Parachute/Airborne Helmets and HSAT's from around the world

**James C** · 10-22-2017, 05:22 PM

The lightweight example you show looks and displays really well Mark so thanks for sharing and i was in two minds with my slightly later liner early para lightweight shell with mk6 strap and cream browpad to replace with a green webbing chinstrap as you show but in my mind swapping out wasn't an option really ,if it wasn't for the sniper duct tape holding it in place it would of happened perhaps but for now i will leave it be as i am fond of its salty been there look and it ouzes originality and which something that can't be replicated in my opinion no matter where it saw usage as airborne or ground troops

Parachute/Airborne Helmets and HSAT's from around the world

**Mark K** · 11-08-2017, 01:04 PM

Spanish M1-A1 Para the helmet body is an american produced RS/SB which is either very late war or early post war produced these are said to have come to Spain with the first Military arrangement with the US in the Mid 1950's...They saw extensive service in the army and the Para Regiments until they were replaced in the Mid 1980's by the Marte's I-II.
Take note that the multi coloured paint under the visor rim was used as an Identification marker to discern different companies within battalions...

RegardsMark

**Mark K** · 11-09-2017, 01:18 PM

I know not for everyone but any interesting example of a Belgium Post War produced HSAT I recently added to my collection I am afraid I do not have much information that I can share on these gents as I really can find little about them on line...What I do know is that the helmet body has been rather roughly pressed as it has a very pronounced flared edge and by the feel of it I would even say it had to be pressed twice as there is a very small bead around the circumference.. The liner in this particular example is in a size 55 and dated to 1951 and is nicely ink stamped ABL SARTEL, and an odd circular ink stamp I am having a hard time identifying... The dome pad in this example has a grey oval of sorbo rubber instead of the more common black we are accustomed to seeing on its British cousins it has the names and service numbers of two troopers and one I can positively say is Canadian on the interior the one has been torn away from another HSAT and was stuffed up in the lining...
There has been some speculation for some time by a few of us Canadian Helmet collectors that possibly Canada may have purchased some HSAT's from Belgium early on in the 50's to fill a supply gap as we were desperately short on AB helmets at this time until an order was fulfilled by BMB for 5000 helmets in 1953 this is just speculation on my part though as a few examples have surfaced with Canadian service numbers over the years...Of further interest is the fact that the webbing used for the cradle in the liner in this example is cream in colour when the majority I have seen have a green coloured webbing...
Greg Pickersgill has pointed out on a different venue ( It is hard to get the basics right about these Belgian products; what little information is available is usually confusing and contradictory. However I would be inclined to bet money that genuine Belgian-made helmets do have green rather than white/cream/off white webbing in the cradle. That's consistent across as the provable Belgian helmets I have seen. I also believe - though cannot prove - that only the Belgian helmets have white stitching on the chinstraps, which seem to be consistently green. I also think the slight flare of the shell towards the rim is a design thing not a pressing issue, but I can't prove that either! I think we all await Belgian collector Walter Jacobs' book - which I hope will be published soon. .Notionally the Belgian was a direct copy of the British, but as we know from the 'copies' of the Mk2 and Mk3 there may well be distinct variations. )
There are so many unanswered questions in regards to these HSAT's gents ..

Regards Mark

**James C** · 11-09-2017, 07:21 PM

by Mark K

Spanish M1-A1 Para the helmet body is an american produced RS/SB which is either very late war or early post war produced these are said to have come to Spain with the first Military arrangement with the US in the Mid 1950's...They saw extensive service in the army and the Para Regiments until they were replaced in the Mid 1980's by the Marte's I-II.
Take note that the multi coloured paint under the visor rim was used as an Identification marker to discern different companies within battalions...

RegardsMark

A real fine aquisition Mark and admit the first i have seen of these so thanks for sharing

also thanks for raising the profile of this type and as i expect from your superb accompanying write ups a great background history too which is great to learn from ,I like the subtle marking too under the front brim and i would gladly add an example to the shelf

**James C** · 11-09-2017, 07:33 PM

by Mark K

I know not for everyone but any interesting example of a Belgium Post War produced HSAT I recently added to my collection I am afraid I do not have much information that I can share on these gents as I really can find little about them on line...What I do know is that the helmet body has been rather roughly pressed as it has a very pronounced flared edge and by the feel of it I would even say it had to be pressed twice as there is a very small bead around the circumference.. The liner in this particular example is in a size 55 and dated to 1951 and is nicely ink stamped ABL SARTEL, and an odd circular ink stamp I am having a hard time identifying... The dome pad in this example has a grey oval of sorbo rubber instead of the more common black we are accustomed to seeing on its British cousins it has the names and service numbers of two troopers and one I can positively say is Canadian on the interior the one has been torn away from another HSAT and was stuffed up in the lining...
There has been some speculation for some time by a few of us Canadian Helmet collectors that possibly Canada may have purchased some HSAT's from Belgium early on in the 50's to fill a supply gap as we were desperately short on AB helmets at this time until an order was fulfilled by BMB for 5000 helmets in 1953 this is just speculation on my part though as a few examples have surfaced with Canadian service numbers over the years...Of further interest is the fact that the webbing used for the cradle in the liner in this example is cream in colour when the majority I have seen have a green coloured webbing...
Greg Pickersgill has pointed out on a different venue ( It is hard to get the basics right about these Belgian products; what little information is available is usually confusing and contradictory. However I would be inclined to bet money that genuine Belgian-made helmets do have green rather than white/cream/off white webbing in the cradle. That's consistent across as the provable Belgian helmets I have seen. I also believe - though cannot prove - that only the Belgian helmets have white stitching on the chinstraps, which seem to be consistently green. I also think the slight flare of the shell towards the rim is a design thing not a pressing issue, but I can't prove that either! I think we all await Belgian collector Walter Jacobs' book - which I hope will be published soon. .Notionally the Belgian was a direct copy of the British, but as we know from the 'copies' of the Mk2 and Mk3 there may well be distinct variations. )
There are so many unanswered questions in regards to these HSAT's gents ..

Regards Mark

Mark i have to admit a have a little soft spot for this Belgian Hsat you have added to your parachutist collection and i reckon no serious AB collection should be without and given the chance i would gladly add one too ,This one is even more special to you personally especially with the Canadian usage and history of the piece and i Can't think of a better custodian

Kind regards James

**Jerry B** · 11-09-2017, 10:13 PM

by James C

Mark i have to admit a have a little soft spot for this Belgian Hsat you have added to your parachutist collection and i reckon no serious AB collection should be without and given the chance i would gladly add one too ,This one is even more special to you personally especially with the Canadian usage and history of the piece and i Can't think of a better custodian

Kind regards James

James, there was a Belgian hsat on eBay last week

**Mark K** · 11-10-2017, 12:48 PM

by James C

A real fine aquisition Mark and admit the first i have seen of these so thanks for sharing

also thanks for raising the profile of this type and as i expect from your superb accompanying write ups a great background history too which is great to learn from ,I like the subtle marking too under the front brim and i would gladly add an example to the shelf

Many thanx James they do not come up for sale often and I have been trying to add an example to my shelf for some time so when this particular example was offered to me I could not pass up on the opportunity more information can be found on this particular helmet at the link below..
ESPAÑOL M1 PARACAIDISTA
As to the Belgium produced HSAT another example that was needed to fill a gap in my collection unfortunately there is just so very little known about these helmets so they are tough to research here are a couple of images of the stamping found in the liner I can only speculate on the oval ink stamp perhaps it was the producers logo

Regards Mark

**James C** · 11-14-2017, 08:17 PM

Just to add a selected few examples from the AB collection ,some of which already shown here previously but better quality pictures taken more recently ,French F1 ,West German Fallschrimjager ,french troops airborne m56 ,British Para LWT, Romanian m73 ,polish Wz 63 and Belgian M71

**AlexKG200** · 02-12-2020, 05:22 PM

..for reference, if you don`t mind, My example of Helmet Parachutists, 22C/1253068, made by H.I.S Ltd, 1993 dated. Please find attached photos.

Ps. I am looking for the photos (I know must be rare) of these helmets used by SAS during Para training, et cetera. I have found one, described as SAS HAHO/HALO Training. However not sure, in my humble opinion, also they could be members of Pathfinder Platoon during training..