Original World War Two German Heer M40 Single Decal Helmet Complete with Liner and Chinstrap and a very interesting decal…
All original WWII German Heer Single Decal M40 Helmet factory stamped NS66 indicating production by Vereinigte Deutsche Nikelwerke, Schwerte with a large desirable size 66 and a factory batch number DN64. The decal on this helmet is very interesting since the hue is a deep shimmery gold which looks Kriegsmarine, but as far as we know; the NS factory never produced helmets for the Kriegsmarine. The split pins are tight and original to the helmet as we can see in the photos they match the exterior patina. The leather is still flexible although cracked in some areas and has darkened over time due to oiling. The liner band is dated 1941 and the helmet shell has a faint inspection stamp or “dome stamp” which is quite uncommon to see, and although hardly legible it reads; Abgenommen, Wehrmacht-Beschaffungsamt u. Ausrustung, Abnahmestelle - Schwerte. Since the NS factory was in Schwerte.
In early 1915, the French army introduced the first "modern" steel helmets, followed shortly by the British army later that year. With experimental helmets in the field, plans on the drawing board, and some captured French and British helmets, the German army conducted tests for their own steel helmet at the Kummersdorf Proving Grounds in November and in the field in December 1915. After approving an acceptable design, production began at Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz 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 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 an effort to reduced construction time and labor costs minor modifications were introduced in March 1940 resulting in the M40 helmet. Further construction modifications were undertaken in August 1942 resulting in the M42 helmet. Originally the Third Reich national tricolor helmet decal was introduced on March 14th 1933 for wear on the left side of the helmet to replace the Reichswehr era state shield insignia. Regulations of February 17th 1934 introduced the Wehrmacht eagle decal and the national tricolor decal was shifted to the right side of the helmet with the Wehrmacht eagle decal positioned on the left hand side. Regulations of March 21st 1940 dictated that the national tri-color decal was to be removed from all helmets and further regulations of August 28th 1943 abolished the Wehrmacht eagle decal and dictated that it was also to be removed from all helmets although the directives were not completely adhered to.
