Different m1, no seam/rim

[History Man]

Until there is definitive proof either way (prototype or not) it is an interesting conversation piece with an unknown value.

 

Philip

[thetrenchman1918]

Better pics

 

[thetrenchman1918]

comparisons to m1

 

 

 

 

 

[thetrenchman1918]

It seems to me like the bails are mounted further back than a regular helmet?

[thetrenchman1918]

Its been awhile, any comments on the bails being mounted further back?

[Ketnet]

Hey! What a coïncidence, I've got the same type of helmet.

Unfortunately, nobody has been able to provide me with information about this type of helmet.
When I bought it, it had a Westinghouse liner in it and one of the chin straps was replaced with the later, OD #7 straps with metal hardware.
The shape of the dome is typical for WWII. Even the Dutch and Belgian helmets didn't use a perfect WWII US shaped helmet, but this one is identical.

 

I've got a theory about the fixed bails being placed on the folded edge: Since it isn't a seperate piece on the helmet that can be removed, there is no danger of losing the bails, because the rim cannot be removed from the helmet.

 

 

[thetrenchman1918]

your strap kind of looks like a foreign copy also your bails are much bigger and welded much more sloppy, perhaps replaced at some point, another strange one though, any idea why the bail would be welded to the rim though, i mean what is to be gained? as opposed to inside?

[Ketnet]

Why would the straps look like a foreign copy? There is no foreign copy that I know of that made them in a khaki color (They are dirty though, that might give them a strange look.)

(Quote from my previous post:)

I've got a theory about the fixed bails being placed on the folded edge=> Since it isn't a seperate piece on the helmet that can be removed, there is no danger of losing the bails, because the rim cannot be removed from the helmet.

[Ketnet]

And the strap hooks are made of brass (Just an FYI)

[Ben@HI]

the hook side strap is not normal 11 row OD3 webbing found on US chin straps. it looks like something made from a piece of field gear wedding. no USGI helmet I have ever seen had this type of webbing from the factory. at best it is a field repair

[Ketnet]

That might explain why it's such a sturdy strap, made of a piece of webbing.

[Centurion]

Hi Ketnet,

 

I`m a M1 Helmet collector collecting M1 helmet clones for several years now. I have already seen your older posts at one of the Forums. I have also 2 of these helmets. And recently another one appeared on a belgian auction Webside. Usually they appear on ebay France and Ebay Belgium. The origin of these helmets is definitely european. Presumably belgian or french. In the USA were only two big manufacturers producing M1 helmets. Europe especially France had a large variety of producers.

I think these helmets were produced in the early 50ies at UMAL in Belgium before settings changed to the M51 helmet. And I think that these helmets were sold to France. I do not wonder that these helmets come with all different types of chinstraps and liners. In the early period the most european armies were reorganized (in the early days they thought of a european army but above all France rejected this suggestion, afterwards NATO took shape) and received large help from the United States.

 

Regards

[Centurion]

One theory could be that the M1 helmet was protected at this time by US Patents. I think one can protect a special technique manufacturing the rim or the bales but what about the shape of the helmet?? You can not protect everything. A rounded shape. Almost every helmet is rounded. If I wouldn`t have the permisson yet producing M1 helmets I would change everything the way I can go as far as possible to make a perfect copy.