Original German WWII Complete Bakelite & Metal Hand-Crank Air Raid Siren by Helin - Handsirene - Dated 1940

Original Item: Only One Available. Made in approximately 1940, this is a World War II German hand-crank air raid siren (Handsirene). The chopper, stator, and rear housing are made of Bakelite, while the horn is steel, the handle is wood, and the other components are aluminum. It was constructed from a wonderful dark brown bakelite and still partially functions by emitting a loud noise when cranked, although there are some heavy condition issues.

The sound damper is broken on this example and needs to be moved by hand, with a piece of wire holding it in place. There is heavy oxidation to the steel "horn" and aluminum body, as well as some paint loss. There is also heavy deformation to the siren "dish" or horn around the main body.

There are definitely internal issues on this example, as the cranking doesn’t appear to produce the entire desired sound.

The reverse is maker marked HELIN in a circle, and below it has a very faint serial number and date, the latter being 1940. The folding handle is wooden, not bakelite. Only the front speaker and back housing of this example appears to be bakelite.

This is a very rare hard to find piece which needs some restoration. The handle turns with some effort, and the siren is somewhat loud. Definitely a great addition to any WWII collection!