head too. It's nice to know that all of my M1's fit my melon.

Please post your German helmet! We would love to see it.

**GIZMO8Z** · 06-08-2011, 06:38 AM

Thanks for posting on all my threads! I just found this forum and am very excited to share my modest collection. I have used everything as teaching aids in my 11th grade history class.

I purchased a recently purchased a Japanese home guard helmet (Which I'm hoping is real...) and this is the rest of my collection:

British turtle helmet that is in rough shape. Spanish Civil War helmet? East German border guard helmet I picked up while studying abroad in Berlin, Germany. French Adrian helmet. Italian helmet with replacement cloth liner?

I also have a M1 Garand prop used in the HBO mini series The Pacific. The actor who played Corporal Eugene Sledge is a family friend. I'm considering asking him to sign it...

**GIZMO8Z** · 06-08-2011, 06:45 AM

by ObKrieger

M1 helmets are 'one size fits all'. I have a big head too. It's nice to know that all of my M1's fit my melon.

Please post your German helmet! We would love to see it.

Here you go:

It is a single decal luftwaffe Q66, lot number 3478. Overall in good shape except for some surface rust and a missing liner string and piece of chin strap.

These pics were taken from the thread I started in the German helmet section. Please let me know if you'd like me to take better pictures for you.

While I have always had the utmost respect for every participant/ aspect of WW2... something about Germany during the war captivates me. I cannot tell you how many books I've read on the subject... Lately I've been reading a lot about the experiences of civilians and Hitler youth during the war. I literally just finished a book called JungVolk... I highly recommend it!

**4md** · 06-08-2011, 10:49 AM

nice front seam fixed bale m1

**António Fragoeiro** · 06-08-2011, 10:59 AM

Nice selection of helmets

Cheers.
Nuno

**GIZMO8Z** · 06-08-2011, 02:58 PM

Thanks for the kind words, everyone! It's nice to know that I'm actually collecting okay stuff and not fakes/ pieces of junk.

by 4md

nice front seam fixed bale m1

What exactly does front seam, fixed bale mean? I assume it means that there is a seam on the lip of the helmet above where the soldier's eyes would be... and I'm assuming a fixed bale means that the place where the web chin strap attached doesn't swivel... but how does that set the shell apart from other helmets?

How can I tell when and where the steel pot was made? Would the front seam/ fixed bale be able to help with this?

Does the leather chin strap seem authentic? The vendor at the military flea market I went to insisted it was... but I really wouldn't be able to tell otherwise.

Inside of the steel pot someone scratched a set of 3 letters... perhaps the initals of the soldier who wore it?

Finally, I hate to ask this... as I would never sell it, but could anyone be able to tell me how much it's worth?

THANK YOU SO MUCH! IT'S GREAT TO FINALLY KNOW MORE ABOUT MY PRIZED POSSESSIONS!

**NickD** · 06-08-2011, 03:19 PM

have a look at these threads that may help a little more with some info

Rough guide to the US M-1, M-2 & M-1C shell

Rough guide to the US M-1 liner & makers

the liner chin strap looks to be an original late to post war version has it got an anchor stamped anywhere on the buckle ??

**4md** · 06-08-2011, 03:22 PM

hello early m1 helmets had a stainless rim with the seam at the front and chinstrap bales that didnt swivel which makes your helmet pre october 1943.
theres a very good thread at the start of the m1 forum explaining all about the shells and liners started by nickd.
your liner looks like ww2 era as well.
These helmets are going up in price and are very collectable .