A few para lids.

[Jack59]

Paratroopers are a world's fraternity. Here's five of their helmets, enjoy.
A lot as already been said about these 5 helmets. I'll be brief but will say something about each of them.


Once in a while there's a bit of confusion about the German M1A1LL para helmet & it's Belgian sibling the M71helmet. They are twins, well sort of! The Belgian version (M1A1LL bought from Germany) has an extra strap, used as an chin cup. It started service in 1972.


The German M1A1LL para helmet (1961) still has a link with the past, it's double chinstrap from a turbulent era. The LL in its name stands for Luftlandtruppenstahlhelm.




In the late 80s some Belgian M71 were refurbished with French F1 liners easely identified with the extra rivets showing on the helmet's shell.







They look tiny! How can they possibility fits on someone head? Here's two of them. The Romanian M73 (right hand side) is an hybrid helmet using the top section of an infantry helmet, it's liner & accessories inspired from the Polish Vz63 para helmet.


The Italian M42/60 is based on the WW2 model, with a new liner & a cotton 3 points chin straps. The leather cradle as openings to insert the wooden olives from the camouflage net. Was issued in 10 sizes! 51 to 60.









The French F1 or M78 was designed as an all-arms helmet.
The liner & chinstrap are of a new design.


The second liner model (1982) is improved with push buttons to hold the liner, easing cleaning & maintenance. It's circular top padding was also replaced with a star type one to name a few.
This model is the first model.


Comparison: M1A1LL, M42/60 & F1.


So successful was the liner & chinstrap that they were later adopted with the French F2 Spectra helmet. The Canadian CG 634 helmet had a lightly modified version of the liner as well.
Comparison: F2 Spectra, F1 & CG634.


French F1 helmets.