Helmet Help!

[History44]

Hello all!
I have a question for anyone who can answer it. I recently came into the possession of a German helmet from the war, and am having trouble identifying it. I think that it is an M-1942 series, but it has the letters M-1943 on the inside. Can anyone help me out?
Thanks so much!
regards,
History44

[Mooyman]

You mean batch numbers?

[Steffen]

M42 helmets were produced since 1942 till the end of war, so it's allright. Is it stamped on the liner?

Best regards,
Steffen

[History44]

Yes. Its stamped on the lining inside. Is it just the year it was made?
Thanks so much!

[Steffen]

Yes, you're right, it's the year in which one the helmet was produced (or, in this case, the liner). It could be, that there were different years stamped in the shell and on the liner- maybe one of both pieces laid a few months or years in a military arsenal.

The shells were only stamped with the producer and the shell size and the "Losnummer"- the serial number ; for example: Q64 4568= Producer "Quist", shell size 64, serial number 4568/ ET66= Eisenhütte Thale, shell size 66. etc. etc..

The liner was stamped with the year of its production, the producer and the place of its production, for example "B&C Litzmannstadt, 1943 and also the helmet/head size (66 shellsize/59 headsize).

All the best,
Steffen

[History44]

It also has the number "53" inside. Any idea what that refers to?
Thanks,
Regards,
History 44

[Peiper]

It also has the number "53" inside. Any idea what that refers to?
Thanks,
Regards,
History 44

That would probably be the shell size as far as i know, on mine it said 57 ??

[Mooyman]

Yes. Its stamped on the lining inside. Is it just the year it was made?
Thanks so much!

Are you sure it's a 100% wartime liner?

I have seen postwar liners with m-1943.....

[Sheikh Al Stranghi]

Posting a few photographs would be best, History44.

[Steffen]

It also has the number "53" inside. Any idea what that refers to?
Thanks,
Regards,
History 44

That would probably be the shell size as far as i know, on mine it said 57 ??

The smallest shell size is '60', for the headsizes 52/ 53, Pipes.
If your leather is stamped with 57, you probably have a '64' shell.

The largest, known common shell size is 70, but it's proven, that there were a few helmets, which had a '74' size... giant helmet shells.

Best regards,
Steffen

[Mooyman]

[/quote]The largest, known common shell size is 70, but it's proven, that there were a few helmets, which had a '74' size... giant helmet shells[/quote]

That size will fit only Dart-Vader himself i quess.
Must be huge,mabe they made them at special order(s).

[sapper44]

Size 74 would look something like this: