Stahlhelm
Member
Here is an example of the very first German model 1916 steel helmet (E.T. 62). Known as the square dip to collectors, these helmets feature a sharp transition from the neck guard up toward the visor. Eisenhuettenwerke Thale (E.T.) was the only ironworks involved with the production of these early helmets. An order for 30 000 helmets was placed to be available for the end of January 1916. The first batch was delivered to Sturmbataillon Rohr for trials which took place in mid December 1915. The square dip was without doubt produced in all shell sizes; surviving examples of sizes 60 through 66 are known to me.
The steep and narrow visor/neck guard transition proved to be a serious design flaw. Frequently occurring stress cracks and related problems meant that large amounts of helmets had to be scrapped during production. Thale therefore wasn't able to produce this model in the large numbers required, although they did manage to have a large number of these helmets (exact number unknown to me) ready in time for the initial assault on Verdun.
This helmet has no visible stress cracks, but interestingly has the area where these occurred marked in black ink. The exterior shell shows heavy pitting which occured during the rolling mill process, when the steel ingots were rolled into sheet steel. It shows clear signs of having had an armoured brow plate displayed on it, likely for a considerable period.
The steep and narrow visor/neck guard transition proved to be a serious design flaw. Frequently occurring stress cracks and related problems meant that large amounts of helmets had to be scrapped during production. Thale therefore wasn't able to produce this model in the large numbers required, although they did manage to have a large number of these helmets (exact number unknown to me) ready in time for the initial assault on Verdun.
This helmet has no visible stress cracks, but interestingly has the area where these occurred marked in black ink. The exterior shell shows heavy pitting which occured during the rolling mill process, when the steel ingots were rolled into sheet steel. It shows clear signs of having had an armoured brow plate displayed on it, likely for a considerable period.
There is a rather sharper angle to the front of the skirt, and sometimes camera angle can change the appearance as in the photo from abover of the right side, look closley at the close ups of the front of the skirt, the later helmets are more rounded. There is not really much differance in the helmets, but the small differance does distinguish them as the first production run, and many of these helmets were used by the boys who opened the battle of Verdun.
