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H031359 M18 SINGLE DECAL TRANSITIONAL "EAR CUT-OUT" HELMET. (Stahlhelm M18)
BACKGROUND: The first "modern" steel helmets were introduced by the French army in early 1915 and were shortly followed by the British army later that year. With plans on the drawing board, experimental helmets in the field, ("Gaede" helmet), and some captured French and British helmets the German army began tests for their own steel helmet at the Kummersdorf Proving Grounds in November and in the field in December 1915. An acceptable pattern was developed and approved and production began at Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz, in the spring of 1916. These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. At the end of WWI it is estimated that Germany had produced about 8,500,000 steel helmets. As a result of the restrictions placed on the German’s by the Treaty of Versailles, which dictated a standing army of only 100,000 personnel, there was an abundant surplus of these helmets, and though they saw widespread use by Freikorps personnel, there was still a stockpile controlled by the Reichswehr. These excess helmets underwent minor modifications in 1923 with the addition of provincial identifying shield decals and in 1931 with the development of a new chinstrap and liner system. Although helmet development was ongoing when Hitler came to power in 1933, the M16 and M18 helmets were still the main headgear worn by the Reichswehr. The helmets remained the same until March 14TH 1933 when the provincial shields were discontinued in favour of the national tri-color shield. On February 17TH 1934 the national eagle shield was introduced, and both the tri-color and eagle shields were applied to the helmets. After the development of the new M35 helmet, the WWI helmets were still issued to second line and training troops well into WWII. The M18 "ear cut-out" helmet was originally introduced in August 1918 in response to complaints from the field that the M16 and M18 helmets restricted the wearer’s hearing. The M18 "ear cut-out" helmets were manufactured in limited quantities and followed the same basic transition as the other WWI helmets after the war, and was also manufactured early in the Third Reich period, in limited quantities, with the last issuance being to Cavalry personnel.
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The stamped, sheet steel, construction M18 "ear cut-out" helmet retains about 75% of its slightly rough textured, field-grey, transitional over-paint with numerous small scrapes and scuffs revealing the base metal with light surface spotting. The left side of the helmet has an early, grey lined, Wehrmacht eagle decal that is retained about 65% with numerous small scrapes and scuffs. The helmet has subtle, half moon shaped, ear cut-outs to both of the side aprons. The helmet has all three flat headed, liner retaining rivets and both of the extended ventilation side lugs intact. The interior of the helmet has an age and usage darkened, M31 tan leather liner which is fully intact with all eight fingers and the original tie string. The liner shows light chafe wear to the edges and moderate to heavy age and usage through-out. The liner may have been treated and the leather is still quite supple and pliable and is well marked with a faint, black size inkstamp that appears to be, "55". The liner has a later, (Circa late 1940), low grade steel, retaining band. The interior left side apron is stamped with the manufacturer’s code and size that has been mostly obscured by the over-paint and is illegible. The helmet comes complete with a blackened leather chinstrap with a pronged sheet metal length adjustment buckle and retaining studs intact. The makeshift chinstrap light to moderate chafe wear and some light surface cracking. The reverse of the chinstrap has a faint, impressed RB number. Of Note: The RB numbers, Reichsbetriebnummer, (National factory code numbers), were introduced in late 1942 and were intended to replace the manufacturers marks on garments and equipment to conceal the manufactures name and location from the allies, to prevent bombing raids on German industrial factories. Also Of Note: The later style, low grade steel, liner band and the RB numbered chinstrap would seem to indicate the helmet was refurbished at one time.
GRADE ***1/2 PRICE $6,320.00
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