German WWI M16 Stahlhelm Steel Combat Helmet with Stirnpanzer Steel Sniper Brow Plate New Made Items

New Made Item: A new production run is this is a high quality all steel First Model German M-1916 Steel Helmet. It was copied from an original Stahlhelm M1916 in the IMA collection and comes very close to the real thing!

The shell is comprised of 1.8mm thick steel with rolled edge, making this one of the sturdiest and historically accurate M16’s on the market today. It also has all the signature features including an early model genuine leather three tongue padded liner, correct leather liner helmet band, pickelhaube type thick leather adjustable chin strap with securing rings on the inside of the helmet bowl. Many helmets with this type of chin strap were later converted to the M17 or M18 standard, as the chin strap was prone to falling off. Later liner-mounted chin straps were far more secure, which is why the original configuration is rarely seen. This M16 has the required ventilation horns also used for mounting a stirnpanzer sniper brow plate. The chinstrap on these helmets may require fitting and/or adjustment to properly grip the mounting lugs.

Helmet sizing: One size fits most; this helmet comes with a drawstring leather liner, the liner is approximately from 7 (56cm) to 7 5/8 (61cm). Inner liner size can be adjusted with the addition or removal of the padding that is easily removed by untying the pocket closures.

Also included is the brow plate that was copied directly from and original sample in the IMA collection this is a heavy steel reproduction of the rare German WWI helmet shield known as the “brow plate” that were issued to snipers and trench raiding parties. Designed to hook onto the protruding vent lugs of the traditional Models M1916, M1917 and M1918 German helmets, they were secured with a leather strap and buckle to the rear of the helmet so one size fits all.

Records show that seven and a half million M1916 helmets were produced but only fifty thousand of the brow plates were issued, that’s one in one hundred and fifty! A very hard-to-find original WWI item, now available as an excellent reproduction, complete with leather strap and buckle.