jonesy1275 Posted January 29, 2015 Share #1 Posted January 29, 2015 Currently on sale on Ebay is a M3 flak helmet. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/231465680841?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT I'd been looking at the photos for some time and thought something just didn't look right but couldn't figure out what until now. The bales for the chin strap are fixed. Now I'm no expert on flak helmets but mine has the swivel bales and doing a Google image search only brings up flak helmets with swivel bales. Is this an early flak helmet or maybe a field modification? Neil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tarbridge Posted January 29, 2015 Share #2 Posted January 29, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thetrenchman1918 Posted January 29, 2015 Share #3 Posted January 29, 2015 to me it does look like a very early one, it looks ok to me, but I don't know if it still an M3 or a prototype model Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted January 29, 2015 Share #4 Posted January 29, 2015 There is someone either here or on warrelics forum that has one exactly similar, this may be his however when I read his post he stated it was the only one he's seen with fixed bales, I'll try to find the post and link it but if it isn't his then it is only the 2nd I've heard of, not that I've seen every helmet haha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted January 29, 2015 Share #5 Posted January 29, 2015 yes here it is post #18http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/4714-whats-the-current-value-of-a-us-m3-anti-flak-helmet/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThompsonSavage Posted January 30, 2015 Share #6 Posted January 30, 2015 I know at least one other member here has a FB M3. I have seen his in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gitana Posted January 30, 2015 Share #7 Posted January 30, 2015 I believe the thought is that the fixed bail M3s are prototypes, or at least early models. The prototype model was known as the T-2, but I don't know for sure if it was switched to swivel bail before production started or after. At any rate, this is a great variant for the flak helmet collector as they are fairly uncommon. Good catch! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RJT-V Posted February 1, 2015 Share #8 Posted February 1, 2015 Like these Flak helmets Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gitana Posted February 4, 2015 Share #9 Posted February 4, 2015 Final price, $1,559. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonesy1275 Posted February 4, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted February 4, 2015 My jaw dropped slightly when I saw the final price. I guess it was a bit of a rarity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus6 Posted October 11, 2019 Share #11 Posted October 11, 2019 Well just picked up a unit marked one from PTO. So They were early models, not Prototypes... Pictures to follow later. -Peg6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus6 Posted February 23, 2023 Share #12 Posted February 23, 2023 As promised. B24 Officer, PTO. Also note the shape of these early m3’s had a lip like the m1. Not flat like later produced m3’s. Also no flocking. vr peg6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus6 Posted February 23, 2023 Share #13 Posted February 23, 2023 very rare. As promised. B24 Officer, PTO. Also note the shape of these early m3’s had a lip like the m1. Not flat like later produced m3’s. Also no flocking. vr peg6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus6 Posted February 23, 2023 Share #14 Posted February 23, 2023 On 1/30/2015 at 6:24 AM, ThompsonSavage said: I know at least one other member here has a FB M3. I have seen his in person. On 1/30/2015 at 7:12 AM, gitana said: I believe the thought is that the fixed bail M3s are prototypes, or at least early models. The prototype model was known as the T-2, but I don't know for sure if it was switched to swivel bail before production started or after. At any rate, this is a great variant for the flak helmet collector as they are fairly uncommon. Good catch! On 2/4/2015 at 4:00 PM, jonesy1275 said: My jaw dropped slightly when I saw the final price. I guess it was a bit of a rarity. Posted photos of mine. Makes 3 known. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gitana Posted February 23, 2023 Share #15 Posted February 23, 2023 Did later M3s not have a lip like an M1? I thought they all did. The M5s didn't have a lip. Sweet helmet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus6 Posted February 23, 2023 Share #16 Posted February 23, 2023 There you go, that clearly shows you the profile difference between the two both of these are in my collection. It really was an M1 helmet with earflaps and a cut out factory early production. vr peg6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus6 Posted February 23, 2023 Share #17 Posted February 23, 2023 8 minutes ago, gitana said: Did later M3s not have a lip like an M1? I thought they all did. The M5s didn't have a lip. Sweet helmet. See above. Early ones did, I surmise they would get in the way of flight goggles. Being the change for front lip. My humble common sense but unknown for sure. And thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aef1917 Posted March 2, 2023 Share #18 Posted March 2, 2023 I don't think that the documentary evidence supports the idea of an "early" M3. From what I can tell, these were part of the initial order of 7,500 T-2 helmets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pegasus6 Posted March 2, 2023 Share #19 Posted March 2, 2023 8 minutes ago, aef1917 said: I don't think that the documentary evidence supports the idea of an "early" M3. From what I can tell, these were part of the initial order of 7,500 T-2 helmets. Well… that would seem to be to be our answer. And that some Of these T2’s shipped and were shipped and used overseas in parallel with field modified / worn m1’s. Maybe issued for overseas testing with certain units even as mine, during the lead up to adopted Model 3, M3 helmet Production and shipping. Great references. Always new questions / thoughts with good documentation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmar836 Posted June 5, 2023 Share #20 Posted June 5, 2023 It would appear the FB example that started this thread is flocked. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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