US helmets converted in Israel

[ClaptonIsGod]

Going to assume this fits here because it is still a US helmet, mods please move if need be. About a year ago, I bought an Israeli helmet and liner because I noticed it was a front seam shell. I have recently started wondering about the history of how this could have come to be.

 

Somehow, the shell wound up in Israel. There, they repainted it, added the third bail (and possibly replaced the side two - will compare their construction to the back one). Perhaps it was a fixed bail at one time, I do not know. All I know is it was modified, repainted, and put into IDF service.

 

Does anyone have/know of any other WWII US shells being converted? All my research has turned up is that we started providing military aid to Israel in 1949, so it could have gone really at any time. Since we sold them guns, B17s, Shermans, Jeeps, etc., stocks of M1s certainly seems feasible. Would love to know when it might have gone over and how many went with it. Since Israel eventually stood up their own production line for shells and liners, I have to imagine this was fairly early, but obviously late enough that they had devised their own three-bail system or they would have just been using it in WWII configuration. Or, perhaps it was sent over for the 1948 war, used in WWII configuration then, and later converted. Just thought this was an interesting historical exercise and hope there is info out there.

[trenchfoot]

Yes, many helmets were exported to Israel, including US m1 helmets, French M51 helmets, and British MKI's MKII's and MKIII's. The British helmets were sent to Israel for the War of independence and the French M51 and the M1, were sent afterwards in the 1950's -1960's. I'm assuming that most of the m1 helmets were just shells and were beat up considering the US was still using them at the time, and also because the Israelis refitted them with a locally made liner and chinstrap. There would have been no need to do so if they were complete.

 

All of these helmets gradually were phased out after the 6 day war in favor of the Israeli made m1 copy with a 3 point helmet chinstrap, but the earliest made Israeli 3 point helmets were actually converted ww2 m1 helmets with Israeli liners and hardware. You can tell because they have a front seam and are not Israeli marked. You helmet is one of the earlier 3 point Israeli helmets

 

Here's a link for more info:

 

israeli M1 and M51 helmets

https://www.middleeastmilitaria.com/israeli-modified-m1-and-m51-helmets.html

 

israeli 3 point helmet

https://www.middleeastmilitaria.com/israeli-3-point-chinstrap-m1-helmet-copy.html