ww2 tankers helmet

Question and opinion regarding Living History / Reenacting.
Post Reply
novafied
G-Staff Sergeant
G-Staff Sergeant
Posts: 59
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2013 7:51 pm
Location: space coast florida

ww2 tankers helmet

Post by novafied » Wed Jun 29, 2022 10:41 am

hi i would like to know if they came with chin straps.i did a search and found a good site that had lots of info about it.it said they did not have them but on a episode of combat they had a tanker crew. their helmets had chin straps like the paratroopers had with the cup style strap on it.i would feel better with it when riding my bike.thanks...bob


AZ Jeff
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 6806
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 5:05 pm
Location: Patagonia, AZ EIEIO

Re: ww2 tankers helmet

Post by AZ Jeff » Wed Jun 29, 2022 2:37 pm

No factory chinstraps on that helmet. I don't suppose they figured an AFV crewmember would ever travel fast enough to worry about losing their helmet... LOL.

Jeff Q.
AZ

novafied
G-Staff Sergeant
G-Staff Sergeant
Posts: 59
Joined: Sun Jul 07, 2013 7:51 pm
Location: space coast florida

Re: ww2 tankers helmet

Post by novafied » Thu Jun 30, 2022 10:54 am

thanks jeff for the reply. i'm not to concerned about the helmet falling off when riding but if i fall i want it to stay on. i modified a dot half helmet with ww2 netting on it looks like a steel pot helmet.alot safer whem riding on street.

82ndrecontbp
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 399
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 am
Location: East Coast

Re: ww2 tankers helmet

Post by 82ndrecontbp » Thu Jul 07, 2022 11:38 am

Actually they do have a chinstrap.
Designed after football helmets of the day, there is an elastic green band with snaps on either end.
This strap is most often seen snaked through the back of the helmet, but is in fact a chinstrap.
That said, having seen hundreds of period photos of various US tanker helmets, I have not seen photo any evidence of it being used as a chinstrap except one stateside pre/early war of the (then) new helmet being demo'd.

AZ Jeff
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 6806
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 5:05 pm
Location: Patagonia, AZ EIEIO

Re: ww2 tankers helmet

Post by AZ Jeff » Sun Jul 10, 2022 11:55 am

I'm curious how the elastic strap in question would be used as a chinstrap? In Armold's Painted Steel he mentions the correct (intended) use of those straps was to secure the left and right ear flaps to the rear skirt of the helmet. As you mentioned, they are more often snapped -- stowed -- across the back of the rear skirt. More significantly, he claims that the Ordnance Board was concerned that a conventional chinstrap would hamper tank crews -- hence the strap-less, "tension" type arrangement discussed above. Prototype photos of the M1938 appear in that section and clearly suggest the expected use of those straps. Perhaps there are other references that illustrate how these straps were used as chinstraps?

Jeff Q.
AZ

82ndrecontbp
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 399
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 am
Location: East Coast

Re: ww2 tankers helmet

Post by 82ndrecontbp » Mon Jul 11, 2022 10:49 am

The ordnance docs clearly refer to it as a chin strap.

willys
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Sergeant Major of the Gee
Posts: 374
Joined: Sun Dec 18, 2016 11:24 am
Location: GA

Re: ww2 tankers helmet

Post by willys » Wed Jan 04, 2023 6:21 am

Do not know if you found one but I have a chin cup type if your interested

User avatar
DesertRick
G-Sergeant Major
G-Sergeant Major
Posts: 160
Joined: Sat Mar 15, 2014 8:10 am
Location:

Re: ww2 tankers helmet

Post by DesertRick » Mon May 01, 2023 3:17 pm

1942-43 Desert Training Center
Image

Image

AZ Jeff
G-Lieutenant General
G-Lieutenant General
Posts: 6806
Joined: Fri Dec 13, 2002 5:05 pm
Location: Patagonia, AZ EIEIO

Re: ww2 tankers helmet

Post by AZ Jeff » Tue May 02, 2023 5:21 pm

EXCELLENT. Thank you.

Jeff Q.
AZ


Post Reply

Return to “Living History / Reenacting Knowledge Base”

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 38 guests