Two WW2 helmets, the US M1 and German Stahlhelm, both proved to be highly effective, as well as influential on helmet design. After the war, the US M1 went on to be adopted by a number of other forces around the world, and as for the Stahlhelm, even today its very silhouette offers a potent symbol of imperial power and intimidation. In its day (it was actually developed in World War 1) the Stahlhelm was considered one of the best steel helmets in the world.
So how do they stack up to each other? We’ll take a slightly closer look here.
Head to Head with the US M1 and German Stahlhelm
Let’s start with the US M1 helmet, which unlike the Stahlhelm, was only produced in one size, simplifying manufacturing costs and operations.
The US M1 consisted of a metal shell (“pot”) made of “Hadfield” steel, which was non-magnetic.alloy. Each US M1 helmet had two loops at the sides, called bales. The steel pot of this helmet was primarily designed to protect against shrapnel but also afforded decent protection against small arms fire.
Apparently, the US M1’s steel pot was capable of turning not only 9mm and .380
ACP rounds, but also heavier .45 ACP rounds, meaning that it offered some of the best protection (among all helmets) in the war.
The US M1 had a removable liner that improved comfort (and which was removable from the helmet, which meant that the pot could be used as an actual pot or entrenching tool) as well as buckles that made the helmet adjustable to the wearer. This produced a “one size fits all” design that was highly economical.
The finish of the helmet’s pot was also non-reflective, which made it highly practical in the field and it helped keep the soldier concealed and did not betray his position, even in bright sunlight.
Overall, the degree of protection afforded by small arms fire and shrapnel, paired with the fact that the liner could be removed, freeing the steel pot, made the US M1 helmet highly utilitarian and valuable.
The Stahlhelm was also a helmet with a steel shell (Stahlhelm is “steel helmet” in German). Thanks to its broad visor, it provided excellent protection to the brain’s frontal and occipital lobes. The flared skirt at the base of the back of the helmet also provided excellent protection to the brainstem and the nape of the neck, at the top of the spinal column.
Because of the number of steps required to produce the Stahlhelm, and the fact that more than one size was produced, it was unfortunately more expensive and resource-intensive to produce than other steel helmets of the era, which was a significant drawback.
Another drawback of the Stahlhelm was that, because of its excellent protection, the rim covered the ears and sat lower on the side of the head. Some soldiers complained that this made hearing difficult, impairing communications.
All in all, however, despite its higher cost of production, the excellent protection afforded by the basic design is undeniable.
To recap, the US M1 was more affordable to produce, offered excellent protection against small arms fire, and was more versatile since the pot could be used for other applications. The Stahlhelm was more expensive and perhaps less ergonomic, but provided broader protection to the head and neck.
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