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M18 Transitional Heer Helmet

Condition: Near Mint

Size: 64

Decal: Methner & Bürger

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Product Description: This is a stunning, top shelf example of an M18 Transitional Heer helmet. The level of preservation on this thing is incredible. The exterior is coated with a dark, gray-green paint, with a definite texture- a typical WWII reissue color. The paint is in excellent condition, at least 97 percent intact, showing very minor age and almost no wear. The decal on this helmet rates at an astounding 100 percent. It’s a gray lined, “Methner & Bürger” decal, commonly found on reissue helmets. Decals often did not adhere well to this type of textured reissue paint, and to find another one with a decal that is perfect like this, would be close to impossible. The interior of this helmet is also nearly perfect. There is no rust, and only a few minor marks on the interior paint. The original liner is intact, with a typical wartime zinc liner band. There is no chinstrap, and no indication that a chin strap was ever installed. In fact, there is no indication that this helmet was ever worn at all. The liner leather shows typical age toning but is completely intact and retains its original drawstring. The desirable M18 shell is a size 64. A true beauty of an M18 transitional Heer helmet, unissued, and truly deserving of the label “near mint.”

 

Historical Description: When the German Army first marched into war in 1914 it went to the front lines wearing the traditional “Picklehaube” helmets. The war soon developed to necessitate the need for an improved headgear to protect the wearer. The German Army developed the M16 helmet in 1915 and began issuing it in mass quantity to its fighting troops in 1916. The M16 underwent changes to bring about the next model, the M18. Both the M16 and M18 saw use by the German Army during WW1, as well as the interwar years by the Reichswehr and Freikorps. In 1931, a new liner system was developed. The M16 and M18 helmets were in mass supply right up to the time the Nazi Party took control of the German government. During Adolf Hitler’s rearming of the German military in the early 1930’s, the M16 and M18 helmets saw extensive refitting with the newer liner system, fresh paint, and the addition of a centralized decal system for the newly formed Wehrmacht’s respective branches. Decals were generally placed on each side of the helmet, one side being the branch and the other the national colors shield or party shield. In 1935, the M35 helmet was introduced. This new design was lighter and more streamlined than the older style helmets and is what the world now recognizes as the iconic helmet of the German Military. M35 helmets can most easily be identified from the separate rivet ventholes and rolled eadges. With the outbreak of war, some changes were made to bring in a new model, the M40. The changes made to this new model was the use of a more matte field grey finish and the vent holes were now integral to the helmets shell. In 1940, the national colors decals and party shields were ordered to be removed. It should be noted that many M35 helmets were brought up to date by repainting them with the matte field grey finish and/or other modifications if necessary. These refitted helmets are what collectors now term “reissue helmets”. The next model helmet to evolve was the M42. The model M42 has the same features of the M40 with the exception of the edges of the helmet not being rolled and remain flared. This was to speed up production and lower cost as the war dragged on and the German economy began changing to a total war economy. In 1943 all decals were ordered to be removed from combat helmets.

 

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