Bundesrepublik Show your West German Helmets !

[SteveL]

Gents....a thread to show off your West German helmets, steel, Kevlar or otherwise....BGS, Polizie or Bundeswehr ! I will kick off with a couple of mine, M1A1 LL or M59 FJ with and with out an Amoebatarn cover and the humble M62, enjoy and please add to this thread.

Prost ! Steve.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-7645-0-00751000-1338031980.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-7645-0-99058000-1338032001.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-7645-0-03132900-1338032023.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-7645-0-42486700-1338032043.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-7645-0-08155200-1338032068.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-7645-0-84425900-1338032083.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-7645-0-35801800-1338032101.jpg

[SteveL]

Another one from my collection....an M826 Kevlar "Gefechtshelm" with matching Flecktarn cover. Made by "Induyco SA Munchen" a subsiduary of a Spanish parent company.

Prost ! Steve.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-7645-0-27014300-1338155951.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_05_2012/post-7645-0-69177900-1338155972.jpg

[Paul R]

Does anyone know why the BGS retained the WW2 style of helmet, where the armed forces adopted the more American patterns?

[Guest talltom]

the german armed forces were given a lot of american and british weapons and gear at the very start see pictures

whereas the BGS had to scrap the bottom of the barrel so to speak find what you can.. lots of german helmets available same with the uniform and early weapons not much had to change hence why the bgs used k98s german stalhelms and sumpftarn camo....

below is the bundeswehr with no.4 rifles a .30cal with shoulder stock

Edited May 29, 2012 by talltom

[Guest talltom]

first is showing bundeswehr panzer grenadiers with BAR and m1 garand

second pictures quite a well known 1950s fallschirmjager with m1 garand on march

[Guest talltom]

whereas the best photo i could find of the BGS a postwar made K98 along with stalhelm and k98 pouches

[Guest talltom]

next bgs with k98s shouldered some even have breadbag straps around their stalhelm

[SteveL]

Does anyone know why the BGS retained the WW2 style of helmet, where the armed forces adopted the more American patterns?

The Bundeswehr was compelled to adopt a U.S.style helmet and stop the use of the Model 1956 "Splittertarn" Pattern combat uniform to avoid associations with the Third Reich. Yet the BGS, with a highly visible border security duties, wore the variations of M35/40 (M52/53) until the early nineties when it was replaced with a riot helmet. It also employed the Third Reich inspired cammo "Sumpftarn" well into the 1980's, and yet nobody raised an eyebrow !

It has been suggested that it was economics and not politics at play in the equipping of the BW. The BW had to build an army of 500,000 men, in a short time frame, so perhaps Roemer and Linneman & Schnetzer, the main producers of the M35/53, were not equipped to produce such large quantities of steel helmets. Maybe, as it has been suggested, it was easier to make use of the many U.S M-1 style helmets available in great quantity in the aftermath of the Korean War. Many of these helmets were produced by Belgium. What better way to appease bad feelings of World War II, than to award your neighbor with a defence contract. The same has been said of the BW's Model 1956 battle dress. It was difficult to produce and manufacturers could never hope to keep up with demand.

The BGS numbered no more than 16,000 and would never serve outside of Germany. Why not use the remaining stocks of M35's/M42's supplemented by newly produced examples to equip a small border protection force in need of a distinctly German uniform.

Prost ! Steve.

Edited May 29, 2012 by SteveL

[Hauptmann]

Federal Border Guard (Bundesgrenzschutz) guards at the Presidential Chancellery in Bonn.

Dan :cheers:

[SteveL]

Gents...as we have veered off into BGS territory, heres my GSG 9 helmet, mm "SW" (Schuberth Werke) manufactured in October 1975.....and my M52 varient of the M35/40 steel helmet, with BGS marked chinstrap and owner/unit marking......resplendent in their "Moose green" textured paint jobs !

Prost ! Steve.

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Edited May 31, 2012 by SteveL

[SteveL]

Heres the owner/unit marking inside the M52......

[Paul R]

Thank you for the detailed explanation and photos. You guys have some really great stuff.

[SteveL]

Come on Gents, have you no BW/West German helmets to show !, do not be shy........

Here's some more to be going on with....an M85 derivative of the M62 stahlhelm, in 1981 most M60/62's were upgraded with a new interior this included a plastic neck shield....the upgrades culminated in 1985 with a three point harness, similiar to the Airborne helmet but with canvas strapping...here is my M85 with "Flecktarn" cammo cover, I also show my three cammo covered M59 (FJ) M85 and M826. helms with "Amoebatarn", U.S. "Woodland" and "Flecktarn" covers.

Prost ! Steve.

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2012/post-7645-0-60417000-1338825932.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2012/post-7645-0-00331400-1338825959.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2012/post-7645-0-72143400-1338825981.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2012/post-7645-0-17362500-1338826010.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2012/post-7645-0-39845000-1338826032.jpghttp://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_06_2012/post-7645-0-56561200-1338826137.jpg

Edited June 4, 2012 by SteveL