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Question: 1917A1 Kelly Helmet Liner PAD location?


douglas
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A friend of mine just bought a reproduction 1917A1 complete liner assembly from Prairie Flower Leather for his helmet shell.

On this assembly we noticed that the top of the head pad is located under the leather finger flaps, attached directly to the metal cross pieces. 

So your head sits on the grommets, and the pad is underneath.

On my 1917A1 the pad is located right on top of the head, looks like small slits in the leather fingers to run the thong through

to the metal pieces. 

So,

my question is:

Was the pad originally installed up inside, under the leather fingers?

And, then later (by soldiers) make slits in the leather fingers, and change the location of the pad to directly on top of the head?

Here is a photo of my 1917A1 showing the small slits in the leather fingers:

Kelly_Liner_Holes_002bb.jpg.1d9f6dd36c5a1fbe809e6cf1504d9757.jpg

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Here is a photo showing the Prairie Flower Leather reproduction liner for the 1917A1

showing the horse hair pad attached directly to the metal cross pieces;

between the metal cross pieces and the leather finger flaps:

Flower_Leather_Liner_002b.jpg.d2dd74e924539dd018704dc944fe8d83.jpg

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good question. I have my Dad's original M1917A1 issued to him in 1940 when he joined the NY National Guard. The pad is installed on top of the fingers so it sit directly on top of the head. The fingers have the slots like yours. Leather thongs attach the pad through the slits.  it's been that way since I first found it in the basement in the 1960s. I have seen others with it installed under the fingers. No idea how they were originally issued. But I'm pretty sure the slits were manufactured in. Maybe how they were worn was a personal preference? 

Mikie

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The Prairie Flower liner is as they were originally issued.  Slitting the tongues and mounting the pad so it's directly on top of the head is a common field modification.

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Thank you aef1917 for your reply.

And,

I just want to say that the 1917A1 reproduction liner made by Prairie Flower Leather is first class all the way.

 

 

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A problem  with the  pad being under the fingers is that the knot in the leather string which tied the fingers together could be uncomfortable  when worn, especially if the wearer had very short hair.  Putting the pad over the tie string solved that problem.

 

Steve

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