British Light Weight Para helmet

[OldSteel]

Hello to all,
here is the latest arrival, this "Light Weight Parachutists helmet" in the first fiberglass version with smooth surface, shell bolts in bare metal and three points chinstrap; the natural leather band (and not in black color) on the liner front, makes me think of an early production, maybe late 70s.
I found it equipped of a DPM GS Mk6 cover with the owner's name written on the back.
I do not know the origin of the n°83 painted hastily on front and back, I'm thinking it may have been a helmet used for training or exercise.
I'm not a great expert of composite helmet, but I thought that this example is an interesting piece, in my area it is not very common, and little known.
Every your opinion is very welcome.

Regards
Roberto

[James C]

Great to see the close up detailing Roberto ,thank you for sharing

[Jerry B]

Nice. I notice it does not have the early chinstrap, was it upgraded or a slightly later example with the second type straps? I know it was common to switch the straps, just not sure when they officially changed them.

[Composite]

Like this?



...or was there another pattern?....'pretty sure they went from these to webbing ones......

[Jerry B]

Like this?


...or was there another pattern?....'pretty sure they went from these to webbing ones......

Yes, that is the first type, later were green webbing but also people put earlier tan webbing straps on them such as below, though this set might just be very faded green. I just wondered did they officially retro fit the green webbing to the early examples and when did they change to the green webbing type as the production version.

[Watchdog]

Like this?



...or was there another pattern?....'pretty sure they went from these to webbing ones......

Yep those chinstraps were hugely unpopular (becuse in the appropriate vernacular they were "S**TE") and did not last long with many if not most being replaced in service. A point given credance by the fact that the MOD did not resist the wishes of the troops!

The helmet cover shown above is the style I was talking about here:

British MK6 /MK6 A Helmet Covers

And as it is mentioned near the top of this thread, the white painted number is an example of a practice carried out during Pre-Parachute Selection or 'P' Company. Each recruit is given a two digit number which he is required to mark his helmet as shown plus othe pieces of kit such as the leg pocket of his lightweight trousers, pt vest etc which is done so that when a whole bunch is jumping around in a huge muddy puddle for example (oh joy!!) individual recruits can be easily recognised for assessment purposes by the instructors (I am sure this has been mentioned before)



Hop this adds interest.

Regards

Mark

[Jerry B]

Even though they were sh#te, I would still like to get an example of the para lightweight with the early strap still in place, though I gather they are getting hard to find and perhaps pricey as well.

[Jerry B]

As regards the para helm cover, I have read that sometimes they modified the later covers with cross joining bands to look like the two banded covers by removing the cross banding.....just because.

[Watchdog]

Even though they were sh#te, I would still like to get an example of the para lightweight with the early strap still in place, though I gather they are getting hard to find and perhaps pricey as well.

Yep, that is the mindset of collector versus that of "tommy Atkins". I have both, does that make me schizophrenic?

Mark

[Watchdog]

As regards the para helm cover, I have read that sometimes they modified the later covers with cross joining bands to look like the two banded covers by removing the cross banding.....just because.

And sometimes the elastic was removed altogether. It's all about fashion and looking more "Ally". Who knows what goes on in "Tommy's" head? I don't and it was my head too

Mark