WW1 German M. 18 Steel Helmet (Mod. 1918 Stahlhelm) Camouflaged Shell

A FIRST WORLD WAR CAMOUFLAGED GERMAN M18 STAHLHELM (STEEL HELMET) SIZE 64 SHELL MANUFACTURED BY. STAMPED ON THE SKIRT K. This is a very good example of a First War German Mod.

1918 Stahlhelm painted in a three. The manufacturers code stamped into the right hand forward neck guard is K. Indicating that it was manufactured by. As a size 64 shell. No crown number is visible.

German Model 1916 steel helmet which was introduced into the service with the forces of the German Empire in 1916 (hence the designation). It was designed primarily by two men, Frederich Schwerd and Dr. August Bier to protect soldiers heads from fragments and shrapnel injuries.

As Chad Compton in his excellent Axis History online article records: The designs for the Model 1916 were drawn up in September 1915. By December of that year, the M1916 was being used by a Sturm (Assault) battalion for trial purposes. The mass production of the'Stahlhelm' began January 1916 and it was widely distributed to soldiers in the Imperial German Field Army on the western front. 16 was replaced by the improved M. 18 in 1918, of which this is an excellent example, but the wars end meant that relatively few of the new type were issued.

1916 Stahlhelm does show evidence of use and has a heavily weathered patina, particularly inside the crown. Both lugs are still in place and serviceable although the chinstrap and lining are missing. There is surface rust and pitting on the inside and outside of the shell but overall the helmet is very sound. The paint is in good condition with some wear and characteristically it appears to have been overpainted at least twice. I have owned the helmet since 2005 and it has not been repainted, restored or refurbished since. The paint is worn in places and is marked by old surface oxidization; there is evidence of a base grey/green paint finish beneath both the camouflage pattern on the exterior and interior of the shell. Who only produced Size 64 shells. The crown is not stamped with a production number number.

This listing for interest is a period photograph showing a German rifle section all of who are wearing similar camouflaged. From Australia, a good example of the scarce and highly sought after. First World War German Mod. It is similar to a number held in the collection of the Australian War Memorial which can be viewed online at.

The items I list on ANZACBLADE e-bay are not dual listed on my website. Please note that on request I've measured the outside of the shell and this hemet is a Size 66. That indicates that it could not have been produced by.

Given the difficulty of determining who the maker is from the stamp on the inside of the helmet skirt (see picture) I'll leave the atribution open. The item "WW1 German M. 1918 Stahlhelm) Camouflaged Shell" is in sale since Thursday, February 23, 2017.

This item is in the category "Collectables\Militaria\1914 - 1918 (WWI)". The seller is "anzacblade" and is located in Griffith, ACT. This item can be shipped worldwide.

• Authenticity: Original
• Country: Germany
• Campaign: World War I
• Product Type: Helmets
• Era: 1910s

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