Strange liner in french m51 (M1 clone)

[Kamuflaza]

Hi,
First of all I have only got this picture of the liner from the seller. The liner is inserted in french m51 shell (that is what I am sure of, according to other pictures), but the liner is puzzling me. I have never seen french liner with this kind of webbing.
It has webbing like the P64 US, but color is more like latter US versions with removable webbing and also big detail is that it hasn't got nape strap hardware.

Any thoughts?!

[Greg Pickersgill]

Simply put, that is NOT a French liner. There are several issues, but the most obvious is the sewn/overlapped liner cradle. This form was not used by any French liner manufacturer. And as you point out there should be a nape strap in one of three different forms.

I'm not a US M1 collector, but I think the liner is American, from sometime from the 1960s/70s. (French troops did use the US M1 after WW2 and during the IndoChina war, but this liner is too late for that period, and the mle51 was fully issued before it was introduced in the US)

[Kamuflaza]

Thanks for your reply, so now I know that is not French made. But, as I collect helmets (especially US ones) I have never seen this combination of color, A washers and missing nape strap hardware... Hope someone can clear up this mess 🙂

[emileverbunt]

This could be an Israeli liner. Israel used the French M51 as well. You see some peculiar constructions and combinations in their helmets.

Have a look under the peak of this liner. There might be markings.

Cheers,
Emile

[Sleepwalker]

Hello,

this is an Israeli M1 liner. At the front in the area above the eyes you can see the Israeli markings.



Israeli M1 Helmet - Please Help with any info

Israeli IDF M1 helmet with burlap sack cover, liner, & chinstrap #1 Complete! | #533563237


Regards

[Greg Pickersgill]

Can't see adamned thing, but happy to take your word for it. This does make some sense as mle51 were around the Middle East and if if not original to the IDF shells might have been scavenged from Lebanon. Of course it is always possible its just an accidental shell/liner combination. The M1 liner is not a particularly good fit for the mle51 shell.

[Kamuflaza]

Thanks to you all! It is Israeli liner I have found markings on the front and in the crown, all hebrew letters.

I agree it is terrible combination, this liner fits good only in M1 or M1 clone.

However both parts came from Israel, so they were definitly used by the IDF.