Fall 2026 Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 427:
Description
Offered here is a WWII-period M1 steel helmet shell, possibly of McCord Radiator & Manufacturing Company manufacture circa 1942-1944. This fixed-bale shell features a striking hand-applied Normandy-style camouflage pattern, evocative of the pathfinder and airborne units of the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions during Operation Overlord, although this is not an airborne helmet. The piece reflects the field-applied camouflage practices of June 1944, where troops used paint and mud to break up the silhouette of their headgear in the Norman hedgerow country. The interior stamping remains obscured, allowing the physical evidence of the shell to stand as a testament to the iconic design of the wartime M1. The Camo was likely applied post-war. The steel shell retains a cork-textured olive drab base finish beneath original hand-applied bright yellow-tan blotch camouflage, brushed on in irregular patches across the crown and sides and wrapping into the underside of the rim. Two fixed-bale chinstrap loops are integrated into the shell sides. Olive drab cotton webbing chinstraps are fitted with steel and brass buckle hardware. The interior retains an olive-drab finish, with remnant markings present toward the front visor area.
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