Austrian M75

[Greg Pickersgill]

Right then. This is enormously exciting. Well, for Austiran M58/75 fans anyway, so that's me and Austro and Bernhard and....hmmm. Here's the story; about 15 years ago on Michele Tagliavini's helmet website (alas no longer with us - the website I mean, Michele I assume is still alive and well) I found an article by renowned Canadian helmetcollector Roger Lucy, detailing the various Euroclones. There's a couple of screenshots immediately below. In it he mentions that early examples of the M75 leather liner had not the commonly found 9, but *10* lobes. Evere since then I have looked twice at any M75 liner and counted the lobes...always coming up with 9. With such attention paid it's incredible really that until Austro pointed it out I had not noticed that early liners did *not* have the two cloth straps in the crown, or that some had ventholes in the lobes, but sometimes you just get target fixation, you know.

Here's the segment of Roger's article -




Anyway, years go by and I never even see so much as a photograph of the fabled 10-lobe liner anywhere, so yes, you can imagine my wild excitement (I am not exaggerating) when I found TWO 10-lobe liners on ebay Austria, from the same vendor. I put in ridiculously high bids - these were not going to anyone else! - and fortunately ended up paying a great deal less than I had bid. The box from Austria arrived this morning and the reality far exceeded my expactations. Big helmet fun around here, I can tell you.

A couple of observations; obviously they have 10 leather lobes rather than the usual 9, that was expected. What wasn't obvious from the photos was that the shape of the lobes is distinctly different - these are shorter and rounder than the later 9-lobe version. Also the spacers between the liner and the shell are cork rather than plastic, and there is no adjustment strap at the rear. So, a very distinct variant.

Liner 1 - Frankenburg 1976




Liner 2 - Frankenburg 1976

[Greg Pickersgill]

But wait, there's more.... I've been rooting about in the helmet heaps and discovered that I actually *do* have an example of the liner both without the fabric straps and with the vent-hole lobes. Of course its a 9-lober, but then nothing's perfect.

The other thing I noticed in my two new 10-lobe liners is an unexpected plastic structure inside, part of the mounting to the liner shell itself. These are two plastic brackets, one on each side at the front only. From examination of my other M75 liners it appears this may be on the early-production examples only, the later ones having a more straightforward fixture direct to the shell.. Is this true? The no-fabrid/vent-holed liner I show also has these brackets, and it has a 1977 HBA stamp





Another thing I have just found is this peculiar arrangement at the rear, which must be some kind of size adjustment, as it is a thin piece of black fabric which runs around the inside of the leather liner in a grey cloth channel sewn to the leather. Damned odd! And quite difficult to photograph.

[austromunga]

WOW Greg!!!!!
super nice finds on the ten lobe liners!!!!!... but alas now something else for me to look out for!!!
for comparison my vented lobe liner has the same layout as yours with the plastic "adapter"?? (I guess that maybe this type was originally for another helmet/liner perhaps??? and was later adapted to allow fitment to the same holes as the normal thermoplastic M75 liner!!??) mine differs a little to yours in that it has the more usually used (Austrian grey) web tape with the popper adjustment...but it is dated (like yours) with the HBA 1977 mark...... but annoyingly.... the shell only has makers mark of U-SCH and no date!!!

[Opex]

Fascinating study and research Greg, many thanks for raising the profile of these specific models

[austromunga]

Hi all
Just received another M75 stalhelm 1 this ones an R.M.82 maker marked liner (one I didn't have for the collection!!) with the leather fitting in a tiny 53-55 size.. unusually the lobe cut compared to others I have are dead square and not tapered!!! the leather liner chin strap is missing, and the front of the liner has four small holes... I suspect for mounting an Austrian metal beret type badge for Guards duty!!
the shell is U-SCH 76 marked and has lost its liner clips (one was missing and the other barely holding on so I removed it) the chinstrap is new depot fitted MB maker but with hand stitching to affix it to the bales!!! I dressed it up in one of my dot camo covers and an Austrian issue helmet net (with elastic draw chord) also while I was messing about with this one.... I fitted another lid with some old offcuts of Austrian camo net and another issue helmet net in the same style as per this photo of an Austrian soldier wearing his m75 near the bottom of the page on this excellent link:- Austriaco M

[Opex]

Hi all
Just received another M75 stalhelm 1 this ones an R.M.82 maker marked liner (one I didn't have for the collection!!) with the leather fitting in a tiny 53-55 size.. unusually the lobe cut compared to others I have are dead square and not tapered!!! the leather liner chin strap is missing, and the front of the liner has four small holes... I suspect for mounting an Austrian metal beret type badge for Guards duty!!
the shell is U-SCH 76 marked and has lost its liner clips (one was missing and the other barely holding on so I removed it) the chinstrap is new depot fitted MB maker but with hand stitching to affix it to the bales!!! I dressed it up in one of my dot camo covers and an Austrian issue helmet net (with elastic draw chord) also while I was messing about with this one.... I fitted another lid with some old offcuts of Austrian camo net and another issue helmet net in the same style as per this photo of an Austrian soldier wearing his m75 near the bottom of the page on this excellent link:- Austriaco M

Very nice addition, I particularly like the examples fitted with the Fleckerlteppich cover and issue net, the French Salade cover look's very effective too, I never thought to fit the French cover so that's food for thought, great link too I have used that site for years for referencing it is one of the better one's out there.

[austromunga]

Hi all

Just picked up a bundle of Austrian army issue helmet nets (in a British army surplus store of all places!!) three are M75, one a little ratty and well used (elastic no longer!!), two mint unissued!!!!(far right) and one very early M58 woven base type!!(far left) details posted here,
Early Austrian M58 liners
(its my first one I've actually come across!!) anyway here's a few pics!!!!!!!

[battle gear]

here is an Austrian M75 with the uncommon spring retention clip on ebay

Austria Army Helmet Early 1960s | eBay

[austromunga]

Hi BG
unusual light grey paint finish on the inside of the shell!!! refinished!????
and also unfortunately an uneconomic purchase.... for me anyway... due to high customs/ import charges on any items from the states over the price of £15 sterling.. which includes post price as well !!!
I used to buy lots from the U.S. !!!! now sadly only very cheap or must have at any expense items!!!

[Opex]

Austomunga, great to see you have picked up these scarce nets and from a surplus too,they look great

BG, I have been on the look out for a model with the retention clip, but as Austomunga already said , the postage rates from the states makes these types of purchase uneconomical