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M1 Clone Identification

Article about: Hi lads, I just won an auction for M1 (£8). One to actually wear, as my Belgian M1 is rather old and I'd feel bad if anything happened to it. Can anyone help me identify where this helmet is

  1. #1
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    Default M1 Clone Identification

    Hi lads, I just won an auction for M1 (£8). One to actually wear, as my Belgian M1 is rather old and I'd feel bad if anything happened to it. Can anyone help me identify where this helmet is from:

    M1 Clone Identification

    Quote from listing:
    "Outer is steel and painted in drab green with fabric chin strap. Has a circular stamp mark on the inside but unreadable and two painted marks 11 front and back on the inside? Also has either a letter B or 13 in white on centre of front and also has a serial number stamped into the rim. The liner is blue / grey plastic with a leather sweat band and green webbing style inner. Stamped SW70 (size?) on inside. Has a crack / split for approx 10 cm from rim at left temple running diagonally backwards which has been selotaped over at some point. Not sure of the nationality but it could be Belgian or Argentinean war relic brought back from the Falklands War 1982."

    Can anyone shed any light? I think the liner is Belgian, but no idea on age. I'm clueless on the shell. I'll post detailed pictures once it arrives (week or two?).


    Thanks!
    Nitram

    PS - Yes, I know the pictures are small. Sorry, best I can do at the moment.

  2. #2

    Default Re: M1 Clone Identification

    I think it´s a dutch or norwegian one.
    Greetings

  3. #3
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    Default Re: M1 Clone Identification

    Thanks for the input, after some research I pinned it as a Dutch Military Police liner/helmet. SW is the manufacturers stamp, I imagine 70 is the year of production.

    Nitram

  4. #4

    Default Re: M1 Clone Identification

    Hello Nitram,

    Could you please tell me whether the steel shell has an arrow shaped piece, on one side of the chinstrap, that goes in the buckle? Has the shell two painted roman figures II in the shell? Has this figure also been struck in the shell near the swivel bales? In the rim of the shell that could (should) be markings, like VB55 or so. Is that correct?

    The liner looks like a Dutch one. Shubert of Germany made many liners for the Dutch and used the letters SH, N or SW. The figure 70 is indeed the year of manufacture).

    Cheers,
    Emile

  5. #5
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    Default Re: M1 Clone Identification

    The helmet is still in the mail, it should arrive in around a week. I'll check and post detailed pictures once it arrives.

    However, according to the description and the photos, back of the helmet has "II" painted on from the inside, and there is a serial number of some sort on the rim. What would these signify?

    Nitram

  6. #6

    Default Re: M1 Clone Identification

    Hello Nitram,

    Your helmet seems to be a Dutch so called B-helmet. This helmet was produced by VerBliFa (Verenigde Blikfabrieken = United Tin Works) a Dutch helmet producer that already was in business before the war. They started production of M-1 clones for the war department in 1953 and a few years later they also made MkII clones for the Civil Defense organisation.

    These M-1 clones, called M53 in the Netherlands, did not all meet up with the desired quality standards and many were handed in and destroyed. A certain number did not meet up with war department standards, but were still considered good enough for police and other non combat organisations. Thes were marked with a couple of white II's like your helmet. Not many survive and these are seldomly encountered. You might have a rather rare helmet.

    Cheers,
    Emile

  7. #7
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    Default Re: M1 Clone Identification

    HA! Speak of the devil! The post man just arrived with a parcel for me. There are indeed Roman numerals, front and back on the inside. A round stamp in black is above the rear numeral, however it is smudged and unreadable. In the rim, at the front there's stamped \R5510S3. The Roman Numerals II are also stamped at each swivel bale.

    On the exterior there is "B" stenciled. Or a 13. Hard to tell. Now I have to go for a lecture, I'll post pictures once I'm back.

    Nitram

  8. #8
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    Default Re: M1 Clone Identification

    Turns out it's raining too much for me to go, so instead I snapped those pictures. You hit the nail square on the head Emile. I've inspected the serial stamped into the rim more carefully, and it does start with a VB55.

    The liner shell is cracked, and has been repaired with tape, as was noted in the ad. The sweatband shows wear, so this helmet was certainly used by someone. The only markings I can find in the liner are "SW70" near the top of the liner, and two letters, A and B written in black marker on the neck strap, as can be seen in the photos. Sorry for the flash, I did the best I could with the crappy lighting.

    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification
    M1 Clone Identification

    Nitram

  9. #9

    Default Re: M1 Clone Identification

    Very nice......I'd like to pick one up myself, to add to the "clone" shelf.

  10. #10

    Default Re: M1 Clone Identification

    Dutch M1 clones are very well made, I like the design of the quick release buckle used on the Dutch model

    I have a Austrian M1 clone [M58]

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