helmet info

Russian helmet m/17

5000 helmets in Finnish use, 1917 - about 1950's

Olive green, weight 1 kg, shell 1 mm pressed steel.

Russian army ordered 600.000 helmets of this model from two factories in Helsinki, Finland.

They were made by Sohlberg and Holmberg.

As the Russian Revolution and Finnish Civil War ended broke up, some 5000 pieces were still in Helsinki. The Helsinki Red Guards confiscated helmets for their own use.

After the Civil War the Helsinki White Guards used them, after that they were worn among others by Helsinki Infantry Regiment and Finnish White Guards.

Some were made even after Finnish independence and Civil war.

The Finnish Army abandoned them 1920 and sold them over the next two decades to civil defence authorities and fire brigades.

French helmet m/15

Possibly about 10000 helmets in Finnish use, 1919 - about 1950's

First steel helmet model in the world, inspired by French firemens' helmets.

Original colour horizon bleu, weight 750 g, shell 0,7 mm pressed steel.

After WWI most common model among European armies, 20 million helmets were made in France.

Finnish Ministry of war ordered 15.000 helmets from France in 1919 (including some German models)

In Finnish tests the model gave a very modest protection.

In 1920 army decided to have German type helmets instead.

During the 1920's these helmets were sold or given to fire brigades.

German m/16, m/17 and m/18

About 80000 German/Austrian WWI-model helmets in Finnish use, 1919 - 1960's

Green, ventilation holes had long metal sleeves for fixing a frontal armour (sleeves gave the helmet a Finnish nickname "horn helmet")

5 different sizes, shell 1-1,1 mm thick, weight 980-1400 g.

A purchase from France in 1919 included some German type helmets. The Finnish Army had models m/16, m/17 and m/18 in use.

After its own tests the Finnish Army approved "the German type of helmet to be used by the army" in 1920.

In 1922 some 35000 were delivered to Finland, in the end of 1920's army had already received 80000 German helmets.

These helmets were dominant types in Winter war 1939-40 and also in use through the Continuation War 1941-44.

The remaining German helmets - m/16 and m/17 versions - were used for some time even after WWII, but most were abandoned during 1947-48.

Austro-Hungarian m/17

About 80000 German/Austrian WWI-model helmets in Finnish use, 1919 - 1960's

Austria-Hungary ordered shells from Germany for models m/16 ja m/18, German and Austrian helmets are almost identical.

Chin straps and liners have little differences, Austrian colours were grass green or sand brown.

Austrian helmets have a pair of rivets for chin strap at the point where the shell's helm-line is bent.

Austrian helmets came to Finland among German types, they were used as German models m/16 ja m/17 (above).

German helmet m/35

More than 50000 German helmets m/35, m/35-40 and m/35-42 in Finnish use, 1941 - 1970's

Germany developed a new model based on m/17; m/35 has lower edge, shorter visor, new liner, and ventilation holes are stiffened by shorter sleeves.

Field-grey, thickness 1,1-1,2 mm, steel mixed with molybdenum.

5 sizes and 3 models: m/35, m/35-40 and m/35-42 (m/35-40 production was rationalizied, among others sleeves of ventilation holes were left out)

Finnish army never purchased m/35 helmets, but small amounts came to Finland in different ways.

Army tried to make an order of m/35s' during the Winter War, but Germany directed the order to Hungary.

Week before the Continuation War Finland ordered from Germany 25000 pieces of m/35-40 helmets.

In summer of 1943 Finland received 24000 German helmets (models m/35-40 and m/35-42).

One more batch of German helmets arrived yet in summer of 1944.

German m/35-models were still in service for decades after WWII along with Hungarian helmets (65000 helmets all together), some were in use still in 1970's.

Hungarian helmet m/38

75000 helmets in Finnish use, 1940 - 1970's

Sometimes called also as "Finnish m/35".

Green colour, weight 1050 g.

Hungary renewed it's helmet model 1938, following the exampel of German m/35.

The shell was made in German design, German design, using softer steel.

Hungarian helmet differs from German model by its cotter pins situated behind ventilation holes, and by it's holding loop in the neck.

Hungarian liner is a six-strip leather hood (with three cushions) fixed in a steel hoop.

Finland tried to buy helmets from Germany in January 1940, but Germany directed the order to Hungary.

In February 1940 Finland made an order to two Hungarian factories (Ungarische Waggon und Maschinenfabrik and Mavag) for helmets. Deliveries started immediately in February.

23000 helmets arrived in February 1940, 29000 in March and 23000 in April.

During Continuation war 1941-44 Hungarian m/38 was the most common helmet in Finnish army.

After WWII Hungarian model was used until ball-shaped Finnish helmet m/62 begun to replace it. Finnish army used mixed Hungarian and German helmets as it's basic model until 1960's, some stayed in service until 1970's.

Finnish used helmets 1918-41