Original German WWII M42 Service Worn Single Decal Army Heer Helmet with Replica Chinstrap – EF66 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice all original service worn example of a German Model 42 Steel helmet shell, as issued to the Wehrmacht Heer (army). This stamped sheet steel construction helmet retains 75% of its original paint, with overall wear consistent with long use in service. There are also some areas completely missing the paint. The left side of the helmet features a very nice Heer eagle decal. The decal is retained about 70%, with some areas chipped out with the paint, however the silver color is still very vibrant. This is a very nice example of the M42 helmet shell, with great looking decal, and a great look!

On the under side of the rear skirt, the shell has a stamped manufacturer’s code and size EF64 over heat lot 4630, indicating it was manufactured by Emaillierwerke AG, of Fulda, Germany. Later in the war, all markings were moved to the rear of the shell, and some makers switched to three letter codes, but Fulda did not. Size 66 is a nice larger size that can accommodate liners from 58cm to 59cm or US 7 1/4 to 7 5/8. Size 66 shells are harder to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector.

All three liner retaining pins are intact, with most of their original paint still present. The interior of the helmet still has the original M31 leather liner with seven of eight fingers intact, however overall the leather is quite degraded. It looks to have been exposed to some type of grease, which over time has caused the surface to crack and shrink away from the under layer of the leather. The original top tie is still present, however it has torn through most of the fingers. The late war issue galvanized steel liner band is marked on the left outer side with 66 nA / 58, indicating that the liner is a size 58, intended for a 66 shell.

It is also maker marked and dated faintly on the other side:

Metall-Lederverarbeitung W.Z.
1943
Bln.- Ch’burg 5

This indicates production by the metal and leather working company Werner Zahn, based in Berlin – Charlottenburg, in the year 1943, which fits right into the late war period. The chin strap is present, however it is a post war replica with replicated RBNr. markings and an aluminum buckle. It is in good condition, and has now been on the helmet for some time.

Overall an very nice Service Worn M42 Single Decal Heer Army helmet, with loads of patina! M42 helmets of this quality are always the hardest to find on the market. This is an item that will only continue to appreciate in value over time.

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.

The last wartime upgrade to the standard helmet took place on 6 July 1942 at the request of the Army High Command. The rolled edge found on M1935 and M1940 helmets was discontinued as a measure of economy. On 1 August 1942 the first M1942 helmets were placed into production, and this was the model produced until late in the war, when most factories were captured or stood idle due to material shortages.