DDR NVA Paradehelm - plastic parade helmet

[Watchdog]

Well, once more I find myself saying "I'm not a helmet collector but.......

I just added this one to go with a parade uniform I am hoping to set up shortly;

It is the lightweight palstic parade version of the M56 variant helmets as used by ceremonial guards of the Wachtregimenter. I'm not sure when these were introduced but I think it was sometime in the '70s.

It seems bizarre to those who would never have had to wear a helmet on a ceremonial parade, because a helmet is combat gear and not ceremonial, but if the order of dress included the helmet it would have been something of a trial to wear an actual steel helmet so odd as it seems this must have been welcome and practical innovation.

It is made in a flexible plastic material similar to polythene and has a liner very similar to the M56/76 and although there are no markings at all, it must be sized as this one is around a size 55 with the liner fully adjusted out.

The colour is identical to the Steingrau of the last M56/76 steel hemets and the rivit heads on the outside have a chrome like finish so will never hold paint well so I suppose these would be painted for each parade or perhaps were even singlw/short term use.

Now I am looking for a very early M56 with the '44 type liner, but I am still not a helmet collectore



To the informed eye these are obvious at a distance because of the difference in the rim and at close range because of the large rivit heads on the outside but the casual observer would have no clue.

Regards

Mark

[reneblacky]

Interesting it has a steel helmet liner? mine must be later MFG

[Watchdog]

Yes Rene, identical as far as I can tell to the M56/76 plastic cradle type as opposed to the earlier M56 that you have there so I guess that may date it to a certain extent as that type of liner originates around 1966 but as I say I have the idea that the "plasthelm" appeared in the '70s.

Regards

Mark

[Watchdog]

Ah, only half of your post appeared initially!!
Are those plastic helmets too with the M56 liner? That puts a different slant on it! The third picture wasn't there at first and only the first part of the text so I didn't notice the rim difference.

Regards

Mark

[Composite]

Mark, I have some really tragic news for you.......YOU'RE A HELMET COLLECTOR!!!!!!

[Watchdog]

OMG is it terminal? How long have I got?

[Composite]

...well that depends....if you go over to the dark side of helmets....you know where I mean..... you're no longer a "collector"........you then become known as a "bore" :-)

Personally, you should stay with us lot....and not go into the light (Carol-Anne)

[Watchdog]

I just looked again as I am multi tasking at the moment (I thought only women could do that, should I be worried?)

I notice now that the liners shown by Rene have small pads between the liner and shell plus they don't have holes punched in the leather apart from the drawstring holes. It is still very similar to the early liners so I wonder if this means my type is the later of the two?

The plot thickens!

Regards

Mark

[Watchdog]

...well that depends....if you go over to the dark side of helmets....you know where I mean..... you're no longer a "collector"........you then become known as a "bore" :-)

Personally, you should stay with us lot....and non go into the light (Carol-Anne)

Yep, and the juvenile jokes about "polishing his helmet" become slightly less amusing

Regards

Mark

[Composite]

Mine



...to date I've only ever seen the orangey-sponge-between-liner-and-shell ones.....