Original German WWII Battlefield Dug Luftwaffe Double Decal M35 Relic Helmet Shell with Liner Band Remnants – Size 64 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 Luftwaffe Air Force “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 65cm around, so it is a 64cm shell. The original maker and size markings over the left ear are covered with rust and dirt concretions, while the heat lot 3893 under the rear skirt is still visible. It also still has all three liner pins present, with remnants of the original steel liner band. Please consult the pictures for the fine details of the current state of the helmet shell.

In spite of the condition of the helmet, we can still see clearly that this is a “Double decal” helmet with a Luftwaffe Eagle decal on the left side, and a “National Colors” decal on the right. 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, so this helmet was apparently lost and buried before that point. It also looks like it may have had textured paint added over the original paint, which flaked off in some areas.

Overall a very interesting genuine “Battlefield Dug Up” Luftwaffe Air Force “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.