Unknown French helmet
Message 789:
Hey all, I have been working with Dainel Djebrani on an attempted ID for a helmet I
recently picked up. Anyone have any ideas? This helmet looks like a French WWII helmet
with the rigid, leather covered crown only this has a blue cloth covering. Comms looks
British. I am guessing this is circa 1950s but there isn't a mark on it. Anyone have any
ideas? Steve Norris
Message 790:
Steve, Here is perhaps a helpful clue: the attached image shows a French Gueneau Type 313
soft "inner helmet" (used with hard outer shell). Compare the earphone details
with those of your mystery helmet. I am convinced you have a French helmet, not an English
one. The "mystery helmet" just doesn't have that Anglo-Saxon look (the
"Mystery Helmet" looks typically 'different', just like Citroen cars and
everything else from France--except Le Femme!). If you take the hard (padded stiff
leather) upper section of the WWII Casque Arialle II with the earphone details of the
Gueneau Type 313, it approximates the design. What is your opinion on these developments?
Cheers, Chris
Message 792:
I' m collecting french helmets and i never seen that type before. For me this one is
clearly a gueneau design. The leather earcups design is very close to a gueneau 313 inner
cloth liner and the shell design match the WW2 gueneau leather helmets. Gueneau also made
helmet for paratroopers but they were made of green fabric and without earphones. for me
this one may be a flight helmet but also could be tank driver one. earphones and com cord
identification could help to tell if it is clearly a flight helmet or not. Best regards,
Philippe Kerangueven
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