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These helmets are not for sale. They are part of my collection. This is a sort of cyber “show and tell”. I will be periodically updating this page; removing some and adding some

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M18 “style” Black SS parade helmet (circa 1936)

This is a fine example of a Black Parade helmet of the 1935-36 period. At this time, the SS was not a priority in the military supply chain and most helmets worn by members of all ranks were privately purchased from a variety of commercial Headgear suppliers. This helmet is of unknown manufacture but was produced to basic specifications; derived from the Model 1918 combat helmet which was still abundantly issued to soldiers of the Wehrmacht. It was factory painted in black with a liner designed by the manufacturer. Very likely it was obtained without insignia and later adorned with C.A.Pocher decals by the individual SS man. The helmet is identified to an SS man by the name of Vogel but it has not proved possible to find any specific information about him. The helmet was captured by a Technical Sargent of the 8th armored division and Bronze star recipient T/4 Robert Welker of Erie Pennsylvania.

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M35 Double decal SS helmet (1938)

Worn by Dr. Irmfried Eberl at Auschwitz 

This helmet bears the names of three different wearers; each of them found on the personnel roles of the Auschwitz death camp. The most noteworthy among them being Dr Irmfried Eberl; former head of the T4 euthanasia office at Brandenburg and a major figure in operation Reinhard. Eberl was the first commandant of the Treblinka Death camp in July of 1942 but was recalled after 5 weeks due to administrative incompetence regarding disposal of the 90,000 corpses accumulated during his short tenure. He was later assigned to the death camp at Auschwitz. After leaving Auschwitz; he was assigned to an Army medical unit. The most likely scenario is that as Eberl was being transferred from the SS, this helmet was relegated to the property room of the SS T-stuba Auschwitz where it was later issued to as many as three other persons (a common practice found in the case of other “Camp helmets”). The helmet was taken by an American GI from the midwest; most likely from either Dachau or Natzweiler; places where the Auschwitz garrison was relocated after the evacuation of the camp in front of the advancing red army. The helmet is a 1938 vintage Quist and shows evidence of being reissued multiple times (again commonly found among identified “camp helmets”) at one point, early in it’s career the helmet was painted black in order to serve as a parade helmet. It bears it’s original chinstrap which has the SS VA markings; dated 1938.

P.S. Eberl went home to Austria after the war and evaded capture until 1947. Shortly after his arrest, he hung himself in his jail cell.

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M35 Double decal SS helmet (1938)

Worn by SS Ostuf Edmund Baumgartner; Commandant of the SS strafflager at Dachau

As far as M35 SS helmets go; I believe this one ranks in the top 5 in the world. (I have only seen one or two others in this shape). It was issued to SS Ostuf Edmund Baumgartner after his graduation from Bad Tolz in 1938. He later became camp Kommandant of the SS strafflager at Dachau. Baumgartner had legal problems into the 1970s as a result of his SS service. He died in 1998.

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M35 Double decal SS helmet (1939)

 

A textbook example of an ET SS helmet of 1939 vintage.

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M40 Single decal SS helmet (1941)

Here is a near mint example of an M40 SS helmet. It is an ET 64 with 1941 dated components.

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An M35 Scutzpolizei helmet by Quist (1936)

This is an example from the very first helmets delivered to the schutzpolizei in 1936. Quist was given the contract for helmets in shell sizes 62, 64 and 66. Presumably they were not yet set up to produce helmets in a shell size 68 because none are found in that shell size. However, SE produced police helmets during the same period and of the very few examples found, literally every one is a shell size 68. This particular helmet (a size 64) has several early features. The liner frame is dated 1936; as is the dome acceptance stamp; the liner size is embossed into the leather and the helmet has an early style chinstrap with a loop adjustment on the long end; reminiscent of the “M27” chinstrap found in use until the introduction of the “M31” chinstrap in mid 1936.

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An M35 Scutzpolizei helmet by NS (1938)

1938 was the year of the largest police contract to NS and they made some pretty nice helmets. Usually they are found with chinstraps made by the leather contractor R. Larsen.  (The R. Larsen firm of Berlin is known to have produced a variety of leather goods for the police organizations) This particular helmet was brought home by Lt. Col Preston Utterback who commanded the 43rd reconnaissance squadron (same fellow who brought home the rifle which is at the bottom of this page). It was somewhere in western Germany when Utterback’s adjutant showed him a very nice police helmet which he took from a stock in a nearby building. The Lt. Colonel sent him back to get another one for him. He kept it in pretty nice shape.

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An M40 Scutzpolizei helmet by SE (1940)

SE police helmets of their 1940 contract used a special smooth texture paint of a particular shade of feldgrau which they did not use before or after.

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M35 Double decal Police helmet, Q66 (1941)

I love this one. It’s not one of those late war Quist police helmets. This one has a side marked shell and a 1941 Werner Zahn aluminum framed liner. I believe that the schutzpolizei were the first to order chinstraps made from pigskin and the earliest of these that I have seen were made by Johann Henks & Sohne in 1940. That’s what this helmet has. Why did they have them made in Pigskin? I think it’s too early in the war for it to have been an ersatz material.  So were they simply cheaper?  These are the questions that keep me up at night. 

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M35 Double decal army helmet, Q64 (circa 1937)

Here is an all matching 1937 Double decal army by Quist

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M35 Double decal army helmet (circa 1938)

A 1938 vintage SE64 Double decal army helmet. Named to Alois Muglach.

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M35 Double decal army helmet, ET64 (circa 1939)

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An EF66 M40 single decal army helmet (1940-41)

This helmet has one of my favorite decals. A variant Huber Jordan & Koerner which is only found on EF helmets and only for a short time in 1940-41

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An SE66 M40 single decal army helmet (1940-41)

This is an early production M40 army helmet made by SE. Note the air-vents which resemble the ET style. (SE shared the distinctive air-vent style with ET from the beginning of production in 1936.)

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An SE66 M40 single decal army helmet (1942)

This example was produced after the SE factory modified their dies in late 1941/early 1942. Note that the air-vents take on a sort of “volcano” appearance. This helmet was produced before the change of the maker code from SE to Hkp which occurred sometime in late 42/early 43. The air-vents retained this particular shape even after the switch to M42 shell production during the summer of 1943.

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An M42 single decal army helmet ET66 (1942)

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A Ckl M42 Single decal army helmet (1943)

The quintessential German combat helmet. I think if I could only have a single German helmet, it would be one of these.

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M35m Double decal “Drooptail” Luftwaffe helmet (1939)

I bought this helmet in 1993 at a local show from Mike Waskul for $250. Thanks Mike.

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M35m Double decal Luftwaffe helmet (1940)

This is a late produced SE66 helmet of 1940 vintage. The color is a light shade of blue/gray typically use3d by the SE plant. Note the undated acceptance stamp used by the acceptance office at Lauter.

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An M40 single decal Luftwaffe helmet (1942)

This is a Quist M40 Luftwaffe helmet. Quist seems to have been the major supplier of Luftwaffe helmets during the war years as the majority of examples found today are Quist products.

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M40 single decal Luftwaffe ground-combat helmet

This helmet was overpainted in feldgrau color by spray. The decal was masked off but interestingly, the entire interior was sprayed as well. Portions of the liner frame and leather have the feldgrau paint spilled onto it. Note that there is an acceptance dome-stamp just barely showing through beneath the over-paint

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M38 Double decal paratrooper helmet (1939)

This is a mid-1939 produced M38 paratrooper helmet with black foam padding; correct for this period. It has the first pattern chinstraps and is an ET71.

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M38 Single decal paratrooper helmet (1941)

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An M38 Camouflage paratrooper helmet

This one has the two-color textured camouflage pattern which is associated with the FJ6 in Normandy as several similar examples have been found with direct veteran provenance attributing them to Carantan just after D-day.

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An M38 paratrooper helmet with camouflage net

This is one of the few that I have ever seen which I believe the net to be original to the helmet.

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M40 Luftwaffe “Normandy” camo

This is an M40 ET64 single decal Luftwaffe helmet. Painted over in spray with a three color camouflage pattern reminiscent of those found in Normandy. It has a loosely applied half-basket of medium mesh-size chicken wire. The painter had sprayed the helmet with a tan base-coat; including the inside rim. We can see the Luftwaffe eagle decal poking out from under the camouflage.

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35 Chicken-wire camouflage helmet

This one has a look that I really dig. The wire attachment method is quite simple but must have taken some talent to achieve.

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M42 single decal helmet with chicken-wire

A half-basket wire cage applied with three baling wire strands at points around the helmet rim.

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An M40 with chicken wire

 A half-basket wire cage attached to a circumferential baling wire ring attached to the rim of the helmet

 

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M40  AfrikaKorps Tropical camouflage helmet

This helmet was painted over in a tan color with texture added. The inside skirt is painted as well. the soldier wrote his name and feldpost number. The number indicates the unit address of the 1-3 batteries of artillery regiment 999 of the leicht Afrika division 999 which fought in Tunisia; surrendering at Bizerte in May 1943

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M35 3-color “Normandy” camouflage helmet

This one is a real work of art. Three colors applied over the exterior of an M35 helmet. The soldier was careful to leave the decal uncovered by the camouflage.

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An M40 Luftwaffe helmet with three-color camouflage

This is a stunning Q66 single decal Luftwaffe helmet which was over-painted in spray with a full coat of tan paint inside and out. Green and brown were added to the exterior; covering the Luftwaffe eagle; the outline of which shows through pretty well. The helmet is named to a Stabswachmeister which is a rank used by the Luftwaffe in the case of Artillery and Anti-aircraft artillery of the Göring units, the Fallschirmjäger, and the field divisions

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M40 Single decal Luftwaffe helmet with 3-color spray camouflage

This helmet; as is usual, had a tan base coat applied before green and brown sections were added over the top. The inside skirt has been paint as well.

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M40 single decal Army Q64 with 3-color spray camouflage

This helmet has been sprayed over the exterior (covering the army eagle decal)

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M40 Single decal Luftwaffe helmet with 3-color spray camouflage

This helmet is a single decal army which had a coat of rough feldgrau paint applied over the exterior and then later had a tan base coat applied before green and brown sections were added over the top. 

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M35 two-color camouflage helmet

Unteroffizier Freimuth loved his helmet. He painted it in tan before adding a green pattern to the outside.

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Late war Tan painted M42

Of course I wasn’t there. But the way I picture it is that this helmet was one of many that were unit painted in the spring of 1945. (I have seen at least three others like it. All late no-decal helmets in almost un-issued condition)  I think that if the war would have gone on another year, this would be the way we would have seen helmets issued in 1946.

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M42 Single-decal army helmet with snow camouflage

This is an M42 single decal army helmet painted over in white. You can see the outline of the decal. It’s an ET64 which was produced in early 1943.  

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M18 helmet refurbished during 1935-36 period

The most typical “transition helmet” of  the early yers of the Wehrmacht; this is a WW1 vintage M18 helmet which was brush-painted over in M35 spec feldgrau paint. Heer decals were applied and an M31 liner was installed. The chinstrap is an M27 which was widely used until the M31 chinstraps became available after 1936.

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K98 ZF.39 “Turret” sniper rifle 

This is not a helmet but you might find it entertaining anyway. It is an all matching BYF43 low turret sniper rifle captured by Lt. Col Preston Utterback; commanding officer of the 43rd reconnaissance squadron. The rifle was taken from the German sniper in a close-combat action on the outskirts of Buschdorf Germany in November 1944

Below a couple of photos of Utterback visiting Hitler’s Berghof during the summer of ’45

Below you will find my two panzer mannequins. I like panzer things as well.

Be sure to click on this link check out my other website dedicated to other kinds of Militaria

 

Contact information:

To order or to ask questions:

 E-mail address: wii1944@aol.com

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