M1 Clone ID?

[Jack59]

Hi guys, until Sleepwalker's verdict here is a zoom of a photo from the book "Es begann in Andernach... 1955-1958" by Jens Hill, page 29.
All the material used in that book came from a photo reporter Rolf Baumann who between 1955 and 1958 documented the birth of the Bundeswehr.



Seems that you're on the good track.
Jack

[JesperS]

Hi guys, until Sleepwalker's verdict here is a zoom of a photo from the book "Es begann in Andernach... 1955-1958" by Jens Hill, page 29.
All the material used in that book came from a photo reporter Rolf Baumann who between 1955 and 1958 documented the birth of the Bundeswehr.



Seems that you're on the good track.
Jack

Yes - Basically the same as on WW Helmets, but as Greg pointed out, those are T1 chinstraps without the ball release, where Rob's helmet just has a simple hook.

/Jesper

[rob214]

Good morning, men. I did another thorough check inside of the helmet last night. I still don't see any kind of marking on the inside. But, the helmet has definitely been repainted at some point with a glossy finished paint. There are a few spots of flaking inside the helmet where I can see a slightly lighter shade of green underneath. And, its a flat green. Also, the rim has some exposed bare metal areas. The rims isn't stainless steel, because it has turned a brownish rust color. I don't know if a manganese rim would turn color or not. Thanks again, Rob.

[Sleepwalker]

Hello,

I don't think the shell comes from a West German Stahlhelm, zweiteilig (M1).

The rim is made of rusting steel. The one from the West German M1 was made of stainless steel.



The texture is different.

The brackets for the chin strap are also different.



This kind of web material was never used on the West German M1.







Regards

[Greg Pickersgill]

Well then. I have only one BW M56 and I can't even find that, so I'm so glad someone who knows what they're talking about has shown up.

Of course apart from proving out best idea was wrong we're no better off. But thanks anyway, Sleepwalker, it's always good to get expert testimony!

Let's keep trying, but to be honest I'm out of ideas here.

[Sleepwalker]

Hello,

I think it could be a Schlueter WW2 shell.




The metal parts of the chin strap are clearly US WW2

Only the webbing has been replaced.

I'm also guessing Scandinavian.

[Estonian]

The texture of the chinstrap material is similar to Portuguese helmets.

[James C]

I am no expert on M1's so don't take my comments as gospel in any way but did have the opportunity once to have in hand a West German M56 "zweiteilige" which seemed lightweight compared to the US M1 so maybe performing a weight test perhaps would help in some way ,i also noted the shells thin steel seemed like it could be much more easily dented if bashed about but your shell appears to be the opposite and more robust more like the original US M1's ,the lack of heat stamp could be due to the paint coating perhaps so maybe if you go over the inner shell again with a fine tooth comb in the right light conditions something might just look more apparent
I have a Schleuter M1 someplace in my collection and if i recall the chinstraps were stitched into place at the bail sections in a similar fashion but not sure offhand if they were slightly thinner than the US straps ,mine had been over painted hiding the outline of markings that when researched leaned towards South American use and i think it was Puru from memory

[Sleepwalker]

I am no expert on M1's so don't take my comments as gospel in any way but did have the opportunity once to have in hand a West German M56 "zweiteilige" which seemed lightweight compared to the US M1 so maybe performing a weight test perhaps would help in some way ,i also noted the shells thin steel seemed like it could be much more easily dented if bashed about but your shell appears to be the opposite and more robust more like the original US M1's ,the lack of heat stamp could be due to the paint coating perhaps so maybe if you go over the inner shell again with a fine tooth comb in the right light conditions something might just look more apparent
I have a Schleuter M1 someplace in my collection and if i recall the chinstraps were stitched into place at the bail sections in a similar fashion but not sure offhand if they were slightly thinner than the US straps ,mine had been over painted hiding the outline of markings that when researched leaned towards South American use and i think it was Puru from memory

Hello,

definitely not a West German M1.

The quality of the US M1 and the first German M1 was equally bad in terms of dents. One reason why the helmet was phased out in West Germany in 1959.