British MkII - Royal Armoured Corps

ninth in a series of tanker helmet posts

Hard as it may be for you to believe, but I was unable to find a period photograph of this helmet in action. Seems that U.K. AFV crewmen prefer to be seen in those jaunty berets they made so famous. So in lieu of period photos I'll try to dress this post up with some gilding like this:



the crest of the Royal Tank Regiment


Here is my specimen of the WWII MkII UK tanker's helmet. This shell profile was also utilized for the UK paratroops, as well as the dispatch rider's helmet. The shell for all three is the same though the suspensions are very different.

I'm assuming that the number on the front indicates a particular vehicle in a formation.

This side view gives our first indication that this is a MkII, with its characteristic elasticized chinstrap and that VERY shiny little slider, peeking out from under the rim.




Now I'm aware that the helmet below is not the helmet in question, but I encountered this graphic while searching for MkII images and was really knocked out by it.

The top view demonstrates the very symmetrical and ovoid aspect of this lid.

Another "gimme" that this is a MkII is the tell-tale rivet at the top indicating the "lift the dot" suspension of the MkII family.

The familiar MkIII style suspension seen in the MkIII "turtle shell" infantry helmet greets us in this view.



A sunny close-up of the "lift the Dot" fastener.  Careful with these! Often as not the spring mechanism is just corroded enough that trying to force it off will instead tear it away from the suspension (speaking from sad experience here).

When I was in kindergarten one of my friends brought an "army helmet" from home.  I couldn't understand why anyone would wear anything so uncomfortable.  It wasn't until many years later, as a helmet collector, that I understood why it hurt so much when trying to wear that particular helmet on that particular day...

it was a MKII sans liner.  Ouch!  Now it all makes sense.

This liner's in really outstanding condition,  

and nicely, almost lavishly, marked.


The size is stamped very clearly.




I've no idea as to what this number is in ref. to  (any input would be appreciated).

I don't know why, but it's always a treat to discover the broad arrow.

Because of the texture the marking  below is difficult to read.  The bottom numerals appear to be "6/71".  Marzetti indicates that these helmets were in use by UK tankers until 1973, so I'm assuming this might be a manufacture date.

Here are British paratroopers in that same style shell.  Note the very different harness system, the suspension was also much more elaborate and protective than the tank crewman's helmet.

You may wonder;  "What is it that has these airborne troops looking upward?"

Their Ride!

provenance:
accession number: MOA hmar223.60.47
Royal Armoured Corps, MkIII helmet
Acquired 1987, Lansing Michigan.
Purchase price :$20.00
Condition: suspension - excellent
shell - very good

Next Monday the final tanker helmet will be profiled.

Stay tuned!

United States Combat Vehicle Crewman's Helmet (CVC)

eighth in a series of tanker helmet posts

Make way for American foreign policy!

Yep, this is how we yanks do it now, all big stick, and speaking very loudly. And now that the Abrams tank has replaced the U.S. Department of State here's the helmet our fighting men and women are wearing to protect their noggins while operating in armored vehicles. 

Behold the US Combat Vehicle Crewman's (CVC) helmet manufactured by those fine folks at Gentex Inc.  in Carbondale Pennsylvania, who've been in the biz since Vietnam days.

Right side view with boom microphone missing.
This newer version of the CVC  helmet (below) illustrates the mic in place.
Left side view shows the only other deficit of my example of this helmet, note one of the fastening straps for the cranial plate is missing.
Top view demonstrates the scuffing that typifies a "salty" helmet.

The significance of this tactical marking on the rear of the helmet is unknown to me.


----------------This Just In:------------
The numbers 4-6 usually are the vehicle number. We did this when I was in
> the Field Artillery. The helmets were assigned to that self-propelled gun
> and needed to be counted during inventory. We also painted logos on the
> helmets and sometimes put nicknames in them. I have one I happen to bring
> home one day after training. I also got 2 empty shells the supply sergeant
> was throwing in the dumpster.
>
> Tim W.

---------- back to regular programming--------

The inside is extremely well padded, and allows a great deal of airflow.  This view also begins our tour of the integrated electronics package of this helmet.

Headphones are well padded and recessed to provide acoustic insulation as well as comfort.

Throughout this helmet, component by component, there are a wealth of markings, these on the send/receive surfaces:


-----------reader comment --------
The function of the spring loaded toggle switch is to talk over the mike.
 When you pushed it back to the locked position, you can talk only internal
 to your crew. When it moved it forward, you can talk on the radio, that is
 why it was spring-loaded to the front. There also is a "spaghetti" cord
 that plugs into the helmet and into the vehicle CVC box.
 I used to love hearing new Privates (and Lieutenants) push the switch to
 the front and start cussing over the radio.
 Tim W.
------------------------------

This robust, spring loaded clamp holds the cabling in place at the lower rear of the helmet, nice and snug where it won't get entangled within the cramped confines of an AFV.

Below are the original Gentex Inc. fabricator's models demonstrating the conceptual R&D that went in to this fundamentally well designed CVC helmet:
That's right, a hard outer shell protecting a delicious chocolate center (Marine Corps model has peanut center). Same concept, except M&Ms don't use velcro and the CVC helmet won't melt in your hand or  in your mouth.
Although non-ballistic, this shell can take quite a bit of abuse.
As with all other components of this helmet, the shell is extremely well marked.

Below, the large velcro panel that attaches the shell (the "cranial plate") to the liner is very evident.

Looking quite vulnerable without the outer shell, the liner somewhat resembles the Soviet-style tanker's lid profiled in an earlier post, wouldn't you agree?

The strap at the nape of the neck allows for adjusting the snugness for a custom fit for the tanker...

and, when fastened, provides us with yet another piece of manufacturer's documentation.  This helmet has more marks on it than your dad's Buick after prom night!

The chinstrap is comfortable with no surprises.

And these large snap/strap combinations (along with the velcro) secure the shell to the liner.

Hey G.I. Wave if you like this helmet!
provenance:
accession number: MOA hmar 298.78.95
United States Combat Vehicle Crewman's Helmet
Acquired 2007, ebay.
Purchase price :$25.00
Condition: very good

Watch for new posts every Monday

And while you're in the neighborhood, why not slip over to my toy soldier blog
to catch up on the latest regarding the Civil War combat that continues in my garden.

Spanish Leather Tankman's Helmet

seventh in a series of tanker helmet posts

Now don't get me wrong,  I think Spain is a country that has given the world great beauty.

This is a Spanish Beauty:

(photo by Massimiliano Uccelletti)

The Mme Grégoire Staechelin' rose is known as the "Spanish Beauty":

And this Moorish influenced Spanish architecture is certainly a thing of beauty:

This Spanish tanker's helmet, however, ain't no beauty:

This is the ugly cousin of the Italian M35 Tanker's helmet (profiled last week).  Although this helm tries to mimic the far superior Italian version, it fails in every aspect.

As with the Italian model this helmet is a leather covered fiber bowl surrounded by a padded bumper with a rear skirt and leather chinstrap/flaps.  The bowl, you'll note is considerably shallower than the Italian helmet, providing much less protection for the wearer.

From the top little difference can be detected between this number and the Italian model, except perhaps for the inferior dye job of the leather.


Its when one begins to examine details like the sewn seams that the inferiority of this helmet really start to become evident, clearly the person who sewed and assembled this bumper pad had other things on her mind.


The interior is, again, a copycat of the Italian M35 except for the lower grade and color of the suspension leather.

The finish of the neck flap is misaligned, miscut, and haphazardly assembled.


This Frankenstein assemblage of misaligned  rivets secures the chintzy chinstrap buckle.  One wonders if these workers are encouraged to come to work drunk.


The flannel liner has absolutely no value as a cushion to the wearer, again compare this to last week's entry on the Italian liner with its plush white felt padding.


Peeling away the flannel reveals the Pinata-like dome of this lid.  About the only shock absorbtion available in this helmet is the fullness of the hairdo of the wearer.

North Korean nut-job and dictator for life Kim Jung Il might have enough of a bouffant "do" to bring some level of effectiveness to this helmet, but here (as in most instances) he is the exception.


Where the Italian neck flap is tightly sewn into place, the Spanish version is crudely tacked on.

And note how those tacks often tear right out of the cheap, thin leather.


The chinstrap assembly too, suffers by comparison with the Italian model.


The unscreened vent holes don't even communicate through the flannel liner, rendering them quite useless for providing ventilation.


The only aspect of this helmet that gives it any aesthetic value is the Spanish eagle affixed to the front.

The helmet bears no maker's or inspector's marks of any sort.  It's as if no one wants to claim paternity of this waif.

I think the reason that the bumper pad is not attached as that on the Italian model, is to facilitate disassembly of this helmet making it easier to fit into the trash compactor of history.

But who am I to criticize, after all, as these photos demonstrate, proud Spanish tankers did fight on to defeat...

ahh...
er...

oh right, now I remember!  They went on to defeat the Incas!

And for as ugly as this poor excuse of a helmet is, now comes the really ugly part;

This is former Spanish strongman and prick, Francisco Franco:

And here he is on his wedding day as the blushing bride of Satan (the man to the left)

What a lovely couple, I think they're registered at the genocide boutique.
=====================================================

España es una tierra de contrastes.

Questions?

provenance:
accession number: MOA hmar 248.68.8
Spanish Leather Tankman's Helmet
Acquired 1991, Grand Rapids Michigan.
Condition: excellent

Next Monday another tanker helmet will be profiled.

Stay tuned!