X51 Experimental lid and liner together

[HoovieDude]

Much to my excitement, the X51 helmet that I previewed last week using the sellers pictures, has arrived to my happy little paws. And I know it was made out of an aluminum alloy, but I wasn't expecting it to be so light!! The liner has more weight to it than the shell.

 

My liner seems to be a little off, warped a bit, from its original shape, as it has minor difficulty seating. I think. Haven't seen to many pics of the set together from the underside to have a real idea on how it it supposed to look.

 

 

[HoovieDude]

 

And side comparison to a M1..

[Sabrejet]

What a weird and wonderful creation! That's an important historical piece you have there Hoovie. Can't be too many of those outside of the Army's own specimen collections.

 

Ian :thumbsup:

[NickD]

that is pretty cool a very nice addition indeed :twothumbup:

[HoovieDude]

Nick and Ian, thanks! Ian, it is a weird item in ways. I think without the forsight of knowing the era/time frame that it was developed, one could make a good SWAG I think. It screams "spacey" to me, like a sci-fi piece from the earlier decades when all spacemen wore suits of silver and had guns with bell muzzles and ringed tubes.

[Sabrejet]

Looks vaguely Germanic in profile...daddy of K-Pot!?

 

Ian

[Bugme]

That looks so nice together Mike, well done! What really impresses me more though, are those awesome helmet display stands, true works of art!

[HoovieDude]

That looks so nice together Mike, well done! What really impresses me more though, are those awesome helmet display stands, true works of art!

 

Quality deserves quality! I think I need another of your double stands. PM on the way.

[paul_bish]

Anyone know the ballistic properties the same as the M1 and was the liner made of any ballistic /protective material?

 

great piece!

[ClaptonIsGod]

I found it when it was first poorly listed as a 1950s foreign helmet and asked Bugme about it, I thought about going after it when poorly listed if not just to sell it here but he realized what he had and pulled it. I'm glad it went to you, since you have the complete set with the shell and liner :thumbsup:

[37thguy]

Well ain't that jist perty!

[LarryM3]

Following the end of World War II the Army entered a period of massive demobilization and severe budget cuts. Most major helmet design projects, such as the T-19 and T-20 series, were scrapped with the cessation of hostilities. In 1949 a new design project was authorized to create a 'universal helmet' utilizing the scientific advancements of the World War II period. The theory behind the design was that one helmet could be utilized by infantry, airborne, and armor personnel thus eliminating all the various specialized helmets. The first of these 'universal' designs was the X-49 helmet which was followed by the X-51 helmet. The helmets utilized a laminated nylon helmet liner which would be worn alone by armored personnel inside the tank. The liner was designed without a brim and cut high in the back to allow the tank crew to use the sighting devices without having to remove the liner. The helmet's aluminum shell was thought to be superior to the M-1 helmet because of it's light weight and superior ballistic properties when combined with the new liner. The X-49 almost immediately ran into problems because of de-lamination of the liner's nylon layers. Increasing the number of layers in the X-51 model seemed to correct this problem and the helmet was produced in a limited number for field tests and later, combat tests, in Korea. Several problems were encountered in the field however, the lower sides of the X-51 interfered with hearing and the helmet silhouette was found to too closely resemble the Russian Ssh39 helmets sometimes used by the North Koreans. Additionally prolonged usage once again resulted in de-lamination of the nylon layers of the liner. The concept of a 'universal helmet' was abandoned following the failure of the X-51 design.

 

Some sources for further information:

 

Drake, Robert E. Capt. "A Tankers Uniform for a Tankers Duties", The Armor School, Fort Knox, KY, 1952.

 

McKenzie, David M. "A Human Engineering Evaluation of the Combat Vehicle Crewman's Helmet T56-6", The Army Human Engineering Laboratory, Aberdeen Proving Ground, MD, 1969.

 

Larry

[HoovieDude]

Well ain't that jist perty!

 

As purty as a gurl who can swaller beer while whistlin dixie :thumbsup:

 

Larry, thanks for that additional info :thumbsup: :thumbsup: