A Grim Reminder from a German Battlefield Pickup M1916 Helmet Here at Pony Express Firearms we handle a myriad of historic items, many of them in exquisite condition, but sometimes there are items which bring home the tragic human consequences of war. This German M1916 helmet is such an example. The oral history given to us when we purchased the helmet out of a large collection is that it was recovered in the Ardennes Forest in the aftermath of a WWII battle. So, how did a WWI helmet get onto a WWII battlefield? It could be that this was a WWI helmet reissued during WWII as was common practice, or it could be that the oral history was wrong and that this was a WWI helmet recovered from a WWI battlefield. Either way, the key here is to buy the item, not the story attached to it, especially when it’s only … Read More
Soviet SSH-39 WW2 WWII Steel Helmet, Model 1939
Earlier, we looked at the Soviet M36 steel helmet, which was manufactured from 1936 until 1941. Today, we examine the next model of Soviet helmet, the Ssh-39 (stalnoy shlem), or Steel Helmet, Model 1939. This was the first Soviet helmet to have a more modern design, and was much easier to make than the earlier M36, as it lacked the wide side flares or the top crest. Indeed, this same general design of helmet stayed in service for the next 29 years. The Ssh-39 was produced from 1939, until being phased out in 1942. The hallmark external feature of the Ssh-39 is rivet placement. The Ssh-39 has only 3 external rivets, one on each side, and one in the back, all placed high on the crown of the helmet. The later Ssh-40 helmet has six rivets, all near the bottom of the helmet. Knowing proper rivet placement on Soviet helmets … Read More
Soviet Russian M-36 Steel WWII WW2 Battle Helmet, 1939 Dated
Note: This item sold in our shop in January 2017. In today’s post, we’ll be looking at a rarely seen item – the Soviet M-36 steel battle helmet. Original Soviet militaria from WWII and before is generally uncommon in the United States for a number of reasons: The American and Soviet Armies did not have a lot of interaction in the War, so there was limited opportunity for trade of equipment. The political situation after the War made importation of Soviet equipment into the United States problematic at best. Today, the Russian Government has cracked down on the exportation of their country’s WWII items, declaring them to be “national treasures.” The few items that have made it into US collections generally seem to have come from the Soviet Union in the early 1990’s, when the political situation in Russia meant a free-for-all, with even museums selling their inventory for American dollars. … Read More