there are a lot of belgian, dutch , german /NATO post war shells that are slighly different to the m1's, i have one i believe is belgian, it has a slightly more pronounced lip at the back. no good for re-enacting but fine for airsoft.
there are a lot of belgian, dutch , german /NATO post war shells that are slighly different to the m1's, i have one i believe is belgian, it has a slightly more pronounced lip at the back. no good for re-enacting but fine for airsoft.
Could be a French M51?
All the various Nato shells ive had over the years have been basicaly the same as US made shells but are apparently shllower at the dome???
well, the m1 is definatly not the same as the m1c, as i tried fitting my m1c liner into my m1 and stands about in inch out because of the shell obviously wasnt the same. i THINK the m2 has the same liner as the m1c, its just the shaping at the back nd i think the bit at the front is more curved forwrd on the m1c, not sure but it seems like it on the sources that ive found
Tom.
Now a 'namsofter. I have an M72 L.A.W. for sale for 110 posted, PM if interested.
if you have a SOF liner, thats your problem, they are 1968-1980's ones and are crap. i bought a 101st helmet from SOF, the liner was nearly bigger than the shell, i had to dremmel about 15mm off it , and it is still too big, try getting a proper liner, see if thats better. i did and the difference was imediate.
Not sure what my helmet is, I picked up cheap at the war an peace show with some boots that look just like the US ones from some foreign blokes so im guessing its Dutch.
This is what it used to look like.
And after I did some work to make it look a bit more realistic from a distance, I plan to stick a helmet net on their so It looks a bit better, but im not realy bothered about the straps as US isnt my main focus atm eventualy il just replace the helmet all together but atm I think it does the job ok.
Another image of the back to add to the Shape debate, I think its slighley more curved at the bottom than US helmets and also the sides of the helmet are a bit shallower with less of a lip on the sides.
ive got a neuine nam liner in it, they look pretty similar to the ww2 ones apart from the inner webbing is a slight OD colour and not the tan colour, also DT, it looks as if youve got a nam M1 liner in there, purely because of the darker liner webbing, how much did you pay for it? and that would be idel for rangers ect and starter for airborne. 
and by the colouring of the helmet and lack of cork it does look like a nam helmet. not overly sure though.
Tom.
Now a 'namsofter. I have an M72 L.A.W. for sale for 110 posted, PM if interested.
the shell looks like my spare shell. if you look at the pics from carantan, there is a guy there with the big liner/sticking below the shell problem . again i will hazard a guess it SOF.
Looks like a 'Nam liner to me too, or possibly Korean.
The back looks a little distorted by the angle of the photo. I'd need to see it from the side really.
Its Korean, its the exact same as mine, and mine is one from the dutch, rear seam jobbie. Pretty much the same as WW2 as we know. the Nam helmet is different and the liner may be different as the lid was shallower.
Both front and rear seam helmets are from the WW2 era. It's bloody hard to know really, especially if they have been refurbished for use later.
If it's a front seam it's definitely pre-43 though.
so is the nam m1c the same as the 2ww one?
Now a 'namsofter. I have an M72 L.A.W. for sale for 110 posted, PM if interested.
i have put a close weave 1/4 " holes net on my spare shell and it looks fine. looks like the ones in kellys heroes.
so is the nam m1c the same as the 2ww one?
dont think so,,,,,,,,,,,,,, hang on,, STEVE!!!! 
No. The main changes were to the liners.
The shell's shape has remained unchanged.
The M1C is defined as such by the extra webbing and chinstraps that are needed for para drops and the swivel bales which were replaced. In many cases the D bales on the M2s were filed off and swivel bales were welded on. Hence M2s are rare as the Pope's prophylactics.
Here's a little order of history:
M1 - 1941-43: Fixed bales which were squared off.
M2 - 1942-44: Modified M1 for paras with rounded fixed bales (D shape, hence the name D bales)
M1C - 1944 on: Swivel baled para helmet
M1 Swivel - 1943-44: As the earlier M1 but with swivel bales.
This from the Toppots website: "As far as airborne troops, there has been much debate concerning when the swivel bale paratrooper helmet became widely used. Because official QMC catalogue designation does not officially list "Airborne M-1C" until January 1945 some feel that this type of helmet was not used in the Normandy Campaign (photographic evidence seems to back this statement).
Physical evidence (in the form of original pieces) shows that airborne modified helmets with both fixed and swivel chinstrap loops were certainly in circulation towards the end of 1944."
Korean, Nam and other later war helmets can be identified by the dark green chin straps and 'clunk-click' buckle closing mechanisms as well as fabric liner chin straps.
In short if you have a helmet shell that has a stainless steel rim (identifiable by the shininess!) and front seam on the rim and D bales* with the straps sewn on then you know that it's probably pre-'43 (or refurbished to look like that). Anything with swivel bales and rear seam is post-'43. If your shell has a chin strap that has metal clips attaching them to the bales then they're VERY late war, and probably post war. (Korea or Nam)
*FYI, bales are the bits that the chin straps attach to.
Have a look at the website that I previous linked to, plus http://www.toppots.net .
S
So my helmet is Korean or NAM era? if it helps the straps I have wrapped around the back of the helmet are the same ones that came with it and they are different to US WW2 ones.
the easy and cheap solution is to buy a dutch liner from SOF ( apparently after ww2 they bought a helmet jig from america, ) the only difference( apart from the price) is the dutch ones are blue webbing not green. but they fit any shell. if memory serves me they are about 15 quid.
You still got yours then scaley? I thought ud transferred perminantly to the brit's?
You see I was going to order a Yanky-doodle helmet today, but now you have just all gone and scared me with you wars... and your post wars... and your linings... and your... your colors! 
So I got me a jeep cap instead. 
IIIIII'll deal with the helmet later.
for airsoft it really doesnt matter................with a net on, and some mud, they all look the same from 5ft away.
for airsoft it really doesnt matter................with a net on, and some mud, they all look the same from 5ft away.
Meh, hice to be nice though
