Portuguese M940/63 as used in Angolan War of Independence & Mozambique

[Greg Pickersgill]

That's an interesting one, James. Up until now *every* example with the three-point strap and revised liner cradle has been fully-refurbished with a fresh paintjob. This one obviously has its old coat. Mind you it is also lacking the headband part of the liner, which is made from the same cloth strip as the rest of it.

The little foam pad in the chincup may be entirely normal - all four of mine have it and so do those on WWH and Joseba.

Hard to tell when these were first introduced; there is a sort of jumble of circumstantial evidence which points to the 1980s or even early 1990s, which would put it way beyond Portuguese involvement in Africa, which ended in 1975.

[James C]

Many thanks Greg for all your help so at least i know the cup padding is a standard item and and not just a random piece of padding added by the owner and you know until you pointed it out i never realised the headband was missing, i might keep my eyes peeled for a surplus one

[James C]

Greg i noticed on a few of the two point examples posted up here on this thread they have a Leather sweatband like the US M1 type , I have as spare put aside so wondering if you think this would be a good filler for the time being until i can find the correct webbing type headband like yours or is it possible a few of the 3 points had this leather type band fitted also

[Greg Pickersgill]

The two-point chinstrap version you refer to is the standard M40/63 refurbishment, which replaced all the original leather liner and strap pieces with fabric, includeing a Riddel-type liner. The 'US' type leather (is it?) sweatband/handband is normal. NB you will *not* see a helmet with a mixture of the two unless it is a one-off field repair, as the /63 modification was done in the arsenals.

The 3-point refburbishment (oh how I wish we had even an approxiate date to refer to!) was again done in the arsenal and it will be all-fabric (that thick green stuff) fittings. You could put in a /63 sweatband and swear it's a field repair honest, but it ain't right. Mind you, yours is pretty damned unusual in how having had a proper repaint so you could probably get away with it (with anyone except me...)

Another thing no-one really knows is if there was any extra manufacture of shells after the 1960s. All the 3-pointers I have or have seen are clearly refurbished old shells. I have one here that was obviously one of the earliest with a push-in aluminium vent rivet, but the vent has been removed leaving a neat hole. NB this is not the same as the second series with simple vents pressed outwards.

[Composite]

struggling to keep up here....so there were 40/63's that got refurbed.....and then re-refurbed (which included the switch to a 3 point harness with chin cup?)

[Greg Pickersgill]

OK - here's the basics (very basics);

First type (the true M40) - leather chinstrap (originall issued with sliding buckles though field repairs may vary) and leather three-pad liner, *Some* of these have a separately machined push in vents which are attached to a metal strap inside the shell which holds the chinstrap loops. Those are the earliest. Others have a simple punched-out vent, chinstrap loops welded on inside.

Second type (the M40/63) - same shells, certainly some original M40, maybe some newly made, but with two-point fabric chinstraps with simple claw fastener, fabric loop liner, Riddel-type, leather (maybe) headband.

Third type - (appelation and even date unknown for certain) - another complete refurbishment using the same shells, *definately* some original First type shells used, certainly including shells that had already been modified as Second type. Any new production of shells? Don't know, guessing unlikely. Repainted, three-point chinstraps (thought of as 'para' but this is arguable), all internals including headband made of same thick green fabric.

It is *definate* that First shells were included in Third type refurbishment, impossible to know whether any individual shell went through all three stages, but highly likely (I have at least one).

[Estonian]

I haven't seen a Portugese m40 helmet with an aluminum ventilation rivets here yet. Very similar to the riveted helmets from the Spanish Civil War.

[Greg Pickersgill]

Estonian, I'm not really understanding you. The helmet you show is clearly a first series M40 with inserted rivets.

Also, any resemblance between the Portuguese M40 and the Spanish M21, M26 etc is coincidental and in the nature of it being a helmet with certain unavoidable characteristics imposed by function, just the same sort of generic resemblance that all, for example, 'globe' helmets like the Italian M33 and Swedish M37 and Russian ssh40 have - they look sort of kind of slightly the same if you just see them while speeding past on a galloping horse. There again, most people who are not helmet fans think all helmets look the same - they really do, I have had them say this to me while holding two entirely different objects.

[JesperS]

There again, most people who are not helmet fans think all helmets look the same - they really do, I have had them say this to me while holding two entirely different objects.

Sounds like my wife!

[Greg Pickersgill]

Hah, my wife is a collector too, of fountain pens, and is something of an expert in pen history and mechanics, and she entirely understands helmets, as much as a non-collector needs to, she can recognise helmet types and sees the point as to the development of differing shapes.

I have a tendency to dismantle helmets - especially compos - to look for hidden stamps and details, and I have to say she is a lot better at putting them back toegther than I am.