This could be a Romanian MP helmet....

[Greg Pickersgill]

..and then again it is likely not.

I believe this object is Romanian, despite being sold as Russian. I believe this because I know that Ssh40 were used by the Romanians before the advent of the M73, and because I have understood from various places (well OK, just one, the World War Helmets website) that such helmets were standard Ssh40 shells imported from the USSR and given Romanian-made liners, which were brown. As is the one in my picture. The helmet has no unusual marking or stamps that I have discovered thus far.

But what of the white paint and the 'MP' logo? The paint is a single thin gloss coat, flaking off to to show the original green beneath. Applied by hand, I would guess, as it is far from being a tidy job. 'MP', so far as I can ascertain, is unlikely to denote 'Military Police' in any Eastern European language including Romanian. And it is a rather unusual 'typeface'. So what does it all mean?

I'm probably missing something obvious, like it being painted-up by some idiot for a party or the like. No, I haven't missed that particular thought.

[Greg Pickersgill]

Oh calamity. A friendly Frenchperson from the WWH website community has passed on to me the disquieting information that my object is unlikely to be Romanian-issue because it lacks a very distinctive triangular stamp (see below). I suppose you all knew that and were just sniggering at my ignorance behind my back. Well, I know better now, see. I know now that I have two Ssh40s that are not Romanian. Which I thought they were.

Still no idea what it all means, really. Search the house for a Romanian helmet expert. Is there one here - does anyone know anything about these Romanian-issue Ssh40s ? Someone must, surely....

[skip]

Having the thought that Romanian is a Latin base language using our alphabet, I thought "sure, why not", forgetting that the Romance language family puts the noun before the modifier. Sure enough I typed "military police" into an English-Romanian translator and it came back with "Politiei Militare".
As the old saying goes, "close, but no cigar".
Still, I enjoyed the visit to the World-War-Helmets site. I still think the M38/73 is ugly, but the info reinforced my view of the Romanians as a determinedly unorthodox lot. And now I'm aware of yet another SSh40 variant that I will be compelled to track down and acquire. Plus the challenge of trying to figure out what this white "MP" example is.
You joke but might be on the right track... some joker notes the vague similarity to the U.S. M1, including the webbing chinstraps, grabs some spray can paint, and creates his fantasy MP helmet for whatever purpose.

[ZERO]

NO . In romanian will be PM (Politia Militara) . yes white is ok and romania used ssh 40 .

[Greg Pickersgill]

OK, we know that Romania used a version of the Ssh40, but what exactly do you mean by 'white is OK'? Does this mean that Romanian helmets were painted white for any specific reason?

[ZERO]

white is ok for PM helmet . Casco rumano Mº 75 paracaidista

[skip]

Thanks Zero for the information you are giving. But what would be the meaning of MP if Romanian Military Police would be PM ?

[ZERO]

MP is not romnian .

[Greg Pickersgill]

Yes, I felt we had already established that 'MP' was not likely to be anything Romanian.

It would seem - to precis what we know - that the ssh40 was used by the Romanians, usually had a locally-made liner with brown pads, and can be conclusively identified by a number of specifically Romanian acceptance stamps.

The thing is, how can one identify whether a piece is Romanian or not if it has some of the required characteristics but *not* the stamps. Probably one cannot, but it is worth asking again just to be sure.

And whether or not this white object is Romanian, what actually is it?

[bourguignotte]

Hello ,

You must look at the stamp at the back of your helmet. They have a figer 1, 2 or 3 for the size like Russian helmet and then a letter

Bruno