M40 Helmet ????

[Androw]

Hi Every one

I got this helmet as a Finnish Civil Deference / Firefighter but it has some numbers on it ???

Regards Andrew

[AndyM35]

Hi Androw,

The stamp you see “ET64” denoted the factory and shell size. So, it’s is a sized 64 German Helmet shell produced by Eisenhüttenwerk Thale / Herz. May or may not have been produced during WW2. The long chain of numbers relates to the batch of steel that the shell was pressed from and is known as the lot number. The name and number 58 are later numbers and the liner is likely a replacement and is missing the two from pins. The shell has been painted post WW2 but there is a chance that there may be some original WW2 period paint underneath. A photo of the inside of the helmet i.e. the liner and dome would be interesting to see.

Andy

[Androw]

I am going to check all of my helmets now
Thank you for your help

Andrew

[AndyM35]

FYI - The liner currently inside the helmet is not original German WW2 issue. Looks more like a Finnish replacement liner. In fact the entire shell may have been produced in the 1950’s by the same factories that produced them during the war as there was a contract with Finland to produce helmets. However, having the ET stamping I am not sure if this is WW2 made or post war?

Not strong on these Finnish helmets but someone will be along who will know.
Andy

[Kateri]

Think it's E.F.,and the lot number would make it a wartime shell produced by Fulda

[CSW]

It's a German wartime M40 shell, Finland received quite a number of these during the war as aid from Germany. The shell has been fitted with a Finnish post-war liner and chinstrap, and as stated above, painted in very basic post-war paintwork. No civil defense, just one of the basic helmets used by the army. As far as I know, the Finnish never really differentiated between wartime shells and the "M40/55" 1950s-made German shells, both were repainted and refurbished the same way (and used well into the 90s).

The 58 stamp is (rather obviously) a post-war size stamp. The actual size of the liner is probably closer to 57 though, that has always been the case with the ones I've owned.

The liner has been interestingly "decorated" by conscripts, note especially the "11 TJ" marking. The "TJ" number is a traditional way of counting remaining service days: the owner of this helmet apparently had eleven days of military service left at the time of writing that. The word "Lapissa" or "in Lapland" tells the guy served in northern Finland.

The date 18.8. -74 and the several names written on the liner are also quite interesting. R. Seppä has marked his unit as well, 1/KarTR or Karelia Artillery Regiment

Hope this helped at least a bit!

[Danmark]

+1 as an EF.
Brian Ice has a M40, lot number 22138 in his book as a SD Heer, 1941-early '42 production so I'm good with the shell.
The orange is fire colouring and the liner? .... well as Andy says, probably Finnish from the '50s is most likely

Compare liner with this one....
Finnish German Helmet WW2 or Post War?

[AndyM35]

Yes, definitely an EF. I think I need glasses!

[Androw]

Wow
thanks every one so much in one helmet That,s fantastic

Regards Andrew