My first (and probably only) WWII M1 Helmet! A dream come true!

[P-59A]

Stainless steel front seam

[stratasfan]

The M-1 is the standard combat helmet. A M-2 D bail is a jump helmet. The D bail is welded to the pot just like a standard early war fixed bail and that looks like a " ] "only the bail looks like a "D" . D bails are not common and go for a pretty penny. Lots of fakes to be found.

 

Oh . . .thanks for the pictures! Now, thinking about it . . . wouldn't the fixed bails be a bit more breakable under stress? Or are the swivel bails worse? Why do the jump helmets need a fixed, larger bail?

[stratasfan]

If you look at the "bill" of the helmet a front seam means the seam were that thin metal band that runs the skirt of the helmet is joined is at the front of the helmet. A rear seam is joined at the back of the helmet. Transitional helmets can have a stainless steel rim that is seamed at the front or rear of the helmet, but normally they are joined at the front. A late war helmet has a manganese metal rim that is joined at the rear. Your liner was made by Westinghouse and is a WW2 liner. You may have to unclip the sweat band and take it off and look at the back side to see if it has a stamp. Your heat treat stamp looks like a 156 B to me, is that correct? It looks like your liner chin strap is missing the pin. You can use a finishing nail cut to size to replace that missing pin.

 

Oh, how interesting about the seam. Just on the rim. I'm going to have to go look now! Would Manganese look different?

 

I wondered if I could take the sweatband off, but I felt it and was nervous to try. That is super funny that it is Westinghouse! Like the same comp that made appliances and computer monitors! Guess the logo was good! Made me think of Westinghouse!

 

Yes . . . the stamp on the helmet says 156B. What does that tell you?

 

I can't tell where a chinstrap pin would go. What would it do?

 

Thanks so much for being so nice about answering all my (I'm sure super basic) questions!

 

Elizabeth

[jmd62]

Congrats on your first WW2 M1 helmet! Like the other guys said, it can be pretty addicting so watch out.

[stratasfan]

The M-1 is the standard combat helmet. A M-2 D bail is a jump helmet. The D bail is welded to the pot just like a standard early war fixed bail and that looks like a " ] "only the bail looks like a "D" . D bails are not common and go for a pretty penny. Lots of fakes to be found.

 

 

One more thought . . . so is the only difference between an M1 and an M2 the bail?

 

Also, I really can see the rim and seam on the picture of the stainless rim helmet! Cool!

[P-59A]

rear seam manganese rim

[P-59A]

 

 

One more thought . . . so is the only difference between an M1 and an M2 the bail?

 

Also, I really can see the rim and seam on the picture of the stainless rim helmet! Cool!

and the price. The D bail is a jump helmet used by airborne troopers

[stratasfan]

I would guess that anything to do with jump stuff is pricey! Why I won't get into Airborne at all.

[P-59A]

 

Oh, how interesting about the seam. Just on the rim. I'm going to have to go look now! Would Manganese look different?

 

I wondered if I could take the sweatband off, but I felt it and was nervous to try. That is super funny that it is Westinghouse! Like the same comp that made appliances and computer monitors! Guess the logo was good! Made me think of Westinghouse!

 

Yes . . . the stamp on the helmet says 156B. What does that tell you?

 

I can't tell where a chinstrap pin would go. What would it do?

 

Thanks so much for being so nice about answering all my (I'm sure super basic) questions!

 

Elizabeth

The green flip catch is missing a pin. I saw it in your pics. The sweat band unclips from behind.

[P-59A]

The heat treat stamp gives you an idea of when the helmet was made. I do not have the key for the codes. Someone else will have to chime in with that info. Why a low number on swivel bail manganese rim?

[stratasfan]

The heat treat stamp gives you an idea of when the helmet was made. I do not have the key for the codes. Someone else will have to chime in with that info. Why a low number on swivel bail manganese rim?

 

Oh, so is 156 a low number? Also . . . is mine a manganese rim? That's cool!

[MattS]

As far as the various features for dating the M1, I found this online chart that is handy.

http://www.hardscrabblefarm.com/ww2/dating_m1.htm

[P-59A]

 

Oh, so is 156 a low number? Also . . . is mine a manganese rim? That's cool!

I can't tell from your photo if it is a front or rear seam.

[mikie]

Congratulations on the new helmet! Sounds like you are having great fun with it, and that is really what a hobby is all about. And you are getting a instant education on M1 helmets. It is great to see everyone jump in here to help you out. 30 years ago there was a surplus shop here that had barrels and barrels of M1 helmets for about 10 bucks each. I dug through and found a couple that looked interesting, but had no idea about bales, seams etc at the time. The shop and those wonderful barrels are long gone but wish I had known the stuff you are learning here back then! Who knows what was in them???

 

Mikie

[stratasfan]

I can't tell from your photo if it is a front or rear seam.

 

Well, now that you told me what to look for (-grin-) I went and looked . . . and it is a rear seam!

 

Here is a picture of it.

[stratasfan]

Congratulations on the new helmet! Sounds like you are having great fun with it, and that is really what a hobby is all about. And you are getting a instant education on M1 helmets. It is great to see everyone jump in here to help you out. 30 years ago there was a surplus shop here that had barrels and barrels of M1 helmets for about 10 bucks each. I dug through and found a couple that looked interesting, but had no idea about bales, seams etc at the time. The shop and those wonderful barrels are long gone but wish I had known the stuff you are learning here back then! Who knows what was in them???

 

Mikie

 

Oh, Mikie . . . how cool! Aren't you happy you were around and got to experience it? I have some fond memories of things like that myself (mostly tend to involve used book sales!). Memories you wish you could put in a bottle and open up from time to time just to relive the moment!

 

So . . . have you got any of those helmets still?

[MattS]

I remember those days too in the 80s! I would save up my money and Dad would take me to the surplus store on Saturday. A large bin on the floor where the M1 helmet shell and liner were $10, add a camo cover (boxes of Vietnam, ERDL, and woodland covers) and band for $2 (Dad would cover the tax). I do have a few of my $12 helmets!

[manayunkman]

I remember the days when I wouldn't even touch a US helmet because they were so plentiful and difficult to sell.

[john k]

 

Oh, so is 156 a low number? Also . . . is mine a manganese rim? That's cool!

 

Usually the easy way to identify the rim material is that once the paint wears a bit stainless will be shiny and won't rust, whereas manganese rusts and doesn't stay shiny at all. (this is why the material was changed, shiny rims are not good for camouflage).

 

Also the heat stamp 156 is way early for a rear seam McCord helmet. (McCord and Schlueter are the two main manufactures. McCords are about 10x as common. Heat stamp ranges are completely different for

Schlueters with their numbers running way lower for any given date, and Schlueters will have a larger S below the heat stamp)

 

 

I'll bet if you look really closely you might find another 1 to make it 1156 (I think I see a hint of that extra 1 in the picture but can't say for sure)

[milsurp_scout_14]

As a fan of marked helmet liners, that one is pretty cool!

[MattS]

If it is 1156B, that would put production around Feb-Mar of 1945 which would be correct for a rear seam.

[stratasfan]

I looked in natural light, I looked under a light, and even took it outside. I can't see another 1 on it. Maybe it just didn't get imprinted or something. That is super cool if it is really early 1945!

 

Anyone know . . . what is the liner made of?

[MattS]

As I understand it, liners were made by stacking strips of cloth together with a plastic/resin press formed under high pressure (hence the name "high pressure liners"), see this short video of liners being made:

[stratasfan]

Thanks, Matt! That is amazing! I'm going to grab Sis and show this to her, too! Fabulous footage!

[Simon Lerenfort]

Not sure what you traded but even though the helmet has been over painted and re-corked you still have a nice marked liner. So I think you got a good item there.