Original U.S. WWI 1918 Model 5A Experimental Helmet with Liner & Partial Chinstrap - Only Dean Experimental Helmet to be Combat Tested

Original Item. Only One Available. From the outset of the war, the United States came to realize that its Brodie style helmet, modeled after the British design, insufficiently protected the wearer. To develop an improved helmet, the U.S. turned to Dr. Bashford Dean, curator of arms and armor at the Metropolitan Museum in New York City. In turn, Dean developed a series of 15 numbered prototype helmets. The Model No. 5, "was considered by Dean to be the most successful in terms of its defensive qualities, functionality, wearability, and practicality for mass production". Furthermore, the Model No. 5 was the only of Dean’s experimental helmets to see actual combat testing in France.

In 1918, the Model No. 5 underwent combat testing in France. To Dean's disappointment, the design was ultimately rejected by the U.S. due to its overall similarity to the silhouette of the German Stahlhelm. This is one of just a few surviving examples produced by the Hale and Kilburn Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This particular example is often referred to as the Model 5A, due to its full-leather liner and leather chinstrap, as opposed to the metal-band leather liner and fabric chinstrap of the Model 5.

The helmet is in great overall condition and does appear to have seen service. The helmet retains its original olive drab factory paint and textured finish. There is some heavy staining to the exterior finish with some loss of the texture in spots from sitting on its dome for so long.

The helmet’s interior retains its original leather liner band along with all three original liner pads and their pillows. However, one of the three pads is very weak and almost entirely detached from the liner band, but it’s still hanging on by its ends. The leather on all three pads is rather raw with some of the color coming off onto the hand when touching it. The original leather chinstrap is present, however it has broken in two, but the two ends are still fully attached to the chinstrap bales. The liner and chinstraps of 5A helmets are much weaker than that of the Model 5 due to the 5A being entirely leather construction. This also makes it much more difficult to find 5A Helmets with their original liner and chinstrap.

This is a tremendous example which will still display very well but will require some protection for the weak liner. Overall a very nice example of one of the most rare helmets from the Great War Era, and the only Dean Experimental helmet to have seen combat testing! Comes ready for further research and display.