Original Item: One of a Kind. Just found behind a wall in an attic!! This is a genuine German WWII M38 Luftwaffe Fallschirmjäger (Paratrooper) size 56-68 Helmet Liner. We received it partly installed into a very nice Helmet shell (offered separately), however it did not fit in at all, because it was too large for the size 66 shell. Paratrooper liners have a lot of padding and take up much more room than the standard M-31 liner, so they typically fit a liner around 12cm smaller than the shell. So, here we offer this lovely size 56 liner, ready to fit into a size 68 shell with the correct attachment nuts.
The size 56 is stamped on the top of the liner leather, while the outer aluminum band is stamped 68, the size shell it fits into. It is also marked with the same information inside a box on the liner interior:
Kopfweite Gr. 56
Stahlhaube Nr. 68
“Kopfweite Grosse” means “Head Width” and “Stahlhaube Nr.” means “Steel Hood/Shell Number”. On the other half of the liner is the full makers name and address:
Karl Heisler
BERLIN C.2
D.R.G.M.a,
The overall condition of the liner is very good, especially considering the age. Liners such as this are EXTREMELY RARE. The leather is still supple, with no major issues, just some light wear and cracking around the edges. The Aluminum Band is in good shape as well, with the stitching attaching the leather and rubber padding to the band in good shape. The rubber itself, as expected, has gotten quite hard over the past 70+ years, but is not crumbling or degrading.
This would be absolutely perfect for a nice paratrooper shell that has lost it’s original liner. Spare liners are nearly impossible to find on the market, so act quickly before this is gone!