another unknown helmet

[bananamafia]

Sorry to ask yet another lid question, but im struggling to find out what this one is.
the only marking i can find is a 31.
it is black (sorry for the poor pictures, i really do have to sort out my camera)

any pointers greatly appreciated!

[KradSpam]

Czech, pre-war. M32.

[SRB]

Czech, before ww2 and Serbia make same helmet under license.nice condition.

[kradman]

Yes nice Czech pre ww2 helmet

[Tinhat]

I think the liner and strap may be post war, I have nothing to back that theory up except that it looks different to the usual M32s. I think these have been used in a number of countries post war, Chile I'm sure.

.: World War Helmets - Casque Vz 32 :.

Steve.

[Greg Pickersgill]

Yes, this is a Czech vz32, no doubt about that, but the shell has been given a new liner and chinstrap (and a coat of new paint) post-WW2, probably when reissued to civil defence or police or whatever. The originals have the same type of internal pads but they are always leather, usually white leather at that (though more often looking anything but pristine white after all the time and use) and the original chinstrap (leather) has a very distinctive chincup split. Go to the page Tinhat recommends (or to CHECO 32 if you are more at easy with Spanish than French) and see useful pictures.

May I recommend my useful (if not entirely up to date) collection of helmet-related webpages here - HELMET COLLECTION COLLECTORS HELMET BOOKS ON HELMETS Helmet collector's webpages - a good gateway (even if I do say it myself) to all sorts of helmet knowledge.

[KradSpam]

The chinstrap is a good point Greg, the wartime one is distinctly different as you say. Often they were picked up by German troops after '38, as a preferred replacement to the M31 strap. More comfortable apparently.

[Tinhat]

The third page of Greg's link CHECO 32 COM2 shows two variants of M32 with liner and strap arrangement similar to this, the top one looks most alike to me, and the translation points to this being manufactured during the war period for Luftschutz rather than being re-issued.

Very interesting, it would be good to see pictures of the liner pads.

Steve.

[Greg Pickersgill]

OK, this may be new information for me, Steve. I have always been under the impression that the black vz32 with the synthetic leather pads and the simple chinstrap was a reissued version supplied to various Czech formations after the end of WW2.

I know that large quantities of the vz32 were used by the German Luftschutz and other German home front formations during the war; it seems to me very likely that there were more than enough 'ordinary' Czech helmets (and other captured helmets) about the place and there would be no requirement to manufacture more, and any actual Luftschutz-used and badged vz32 I have ever seen has been the original production version.

Perhaps my Spanish is letting me down here as I am not seeing the clear link on Joseba's website that implies there was a run made specifically for the Germans during WW2. On the other hand, Joseba, for all we love him and his enormous efforts with that *brilliant* website, may have momentarily confused the wartime Luftschtz with the later postwar local Czech fire department...

I'm quite willling to be convinced you are right, but at the moment I am sticking with my previously-held postwar refurbishment belief. Why do we not have a well-informed Czech collector on hand when we need one? Must be one out there surely....

[magicdutchmen]

Black paint+ this type of padding and chinstrap= postwar reissued for civil defense.