Original Item: Only One Available. This is a lovely all original example Model 1935 German WWII "double decal" helmet with a Luftwaffe Eagle decal on the left side, and a "National Colors" decal on the right. The use of the second decal was discontinued in 1940, and in 1943 it was ordered that helmets with the national colors have them removed, so finding a helmet with both still intact is a real treat!

This stamped sheet steel construction helmet retains 90+% of the original correct smooth semi-gloss blue-gray Luftwaffe fliegerblau (flyer's blue) used on early helmets, which would later become textured, and is in very good condition overall. There are some scuffs and scrapes consistent with service wear, as well as a bit of wear through, but there is no major damage. It also is a bit darker in color than we usually see. The National Colors decal is retained at about 80%, with checking from age and some wear through. The Luftwaffe decal is retained at about 75%, showing some wear and a lot of checking and crazing in the insignia. Both have had the enamel top coat yellow and crack, giving them a great aged look!

The reverse, interior, neck guard apron is batch number stamped 1406 and the interior, left side, apron has a stamped manufacturer's code and size, Q66. This indicates it was manufactured by F.W. Quist G.m.b.H in Esslingen, Germany in size 66. This is a nice large size that can accommodate size 58cm and 59cm liners, or 7 1/4 - 7 3/8 US. Shells of this large size are harder to find, and more valuable to a collector. Above the size marking the name << SERRA HEINRICH >> has been added, but we do not know if this is WWII Period or later. Usually during WWII paint was used to name German helmets.

All three liner split pins are still intact, and retain much of the original dark gray blue smooth paint on the exterior. The helmet still has an M31 liner installed, but it definitely looks to have been reworked, probably late during the war when supplies were dwindling. It looks like the leather from a larger size liner was fit onto a smaller band, so there is no stitching at the rear, and there are actually NINE fingers, along with an intact top tie. The leather has matured to a lovely chestnut brown color, and is in very good condition, still supple with minimal tearing, though the stitching at the rear is missing. The outer side of the galvanized steel liner band is marked 64 n.A / 56, indicating that it is a size 56 liner for a size 64 shell. This is not the right size liner band for this shell, which is why it is loose in place. It may be that they had someone who took a size 56, and they modified this helmet to work. Definitely some interesting research potential.

The right side of the band displays the full manufacture information, as well as a date, though the top line is hard to read due to oxidation:

B. & C.
BERLIN
1941

This liner was made by Biedermann & Czarnikow, a German company who later moved operations to Łódź in occupied Poland to take advantage of the slave labor in the ghetto located there. NSDAP authorities renamed Łódź to Litzmannstadt in honor of the German General Karl Litzmann who had captured the city in the previous World War.

The attached chinstrap is in good service used condition, and we were unfortunately not able to locate any markings on it. It has the mid to late war galvanized steel hardware, so it may be original, or a period replacement.

Overall a fantastic 100% genuine double decal Luftwaffe helmet, ready to research and  display! We do not get helmets like these very often at all. This is an item that will only continue to appreciate in value over time!

The first "modern" steel helmets were introduced by the French army in early 1915 and were shortly followed by the British army later that year. With plans on the drawing board, experimental helmets in the field, ("Gaede" helmet), and some captured French and British helmets the German army began tests for their own steel helmet at the Kummersdorf Proving Grounds in November, and in the field in December 1915. An acceptable pattern was developed and approved and production began at Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz, (Iron and Foundry Works), in the spring of 1916.

These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. The M16 and M18 helmets remained in usage through-out the Weimar Reichswehr, (National Defence Force, Circa 1919-1933), era and on into the early years of the Third Reich until the development of the smaller, lighter M35 style helmet in June 1935.

The Luftwaffe pattern national eagle was originally introduced for wear by Fliegerschaft, (Pilot Base), personnel of the DLV, Deutscher Luftsportsverband, (German Air Sports Association), the clandestine, civilian, forerunner of the Luftwaffe on August 18TH 1934, and adopted for wear by the Luftwaffe on March 1ST 1935 along with the national tri-color shield for wear on the helmet.

The first pattern national eagle was utilized until a modified second pattern eagle was introduced in late 1936 or early 1937. Regulations of June 12TH 1940 discontinued the use of the national tri-color decal and further regulations of August 28TH 1943 abolished the national eagle decal and dictated that it was also to be removed from all helmets although the directives were not completely adhered to.