DDR M56/76 Helmet for review

[Alex W]

Hello everyone,

I picked up my first East German helmet for a cheap price and want to make sure its all good. Would the 2 stamp on the inside indicate 1982 manufacture?

I picked up a field service hood and net along with a bunch of DDR / West German items from Berlin-military.com

Any comments welcome.

Alex

[DavK]

I picked up my first East German helmet for a cheap price and want to make sure its all good.

If by "all good" you mean that is an authentic helmet, then yes. And definitely one in great condition. TBH, I am not aware that any reproductions/fakes of this type would exist. (For the simple reason that manufacturing a fake/repro would be more expensive than an original) The only "bad" ones I have seen have faked decals, or are scarce riveted versions (and even those where modified original shells, and not freshly produced fakes).

I have a few of these helmets, and managed to scratch a pefectly mint paint whith the metal hooks when attaching the net I would advise to stay with the cloth cover.

II stands for the size, and 2 for the month of the production. There should be also the year stamped (last two digits) below the month, but these stamps are often very shallow and hard to read.

[Alex W]

Thanks for the reply DavK. I can't make out any stampings under the 2 so I guess the date will remain a mystery. I purchased the net at the same time as the hood as it was only a few dollars. I tried putting it on first but it was really tight and felt like its was either going to snap or scratch the helmet so I gave up. I prefer the hood anyway.

[Eschborn]

Hello,
very beautiful headphones like all those of the DDR of which I am a fan ...
There are in fact 3 models of M56 helmet, the first from 1956 to 1966 (officially, but there are examples dated 1968) with three rivets and a non-adjustable cap and 4 shock absorbers; the second from 1966, no longer has visible rivets and has an adjustable cap held by 6 fasteners welded inside and finally the last; from 1976 which is identical to the previous model except that the front part of the hull is slightly reinforced with a higher weight of +/- 100 grams.
I have several copies and if you wish, you send me the exact weight and I will compare to know if it is an M56 / 66 or M56 / 76.
On the other hand, the headdress is from a model that was used before 1981. You just need to look at the stamps on the inner leather. It might help to determine +/- the year of the helmet (NVA Roman numerals + Capital letter). But sometimes the headdress is often replaced.
Finally, the helmet cover is all good and can be fitted without problem because it is a TYP II - 1st model appeared in the years 1969/70 until 1977/78 where it was replaced by the second and last model.
As for the camouflage net, it is of the 2nd model and is quite suitable for the helmet.

[battle gear]

judging by the original grey paint color and the shape of the steel shell , liner , it does appear to be a late production model , probably a 1980's piece 1982 - 1987 is my guess?

the wall came down in 1989 so probably mid 1980's

[Sleepwalker]

Hello,

Unfortunately, there is a lot of wrong information and misinterpretations about the East German M56 helmet.

Until 1968 there was the model 56 with the interior equipment 56. This is a modified interior equipment 31 which is firmly connected to the shell by means of 3 rivets. There are two versions of the feed. The first with firmly bound cushions and the second with pinned cushions.
This helmet model was produced until 1968.

There are 2 chinstrap models. The first with sewn on cheek guards and the second with pushed-on cheek guards. The fixing pins are made of galvanized steel.

From 1968 a new interchangeable lining was introduced. There have probably been attempts to wear it beforehand.
Nothing changed in the name of the helmet. It was the model 56 helmet (with 68 interior).
In the helmet 6 pins were welded into which the inner lining was inserted.
From 1968 new ones were produced and the existing ones modified.
At the beginning there were probably problems with the attachment or durability of the tenons, as there are quite rare transition models with 6 rivets and 3 holes, 6 and 9 rivets.

I found 3 models of the helmet equipment 68 (early, medium, late).

In the interior, the pins have been replaced with plastic ones.

It wasn't until 1976 that there was a really new helmet model that was also given a different name - the model 56/76. The processing was new. Until then, the steel on the M56 was a little thinner at the apex due to the shaping. This fact has been corrected in the M56 / 76. In addition, the lower edge is a bit wider and so protrudes more.

To get to your helmet: It should be an M56/76 with interior fittings 68. Unfortunately that is
Year of manufacture not visible. Just the shell size and the lot number 2.

I know these embossing errors from the 1980s. The inner lining also speaks for this.

The helmet cover with the red-brown buttons comes from the 1970s and can be found quite often.

The helmet net is the 2nd model with hooks.

Regards

[Alex W]

Thanks everyone for the detailed replies. I'll have another look at the liner and see if I can see an NVA stamp. I might try some tracing paper over the shell stamp to see if I can pick up the date stamp. What colour buttons do the later covers have?

[Sleepwalker]

gray

Regards

[Sleepwalker]

Hi.

Is there a letter underneath the NVA stamp in the liner?

This is the year code of manufacture.

1968 = K
1969 = Z
1970 = M
1971 = X
1972 = B
1973 = L
1974 = O
1975 = S
1976 = R
1977 = A
1978 = U
1979 = F
1980 = E
1981 = G
1982 = I
1983 = C
1984 = H
1985 = T
1986 = P
1987 = L
1988 = Y
1989 = N
1990 = D

[reneblacky]

Thanks everyone for the detailed replies. I'll have another look at the liner and see if I can see an NVA stamp. I might try some tracing paper over the shell stamp to see if I can pick up the date stamp. What colour buttons do the later covers have?

Applies to uniform buttons too 80's one I have.