WW2 British Airborne Helmet - Fibre Rim 1942

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British Airborne 1942 dated Fibre Rim Helmet Up for sale we have an extremely rare MK1, British Airborne 1942 dated Fibre Rim Helmet (HSAT). This is a very rare opportunity to be able to obtain the scarcest of all British Airborne helmets and one of the most sought after items of British Airborne Militaria. Any WW2 dated British Airborne Helmet is highly desirable, but obtaining a fibre rim model has become somewhat impossible. This model has become so sought after that even top dealers very seldom obtain one for resale, and when they do, they already have a long waiting list and therefore are sold instantly without being offered on the open market or sold privately within fellow collecting circles. Background History . . . Helmet, steel, airborne troops 1942. Production of this helmet started on 24 June 1942. On 5th July, 5,000 pieces were delivered. Production ended in October 1942. The helmet remained in service throughout WW2 and was commonly worn for Operation Market Garden during the famous battle of Arnhem in September 1944 by both the British and Polish Airborne Forces. Now for the Helmet . . . . Chinstraps: The chinstraps are the very early type being the nice early ‘ stitched ‘ version (as opposed to the later riveted type) complete with brass grommets with the nice early chamois leather lined ‘ formed Chin Cup ’. The black leather is in great supple condition with no cracking and displays consistent wear with the rest of the helmet. The usual two brass D-rings are present to the left side chinstrap (of the wearer's head) allowing the chinstrap assembly to be secured during Parachute Jumps and battle conditions. Paint Finish: The original early non – glare textured paintwork is in very good condition, again consistent with the wear of the rest of the helmet. There are however a few grazes and marks to the outer shell as to be expected for a helmet of 69 years old and having been worn in combat. These however are by no means detrimental and only adds to the character of the piece. The defining feature – the 1" fibre rim is complete, non-brittle and secure to the perimeter of the helmet and has never been removed. Liner: The liner consists of the classic four cloth strap assembly linked by its original draw cord. The original Crown Pad is present and secured in place to the crown of the helmet. Another lovely feature is the rare ‘ Yellow ’ Sorbo cushioning is in great supple condition remaining tight to the inside of the shell with no shrinkage. The Liner is clearly stamped BMB, size 6 3/4 and clearly dated 1942. All leather to the liner is in good supple condition with no brittleness. The famous ‘yellow blob’ is also present as with most early fibre rim Airborne helmets. Helmet Net: Another rare and desirable feature of this helmet is that it retains it’s very early helmet Net (known by some as the ‘shrimp net’) complete with its original SCRIM woven throughout. These early nets are extremely rare and were commonly worn on the Early Fibre Rim Helmets. - You can clearly see the wear to the shell / rim is consistent with where the net has worn away/ missing - A really nice touch! Thick cord has also been woven through the net directly above the Fibre Rim, thus securing the net closely in position. This was a common practise amongst Airborne Troops and can be seen in many period photographs. As an alternative, other troops fitted the Fibre rim over the net, either method proved effective when securing the helmet net during parachute jumps etc. Such items are not just a pleasure to own and display, they also offer a fantastic investment opportunity as these helmets continue to rise in price (rapidly) by the year. As previously mentioned, this is the ‘Classic’ WW2 British Airborne Helmet, worn during all Airborne battles of WW2 and can be seen in many period photographs of Arnhem and Normandy to name a few. PLEASE NO... read more

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