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, (Iron and Foundry Works), AG Thale/Harz, in the spring of 1916. These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. The M16 and M18 helmets remained in usage through-out the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era and on into the early years of the Third Reich until the development of the smaller, lighter M35 style helmet in June 1935. In an effort to reduced construction time and labor costs minor modifications were introduced in March 1940 resulting in the M40 helmet. Further construction modifications were undertaken in August 1942 resulting in the M42 helmet. Originally the Third Reich national tri-color helmet decal was introduced on March 14^TH 1933 for wear on the left side of the helmet to replace the Reichswehr era state shield insignia. Regulations of February 17^TH 1934 introduced the Wehrmacht, (Armed Forces), eagle decal and the national tri-color decal was shifted to the right side of the helmet with the Wehrmacht eagle decal positioned on the left hand side. Regulations of March 21^ST 1940 dictated that the national tri-color decal was to be removed from all helmets and further regulations of August 28^TH 1943 abolished the Wehrmacht eagle decal and dictated that it was also to be removed from all helmets although the directives were not completely adhered to.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: The stamped, sheet steel construction M42 helmet retains about 70% of its age and usage darkened, slightly rough textured, field-grey paint with a couple of fair sized spots of wear to the base metal with light to moderate surface spotting and a few small splotches of unknown white paint. All three liner retaining rivets are intact. The helmet has no decals or any evidence that any were ever applied. Both the forward visor and the reverse neck guard apron have small strips of mid-gauge wire hooked onto the interior helmet liner, presumably for the addition of camouflage chicken wire, but the chicken wire is absent and has left no visible scarring. The interior of the helmet has a grained, light tan, M31, pig skin leather liner with all eight fingers and the original tie string all intact. The liner is in overall good condition with minor chafe wear to the edges and light to moderate age and usage toning and the leather has started to stiffen with age. The obverse of the liner has no visible size markings but does have the hand penciled initials, "HW", or "MH". the reverse of the liner has a faint purple inkstamped RB number a larger numeral that appears to be "9", and the date, "43". Of Note: The RB numbers, Reichs Betriebnummer, (National factory code numbers), were introduced in late 1942 and were intended to replace the manufacturer’s marks on garments and equipment to conceal the manufacture’s name and location from the allies, to prevent bombing raids on German industrial factories. The interior, reverse, neck guard apron is well marked with the stamped, serial number, "1764", and the faint, partially illegible, manufacturer’s code and size that appears to be "EF 64", indicating manufacture by Emaillierwerk, AG Fulda, (Enamel Works), size 64.Of Note: The placement of the manufacturer’s code and size on the interior, reverse, neck guard apron indicates manufacture after mid-1943. The helmet comes complete with a blackened leather chinstrap with a pronged, matte grey painted, magnetic sheet metal, length adjustment buckle and steel retaining studs intact. The chinstrap moderate chafe wear and age and usage toning, one fair sized tear and the leather has stiffened with age. The reverse of the chinstrap is well marked with a stamped RB number marking.