Original German WWII Battlefield Dug Heer Double Decal Winter Camo M35 Relic Helmet Shell – Size 66 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is definitely a German helmet shell that has some stories to tell! Here we have a very nice Heer Army “Double Decal” helmet shell, offered in “battlefield dug” condition, with significant oxidation and paint loss from being under the ground for a long period of time. The helmet measures about 67cm around, so it is a 66cm shell. The original maker and size markings have been completely obliterated by rust. Please consult the pictures for the fine details of the current state of the helmet shell.

From what we can see, this helmet shell was painted with White Winter Camouflage over the original paint and decals, however the long time under the ground removed a lot of that, so we can now clearly see where the original decals were. The use of the second decal was discontinued in 1940, and in 1943 it was ordered that helmets with the national colors have them removed. This means that most likely it had the camouflage added before that time, probably for use on the Eastern front. It was then lost, buried, and later recovered and cleaned to remove a lot of the rust, especially on the interior.

Overall a very interesting genuine “Battlefield Dug Up” Heer Army “Double Decal” M35 helmet Shell! A fantastic display piece!

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, (Iron and Foundry Works), 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 1934 tests began on an improved Stahlhelm, whose design was a development of World War I models. The Eisenhüttenwerke company of Thale carried out prototype design and testing, with Dr. Friedrich Schwerd once again taking a hand.

The new helmet was pressed from sheets of molybdenum steel in several stages. The size of the flared visor and skirt was reduced, and the large projecting lugs for the obsolete armor shield were eliminated. The ventilator holes were retained, but were set in smaller hollow rivets mounted to the helmet’s shell. The edges of the shell were rolled over, creating a smooth edge along the helmet. Finally, a completely new leather suspension, or liner, was incorporated that greatly improved the helmet’s safety, adjustability, and comfort for each wearer. These improvements made the new M1935 helmet lighter, more compact, and more comfortable to wear than the previous designs.

The Army’s Supreme Command officially accepted the new helmet on June 25, 1935 and it was intended to replace all other helmets in service.

The M1935 design was slightly modified in 1940 to simplify its construction, the manufacturing process now incorporating more automated stamping methods. The principal change was to stamp the ventilator hole mounts directly onto the shell, rather than utilizing separate fittings. In other respects, the M1940 helmet was identical to the M1935. The Germans still referred to the M1940 as the M1935, while the M1940 designation were given by collectors.