Original U.S. WWII McCord M1 Front Seam Fixed Bale Helmet with Firestone Liner & Helmet Net

Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of a genuine WWII Front-Seam Fixed Bale M1 Helmet made by McCord Radiator, fitted with a very nice liner by Firestone. The U.S. WWII M-1 helmet was only produced from 1941 to 1945. The first production batch resulted with over 323,510 M-1 helmets before the start of the American involvement in the war. There is a very faint heat stamp reading 80D, one of the lowest we have ever seen, for a very early manufacture date.

The Ordnance Department selected McCord Radiator and Manufacturing Company of Detroit Michigan to produce the steel M1 helmet bodies. These bodies were made from a single piece of Hadfield Manganese steel that was produced by the Carnegie-Illinois & Sharon Steel Corporations. Each completed raw M-1 helmet shell weighed 2.25 lbs each.

This very good condition M1 shell has correct early war fixed chinstrap loops, called "bales," and a stainless steel rim with a front fully welded seam. These rims were both rust resistant and had "non-magnetic qualities" that reduced the chance of error readings when placed around certain sensitive equipment (such as a compass). In November 1944 the specification was changed to have the rim seam in the rear of the helmet. The chinstrap is the early stamped brass example in khaki. There is a white paint marking on the interior shell but it appears newer than WWII.

The liner is correct “high pressure” WWII issue and stamped with an F logo over F2 for the FIRESTONE TIRE & RUBBER COMPANY. Manufactured in Akron, Ohio this “high pressure” manufactured M-1 helmet liner is identified by an embossed “F” in the crown. Firestone Tire and Rubber Company started M-1 helmet liner delivery to the US Army in September 1942. They produced approximately 7,500,000 M-1 helmet liners and discontinued production around August 17 1945 when the war ended.

This true US WWII M-1 helmet liner can be identified through the frontal eyelet hole. Other correct WWII features include OD Green #3 cotton herringbone twill (HBT) cloth suspension liner, with the webbing in good condition. This HBT suspension is held tightly within the M-1 helmet liner by rivets and a series of triangular "A" washers. The three upper suspension bands are joined together with the correct OD green string. This way the wearer could adjust the fit. The sweatband is heavily worn and decaying as shown. The liner chinstrap appears original but has heavy cracking as shown..

The helmet retains a lovely helmet net which shows moderate wear from use.

A fantastic early war M1 helmet, ready for further research and display.