Late M1-C Airborne Helmet with unusual A Strap Modification

[equitis]

I've been looking for a decent Vietnam era M1-C helmet to replace the great example I've given to my son for his collection. Intact ones are few and far between these days, but re-issued infantry M1's with the M1-C liner are a bit more available, as are the helmet and liner chin straps, so when I saw this M1 on Ebay it sparked my interest:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/162393159695?_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

 

However, when looking through the pictures the seller has posted, I realised that the A straps have been modified in a way I haven't seen before. It appears that the original buckles have been removed, and webbing has been stitched on to hold more substantial buckles that you would find on a pack.

 

I have read elsewhere on the forums that the way the helmet straps were used for parachute jumps were changed over the years, so I was wondering if this was some sort of accepted field modification or just an unusual one off?

 

Any information would be appreciated.

 

Regards,

 

Equitis

[Cololab]

I have gone through quite a few stacks of DRMO turned in liners over the years which included a fair number of para liners. I don't recall having seen this type of modification to the A straps as all still used the typical buckle and chin strap with eyelets system. Based solely upon what I have observed, I am going to opine that whoever did this modification possibly did it on a small scale basis. The steel helmet chin strap upgrade with the substantial metal cliips was a common modification.

 

Again, just my thoughts and I humbly defer to those much more knowledgeable forum members.

[britcoll36]

Hello,

The modification illustrated is for the Canadian parachute forces who modified the helmet in this way for their usage. See the book: "Tin Lids" by Roger Lucy for more information regarding this change to US liners.

[equitis]

Thanks britcoll36, I found a picture showing the chin strap in place here:

 

http://www.network54.com/Forum/28173/thread/1242485926/Helmet+Comparisons+-+follow-up+on+Ed's+%26quot%3BNo+one+wants+to+see+this+stuff.%26quot%3B

 

It doesn't appear to be a particularly comfortable solution, but I guess it's a bit more substantial than the US design.

 

At least the mystery is solved!

 

Regards,

 

Equitis.

[1canpara]

Hello,

The modification illustrated is for the Canadian parachute forces who modified the helmet in this way for their usage. See the book: "Tin Lids" by Roger Lucy for more information regarding this change to US liners.

It's quite possible it's a Canadian used helmet, we had a variety of US made and issued helmets back in the 70s and 80s, although I had never seen this kind of modification done, although I wasn't in the airborne so maybe this was a unit or regiment kind of modification.

 

In the photos in the eBay listing I noted that there was a partial number done in black sharpie pen visible in the interior crown of the shell, partially obscured by the camo cover, and if that number is just 3 digits, then its highly probable that it was a Canadian soldiers helmet, as we used to mark our equipment with the last 3 digits of our Social Insurance Number (Social Security number in the US).

 

Rick