"In war there is no second prize for the runner-up."
- General Omar Bradley
The Army M1 helmet was standardized on April 30th, 1941 and was approved on June 9th, 1941. It was of two-piece design with an outer Hadfield steel shell and a separate inner liner containing the suspension system. Following adoption of the M1 helmet, the Ordnance Department retained development and procurement of the outer steel shell and the Quartermaster Department made development and production progress of the inner liner and suspension system.
Each M-1 helmet shell was stamped from a single sheet of manganese steel. The helmet has a chin strap "bail" or "bale" -- a rectangular wire loop -- on each side attached with either a hinge or welded directly to the helmet. A second component was the M-1941 helmet liner, a removable inner helmet constructed of resin-impregnated cotton canvas. The liner had an internal, adjustable suspension system and its own leather chin strap so it could be worn without the steel shell for duty that did not involve combat or combat training.
The steel outer helmet had a chin strap made of of cotton webbing attached using the bail, its only attachment. The chinstrap was often left undone (or buckeled on the back of the helmet) with the unfounded idea that the force of an explosion could catch the helmet cause injury from the jerk of the chinstrap. Although the interior suspension system of the liner was adjustable and would keep the helmet on the soldier's head even without the chinstrap, there were times when an unstrapped soldier would have to hold his helmet on by hand. Commanders had to order the men to fasten their chinstraps at all times.
Pictured here is a US M1 Combat helmet worn by members of the 101st Airborne's 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment. Comes with black lacquer bust. Now in stock!
Dimensions:
•Height 4.5 inches from base of bust to crown
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