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Another 71st/36th Airborne Brigade helmet


elh1311
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Nice FS/SB McCord, 305A. In hand, it seems to retain the original corking. Has at least one repaint, probably the pea green paint at one time. Helmet is in generally good shape with little use. No dings, clean paint on the inside and the cork closer to the rim gets more prominent and coarse. The tac marks have been there for some time and are aged evenly with the rest of the helmet. 

 

The liner is a good condition Firestone rigger liner, no tears, rips or rust. Rivets are press rivets, which is different than the tubular rivets on all my other rigger liners (except for a P55 rigger liner, which I think gives us an indication of the timeframe this helmet was used). 

 

Sweatband markings are really faded but it's OD7 HBT. The nape strap is OD7 HBT and dated 1955. I think the chincup was added recently as it is considerably newer than the rest of the helmet. 

 

All in all, a clean helmet. I don't think this one saw much actual parachuting use as there's no tape residue anywhere (though liner and lid have a tight fit and uniform wear marks) and the chinstraps have been cut off (they were North and Judd). Maybe a parade helmet. 

 

There's a name on the sweatband. My guess is LT Bodendx or Bodeadx. Odd name and your guess is as good as mine!

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Lovely helmet indeed. It’s not a McCord shell though, but a schlueter shell. Lot 305A would be from around early October 1944.

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3 hours ago, twthmoses said:

Lovely helmet indeed. It’s not a McCord shell though, but a schlueter shell. Lot 305A would be from around early October 1944.

I'll need to take another look later today but now that you mention it, I think there's a really faint S underneath the heat stamp. Good eye!

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Nice! I had a couple at one point as well. And judging by the weld marks on the brim being circles vs the more oval shape, it is a Schlueter.

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1 hour ago, HoovieDude said:

Nice! I had a couple at one point as well. And judging by the weld marks on the brim being circles vs the more oval shape, it is a Schlueter.

Yessir, great eye on @twthmosesfor spotting that. The spot welds looked odd to me at first but I couldn't place it as I don't generally deal with Schlueters. 

 

It's a helmet I've been wanting to add to the collection and I'm glad I have. 

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