US Early War M2 Paratrooper Helmet with D Bales for Normandy Invasion

American WW2 paratrooper helmet.

This is the M2 version which was the first pattern para jump helmet which has fixed D shaped bales.

The M2 para helmet was used in Normandy on the D-Day landings by the 82nd Airborne and the 101st Airborne Divisions.

These are fantastic early WW2 replica airborne jump helmets, first we sort through our high pressure helmet liners for the best ones (liners are post war european made) we then recondition the liner by re-spraying the outer in the correct colour green paint, fix in two press studs on the sides for the canvas chinstrap to snap into, replace the inner head band with a new replica khaki OD#3 one fix a set of paratrooper A frames and leather chin cup.

We then move onto the shell where we remove the later swivel bales (bales are the bars that the chinstrap is fixed to) and weld on the "D" shaped bales, again we re-spray the outer to the correct colour put a join/cut in the front of the edging trim to make it look like a war time front seam helmet, then we sew on the correct paratrooper chinstrap which has chrome snaps on the ends (these are what snap into the press studs we fix into the liner which keeps the liner and shell together),

The WW2 M2 Airborne Paratrooper Jump Helmet Features:

• M2 paratrooper canvas chinstrap with nickel/chrome press studs on the end.
• Above chinstrap studs into the liner correctly.
• One piece D shaped bales. These are welded on like the originals and like the originals if you drop them or hit the bales against something they will break off, that happened to a lot of the originals which is why they changed the design. Please note if you break the D bales we cannot fix them back on.
• Khaki A frames riveted behind the inner suspension.
• Leather paratrooper chin-cup.
• Khaki OD#3 inner suspension webbing.
• Inner headband has khaki webbing.
• Nape band is khaki webbing.
• Leather liner chinstrap straps over the front rim of the shell,
• Shell is repainted in correct green colour with the textured finish.
• Cut in the front makes it look like a war time front seam helmet.

These are post war helmets converted to look like the American WW2 airborne M2 helmets.

The individual price of all the items to make the paratrooper helmet (before you even start any work on the conversion) is £175.00 the individual bits are helmet, high pressure helmet liner, D bales, leather liner chinstrap, inner headband, M2 paratrooper canvas chinstrap, chinstrap press studs for liner, canvas A frames, leather chin-cup and paint.

These are converted from post war helmets.