Original German WWII M35 Mediterranean Camouflage Helmet Original Items

Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is what we all look for and can never find; an incredible 100% authentic Mediterranean Camouflage Model 1935 German  Helmet!

Original WWII German M-35 Double Decal Painted Camouflage Helmet U.S. Veteran Bring Back In Original Untouched Condition. The sheet steel construction helmet retains about 70% of its original over painted green and tan (dunkelgelb) paint. The left side of the helmet has a shadow of an outline of a Wehrmacht eagle decal which is painted over. The right side of the helmet at one time has a shadow of an outline of the national tri-color decal that is painted over. The overpaint is what is known as a “Mediterranean two color tan and green pattern”. All three liner retaining rivets and both inserted ventilation bushings are all intact. The interior of the helmet has a worn and damaged but mostly complete M31 leather liner. The reverse, interior, neck guard apron and apron above the left ear have very slight traces of batch number and manufacturer code with size, both are covered with paint and age. Shell size is 62. A wonderful condition true worn and combat used M35. Brought home by a U.S. Veteran. For the collector who wants the very best. A true investment grade helmet.

The Mediterranean and Middle East Theatre was a major theatre of operations during the Second World War. The vast size of the Mediterranean and Middle East theatre saw interconnected naval, land, and air campaigns fought for control of the Mediterranean, North Africa, the Horn of Africa, the Middle East and Southern Europe. The fighting in this theatre lasted from 10 June 1940, when Italy entered the war on the side of Germany, until 2 May 1945 when all Axis forces in Italy surrendered.

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 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.