WWII US M1 Helmet – Unissued

Product Description: This is an absolutely outstanding, stone mint example of a 1944 production McCord M1 WWII US M1 Helmet , complete with its original and equally pristine International Molded Plastics (IMP) liner. This exceptional set remains in true unissued condition, preserved exactly as it would have left the factory during the final year of World War II. It is still housed in its original wartime packaging, complete with the rarely encountered cardboard spacers and protective inserts—an extraordinary survival in and of itself.

The helmet shell retains a flawless 100% of its original factory-applied OD7 finish, with rich texture from the cork aggregate still fully intact. The finish is virtually untouched, showing no signs of handling or wear, with just the slightest touch of verdigris to the buckle of the chinstrap—the only evidence of age. This minor reaction has caused a tiny loss of finish to the brass, but it remains completely superficial and does not detract from the piece’s untouched character. The fixed bale shell itself is a textbook late-war McCord, complete with factory khaki web chinstraps and correct cast brass hardware.

Even more impressive is the untouched IMP liner, which has never even been seated in the helmet shell. It remains in immaculate condition, with pristine webbing, an untouched nape strap, and clean, unblemished suspension. Every detail—from the manufacturer’s logo to the wartime contract markings—remains as crisp and vibrant as the day it was produced. The liner still has its original paper label attached, and the interior suspension shows absolutely no signs of wear or use.

Finding an WWII US M1 Helmet in this level of condition is nearly impossible today. The vast majority of surviving examples show at least some wear from issue, storage, or postwar handling. This set, however, is the exception—a true “time capsule” relic, preserved in stone mint, unissued condition. For the advanced collector or military museum curator, this represents one of the finest known examples of a late-war U.S. M1 combat helmet, and possibly one of the best-preserved sets in private hands. A rare opportunity to acquire a WWII US M1 Helmet truly untouched piece of World War II history.

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 This helmet was a replacement for the outdated 1917 pattern “Kelly” helmet, which saw only limited use very early in WWII.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.

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