M1 Hawley Liner Helmet – Fixed Bale

Product Description: This M1 Hawley Liner Helmet is a really nice set. The shell is a WWII fixed bale type, with a front seam. The exterior retains nearly all of the original wartime cork textured olive drab paint. The paint shows age and light wear, with scattered marks, a typical patina and some minor chipping around the rim. The helmet is decorated with some graffiti, with three stars painted on the front and “Gen. Smitty” on the side. The letters “I-22” are neatly stenciled on the back, in white paint which shows typical age. There is a hairline crack at the rear of the shell. The web chin strap has blackened metal fittings and is complete and intact. This helmet is complete with an early, desirable Hawley type liner. The exterior of the liner retains all of the original fabric covering, with “47” stenciled on the front and “I-22” (matching the shell) on the back. There is some rust staining to the fabric.  The inside of the liner is complete and correct, with a fully intact leather chinstrap and a Hawley type sweatband. The liner components show light wear and age. This M1 Hawley Liner Helmet is a unique and interesting example of a helmet type that is becoming increasingly hard to find. The condition is excellent.

Historical Description: The US military adopted the M1 helmet in 1941, near the outbreak of WWII. This helmet was a replacement for the outdated 1917 pattern “Kelly” helmet, which saw only limited use very early in WWII. WWII production M1 helmets featured a rim around the edge, made of a separate steel strip, with the seam in the front. Early helmets had chin strap bales that were fixed, and simple wire fittings that were brazed into place. Later wartime production helmets had a more complex “swivel bale” chin strap attachment system. The M1 helmet had a removable liner, initially made of a pressed composite material with a cloth color, later replaced with a more rigid liner made out of a plastic material that did not have a cloth cover. The shell itself was made to be one size fits all, and was made by only two manufacturers, while the liners were made by a variety of different companies. For camouflage purposes, the United States Marine Corps issued a cloth cover for this helmet, while the US Army generally used a helmet net for this purpose. M1 helmets existed in a variety of paint finishes, including gray helmets for US Navy use, and were further customized with a variety of indicators such as rank or unit assignment.

We are the leading team of military antique specialists. We have specialized in military antiques for over 25 years.

Epic Artifacts offers free evaluations and the highest prices available for your collectibles.

We purchase single items, entire collections, or family estates.

Click the link here to learn more: Free Evaluation or Inquiries 

or feel free to email us directly: info@epicartifacts.com