Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice all original example Model 1940 German WWII helmet with a single Luftwaffe Eagle decal. This stamped sheet steel construction helmet retains about 90% of the original lightly textured Luftwaffe Blue-Gray paint overcoat, and shows light wear throughout. This was definitely a helmet that saw use during the war, and has a great patina. There are some areas that have flaked away. The interior has faired a bit worse, as it was not repainted with the textured coat, with rust around the rolled edge, and speckling on the inside. It definitely looks to have been in a barn or garage for some time. The decal is still present and retained at about 80%, with some areas chipped out. If you were looking for a nice looking helmet for your collection, this is it!

The reverse, interior, neck guard apron is serial number stamped 01444 and the interior, left side, apron has the stamped manufacturer's code and size,< SE66 indicating that it was manufactured by Sächsische Emaillier und Stanzwerke A.G. of Lauter, Germany. Size 66 is a nice large size that can accommodate liners from 58cm to 59cm or US 7 1/4 to 7 3/8. Size 66 shells are the hardest to find and are therefore more valuable to a collector.

All three original liner retaining pins are intact and still retain some of the original paint. They were removed when the helmet had the textured paint added, so they are smooth. The interior of the helmet still has an original M31 leather liner with all eight fingers present, however the leather is in delicate condition, with some tearing already. There is definitely a lot of overall staining and a lot of flaking around the edges. The outer side of the galvanized steel liner band over the left ear is marked 66 n.A / 58, indicating that this is a size 58 liner for a size 66 shell. There is also a clear 58 stamped on the leather itself. The other side of the band has the full manufacture marking and date:

This liner was made by Biedermann & Czarnikow, a German company who 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 chin strap bales are still present, however most of the original chin strap is missing, with just a few inches left in total, with pieces attached to each side.

Overall a nice condition genuine M40 Single Decal Luftwaffe helmet, with a lovely patina! 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.

In 1934 tests began on an improved Stahlhelm, whose design was a development of World War I models. The Eisenhüttenwerke company of Thale carried out prototype design and testing, with Dr. Friedrich Schwerd once again taking a hand.

The new helmet was pressed from sheets of molybdenum steel in several stages. The size of the flared visor and skirt was reduced, and the large projecting lugs for the obsolete armor shield were eliminated. The ventilator holes were retained, but were set in smaller hollow rivets mounted to the helmet's shell. The edges of the shell were rolled over, creating a smooth edge along the helmet. Finally, a completely new leather suspension, or liner, was incorporated that greatly improved the helmet's safety, adjustability, and comfort for each wearer. These improvements made the new M1935 helmet lighter, more compact, and more comfortable to wear than the previous designs.

The Army's Supreme Command officially accepted the new helmet on June 25, 1935 and it was intended to replace all other helmets in service.

The M1935 design was slightly modified in 1940 to simplify its construction, the manufacturing process now incorporating more automated stamping methods. The principal change was to stamp the ventilator hole mounts directly onto the shell, rather than utilizing separate fittings. In other respects, the M1940 helmet was identical to the M1935. The Germans still referred to the M1940 as the M1935, while the M1940 designation were given by collectors.