Hello Everyone,
I buy this East German Helmet. I found "II" and "2" numbers. (you can see at picture). What is this mean? Is this manufacture date?? and it has red label write "Deer Brand". Can you give me more informations for helmet. Thank you..
East German M56 Helmet İdentification !!!
Hello Everyone,
I buy this East German Helmet. I found "II" and "2" numbers. (you can see at picture). What is this mean? Is this manufacture date?? and it has red label write "Deer Brand". Can you give me more informations for helmet. Thank you..
Last edited by Turhan98; 01-07-2021 at 09:41 PM.
Moved to the correct section of the forum.
Ralph.
Searching for anything relating to, Anton Boos, 934 Stamm. Kp. Pz. Erz. Abt. 7, 3 Kompanie, Panzer-Regiment 2, 16th Panzer-Division (My father)
Hi Turhan,
Thia is the M56/76 which was the last variant of the DDR steel helmet. It is easily recognised by the fact that there are no rivits visible on the outside but there are fixing "nipples" spot welded to the inside to secure the plastic cradle type liner.
The "Deer Brand" label is totally spurious and has nothing to do with the helmet.
The stamp II
02
II stands for Size two (of I, II, III) and 02 indicates February (month of manufacture).
There should be two more digits to represent the year. It should look like;
II
02
**
They may be very feint because sometimes the strike of the stamp was weak but you should be able to see at least a trace.
The original M56 had rivits on the outside and a liner like this;
The M56/66 was a kind of "hybrid" or transitional type which used the earlier shell with the rivits fitted but cut off on the inside and fixing nipples added to the inside for the later liner.
The very earliest M56 Sometimes called M56/1 had the liner fixed with the same type of rivit system as the WWII helmets but they are very rare.
I hope this helps.
Regards
Mark
Last edited by Watchdog; 01-09-2021 at 07:14 PM. Reason: Typo
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
I didnt find any numbers. Only II and 02. Is this helmet made 1956 or 1971? I cant know this. Why is there not second number? :/
It has no rivits on the outside and has the late liner so it is post 1974.by Turhan98
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
Check the liner too, there may be a date code
Yep, and because this type of liner came into service with the M56/66 any liner date will not be before 1966 and as this is an M56/74 shell it should be '70s or later
Regards
Mark
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
I cant find number at liner
When was the last time it was produced M56 ?
When it was replaced by M56/66
- - ------- - -
Sometimes there is no marking
"War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things. A man who has nothing for which he is willing to fight, nothing he cares more about than his own personal safety, is a miserable creature with no chance of being free unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself."
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