Original WWI German HELMET (Stahlhelm M16) Certified By The Gettysburg Museum Of History

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Original WWI German HELMET (Stahlhelm M16) Certified By The Gettysburg Museum Of History. The first “modern” steel helmets were introduced by the French army in early 1915 and were shortly followed by the British army later that year. With plans on the drawing board, experimental helmets in the field, (“Gaede” helmet), and some captured French and British helmets the German army began tests for their own steel helmet at the Kummersdorf Proving Grounds in November, and in the field in December 1915. An acceptable pattern was developed and approved, and production began at Eisen-und Hüttenwerke, AG Thale/Harz, in the spring of 1916. These first modern M16 helmets evolved into the M18 helmets by the end of WWI. The M16 and M18 helmets remained in usage through-out the Weimar Reichswehr era and on into the early years of the Third Reich until the development of the smaller, lighter M35 style helmet in June 1935. The stamped, sheet steel construction, helmet retains a good portion of its paint is in shades of dark green (see photos). The helmet has both the dome headed chinstrap retaining rivets, both of the extended ventilation side lugs and two of the  three of the flat headed liner retaining rivets. The interior of the helmet has the leather retaining band and lather liner is intact. T The interior has a painted “64” and the soldier’s name written. about a size size 64.   Very nice and untouched example of an M16 that would display very nice. An honest untouched German helmet.  Gettysburg Museum Certified (COA) provided. Please also see our other items on our web page. VERY NICE EXAMPLE!