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. The M16 and M18 helmets remained in usage through-out the Weimar Reichswehr 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. When issued all the helmets came equipped with a leather chinstrap to secure the helmet in place. Of Note: Luftwaffe personnel initially utilized brown leather accoutrements but during the war the leather items were generally blackened.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Two piece, age and usage darkened, brown leather construction helmet chinstrap with natural aluminum fittings. Both of the straps are roughly, 5/8" wide with the longer strap being roughly, 17 5/8" long, while the shorter strap is roughly, 4" long. One end of the shorter strap is folded back on itself and machine stitched down to secure the natural aluminum, pronged buckle while one end of the longer strap has thirteen corresponding buckle eyelets. The other ends of both of the straps have dual, cut-out, tear dropped shaped, stud retaining eyelets to secure it to the helmet. Both of the natural aluminum retaining studs are intact. The reverse of the longer strap is well marked with faint, partially illegible, manufacturer’s name, location and date. Although the manufacturer’s mark is only partially visible it appears to be, "Franz Brehme Walsrode 1938". The reverse of the longer strap also has additional, unknown, stamped, markings that appear to be, "L.N.L.A.", and a partially illegible numeral. The chinstrap shows light to moderate chafe wear and some minor surface cracking.

GRADE ***                             PRICE $176.00