Ssh-40 with motorized troops chinstraps also named Ssh-40 M in the collection world.

[Jack59]

I find this Ssh-40 very interesting for many reasons seen together.
The name Ssh 40-M is a collector's reference, the M standing for motorized (troops), it concerns the chinstrap only.

After the end of WW2 millions of Russians soldiers went back home. Millions of helmets were then gathered and sent to the Lysva manufacturing plant located in the Oural, where the Ssh 40's helmet production stopped in September 1945. It started again in 1947 for one year only, switching then to refurbishing only WW2 Ssh 40 helmets until 1950.

Over time this helmet received a few layers of paint including a white winter camo, itself being painted over by a layer of dark green paint.
The red star insignia was painted mainly for special parades, it stand out beautifully.









Close-up of the layer of paint.


This Ssh 40 is a WW2 model originally from the Lysva plant identified by it's cold stamp acceptance star located on the front of the brim &
also by it's misaligned size & batch numbers cold stamp, synonyms of the Lysva plant.




This Ssh 40 was refurbished at the Lysva plant in 1948. Note the older "gralek" pads & the newer one.


The motorized troops chinstraps appeared in 1965, so it was not part of the 1948 refurbishing.


Inside the shell. The varnish mess & the white camo painters thumb print, original signature!
Also nice view of the riveted brackets.


Lets look at the components a little more in detail.
The back bracket.


The left side bracket.


The right side bracket, beside it is the new acceptance stamp, a star in a circle usually with a number inside, the inspector's identification.
Under it is the workshop stamp numbers identifying it.


The two front chinstraps adaptors are missing, not being used.


The back of these pads received a coat of tick varnish at some point.


The new "gralek" is thicker than the older ones identified by it's larger grainy texture.


The chinstraps are East German copied & meant to help stabilising the helmet. The problem was one of proper instructions on how to do it. The new chinstraps came with 4 adaptors & 4 bales, no special tool needed. The new chinstraps were maint to be installed forward on the side brackets & on the back one. Since the original riveted bales remained on the helmet there was a tendency to used them again, preventing a efficient installation. Introduced in 1965, the chinstraps were manufactured in Uzlokak, located in the region of Tula. They were never mass issued being expensive to manufacture. Nevertheless they were produced until the 80s.

Example of better configuration with bales spread forward & at the back.


Let's compare the Russian & East German chinstraps.


The Russian chinstraps were stamped, no longer visible on these.


This stamping is the Lysva plant new logo adopted in 1946 also named the "spider" by collectors. Mine is missing the top part, so imagine it similar somehow to an inverse VW logo. The P stands for "Pемонтирyer" meaning refurbished. The other P stands for the size, 2 the most produced. The small r after 1948 stands for the year's refurbishing.


The installation of the new chinstraps was easy. After removing the paddings & retaining plates.


The next step was to insert the adaptors then replace the retaining plates.


This is a great helmet, made it trough WW2, & served again for many decades.
It is a symbol of Russian ingenuity & efficiency in mass production of helmets.

For more information:
World War Helmets - Casque Ssh 40 - 1947/1960
World War Helmets - Casque Ssh 40 M

[Marcel Banziger]

Why to take it apart into all the seperate components? That's a big in my eyes regarding collecting historical items.

[Estonian]

Soviet Soldiers At The Reopening Of Sweden Bridge After The First Temporary Repairs. In The Background Destroyed Houses. Danube Canal. Vienna 2. Leopoldstadt. 1 May 1946. Photograph.
Source: Getty Images

[Estonian]

I thought earlier that the straps are the same, but the difference is noticeable. I have such a helmet myself from the year 1960. Enamelled with a red star in the front.

[Jack59]

I thought earlier that the straps are the same, but the difference is noticeable. I have such a helmet myself from the year 1960. Enamelled with a red star in the front.

Thanks for the photos Estonian & showing your helmet, nice star. Yes the chinstraps do look alike, did you see stamping on yours? The Romanians adopted a similar chinstrap design with their M73 helmets.

[Estonian]

I don't see any stamps on it.

[Jack59]

Why to take it apart into all the seperate components? That's a big in my eyes regarding collecting historical items.

Marcel,
I respect your opinion.
I'm not shy to examine carefully my helmets to understand their design & enjoy doing it. Of course I don't normally strip them, this is a first, the way the Ssh 40 was designed & specially with the motorised troops chinstap attached to it I was able to easely push my curiosity further. I carefully disassembled it, then I could figure out why the chinstraps were apparently inefficient. The thread is for everyone's benefit in seeing parts hidden normally in the Ssh 40 helmet.
Jack