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When the Nazi party took control of Germany in the early thirties, they
immediately set out to strengthen their military. The German combat helmet from
WWI was still used as the standard helmet with the addition of a new
liner system known as the M31 or model 1931. It replaced the old
3-pad liner system with an "eight fingered" leather suspension.
Decals were also added to the helmets to denote branch of service.
As the Germans geared up for eventual war, they refined the WWI German helmet
to make it lighter and more comfortable to wear. The M35 helmet was
introduced in 1935 and used the M31 liner system. It was the first WWII German Helmet
widely used for combat. It was shorter from top to
bottom than the WWI German Helmet to give the wearer more mobility. The
air vents/lugs were replaced with a rivet style air vent on each side.
In the early stages of the war, the WWII German Helmet underwent a very small
modification which cut down on production time and costs. The air vents
were stamped directly into the metal instead of being separate rivets.
Also, the practice of placing the national tri-color shield on the helmet was
discontinued. To aid with camouflage, the finish of the helmet was more of
a mat finish.
The final WWII German Helmet modification took place in 1942 and therefore named the M42
helmet. It had the same characteristics as the M40 helmet with one major
difference. The edge along the bottom was no longer crimped inward.
It was left as a raw edge that flared out. An order was also given which
stated that decals should no longer be used. This regulation was not always
followed, thus many M42 helmets will have a decal on one side.
Click on the following pictures to view the different
models up close.
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