Original French WWI Early Issue Model 1915 Adrian Helmet in Horizon Blue with RF Badge Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a nice example of a genuine World War I M-1915 French Army “Adrian” steel helmet, which looks to have seen long service. The front of the helmet still has its original French “Flaming Bomb” badge. The badge has the standard R F on the “bomb”, for Republique Francaise. This is the badge used on standard Infantry issue helmets. The helmet shows signs of being repainted several times, which was not uncommon to see a few coats of paint on a helmet in the French Army, especially a helmet as early as this one.
 
The early 1st Pattern leather liner is present, but is definitely worn, with a lot of the finish missing, and definitely some tears and other damage as shown. The helmet does still have a chin strap, which has broken at one end. Overall condition is good, but definitely worn. This is not a helmet that spent the war in a depot. If you were looking for a nicely priced Adrian Helmet to fill out your WWI collection, this is a great chance!
 
The M15 Adrian helmet (French: Casque Adrian) was a combat helmet issued to the French Army during World War I. It was the first standard helmet of the French Army and was designed when millions of French troops were engaged in trench warfare, and head wounds from the falling shrapnel generated by the new technique of indirect fire became a frequent cause of battlefield casualties. Introduced in 1915, it was the first modern steel helmet and it served as the basic helmet of many armies well into the 1930s. Initially issued to infantry soldiers, in modified form they were also issued to cavalry and tank crews. A subsequent version, the M26, was used during World War II.