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1916 - 18
Russian m/15
This helmet is a normal French model m/15. The difference is the Russian national
emblem made of pressed plate and fixed onto helmet's browside. Another difference
was the color that was khaki or yellow-brown.
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Russian m/17
Upgraded model from French m/15. Made for Tsar's Army in Finland by G. W.
Sohlberg (100 000) and V. W. Holmberg (500 000). Color is olive green.
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1919 - 40
French m/15
Finnish Army bought these from France among a big gun purchase in 1919. The color
remained as "horizon bleu" until Finnish Army abandoned all these French m/15,
Russian m/15 and m/17 in 1920 - 30 and gave them to fire departments etc. They
painted the helmets black.
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German m/16, m/17 and m/18
Finnish Army bought 50 000 of these from German in November 1920.
Different helmet models were compared and these models were chosen as one
that were kept in use. In 1920 - 30 Army brought over 80 000 of these to Finland,
some of them were given to SKY organization.
m/17 differs from m/16 from it's liner and chinstrap. The chinstrap is made of two
pieces in model m/17. Outwards differences are that m/17 hasn't got the rivet
for chinstrap.
m/18 was an experimental model. The helm-line is lifted about 20 mm upwards
at the length of 60 mm close by the ears. In Finland was often thought that these
were helmets for signal troops because of the cut by the ears.
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Austro-Hungarian m/18
This model differs from German m/16 helmet from the chinstrap that is canvas and
made of two pieces. Outwards differences are that the rivet for chinstrap are
higher in this model.
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1940 - 44
Hungarian m/38
This helmet is similar to German m/35 except few differences. The liner is totally
different, the rivet for the liner is in different place and there is a holder
loop made of plate at the back of the helmet.
Finnish Army ordered 75 000 of these at the middle of February 1940. All of them
were made by April by two manufacturer: Ungarische Waggon und Maschinenfabrik and
Mavag.
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Czechoslovakian m/34
50 000 of these helmets were delivered to Finland in spring 1940.
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Italian m/33
In 1940 were 30 000 of these delivered from Italy with Carcano m/38 rifles.
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Swedish m/21
These are maybe left by the Swedish volunteers in Winter War. Originally m/21 has
pressed stiffening ridge and national emblem in front. The color is dark olive-green.
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Swedish m/21, modified (m/26)
Most of m/21 were like this, without the ridge and emblem and the color is blue-gray.
Total amount of the m/21 helmets is 8 000.
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Finnish Army had also 1 000 of Polish m/35 helmets.
Swedish m/37
20 000 of these helmets were delivered to Finland. The color is matt gray. The
liner and chinstrap are attached like in Finnish M/40. The helmet was made in four
sizes.
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Finnish m/40
This model was produced by following the same design and by using almost the same
kind of working methods than the Swedish m/37. The differences are that this have
only six rivets (except the biggest size 75 has eight) and the color is olive-green.
The liner is made by Friitala Nahka Oy. The Finnish Army had 66 893 of these helmets.
Finnish helmets have also letter W and size stamped in a helmet.
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German m/35 and m/35-40
The Finnish Army received 25 000 of these on 10th of August 1941. The two models
differs only by the working methods of the ventilation holes and by the surface
of the shell.
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German m/42
The Finnish Army received 24 300 of German helmets on 1st of July 1943. Most of
them were m/42 helmets. The model was simplified by abandoning the 5 mm
folding-downs of the brim.
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German m/34
There is no exact information on which delivery were these helmets ended up in
Finland. Only few of these have been found in Finnish colors.
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In summer 1944 the Finnish Army received
a large number of helmets with German national emblem
in side of the helmet.
Soviet m/36
The color is matt dark green. The Finnish Army captured many of these during
Winter War and some during Continuation War. They were never used by Finnish Army.
One reason for that was that many of them were without the liner because it was
torn away by Soviet. The liner didn't fit with warm hat.
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Soviet m/40
The Finnish Army captured 34 700 of these during Continuation War. 20 000 of them
were restored to give out to secondary units and some units in panzer division. The
color is moss-green.
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Finnish made leather liner
This liner is used in German m/16, m/17, m/18, m/35, m/42, Austro-Hungarian m/18
and Hungarian m/38. The canvas of the padding in this liner is from army bedspread.
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After wars
German m/16, m/17 and m/18 were abandoned in 1947 - 48.
Helmets that were left in use:
- German m/35
- German m/35-40
- German m/42
- Hungarian m/38
- Swedish m/37
- Finnish m/40
Some of the used helmets were sold to fire departments etc. In addition
Kone ja Silta Oy made kettles of the helmets.
Kettle made of Austro-Hungarian m/18 helmet. Arrows show ventilation and
rivet holes.
In 1955 the Finnish Army bought 50 000 helmets from Germany, the model name
was "Infanteriestahlhelme Deutsches Model" that looked very similar to
German m/35-40. The liners to these helmets were made in Finland.
In 1962 the Army bought Swedish m/62 helmets. Next year Kone ja Silta Oy
started to make helmets in Finland by following the same design than Swedish m/62.
The Finnish helmet looks outwards similar to Swedish m/37 and Finnish m/40 but
model of the liner is new. These m/62 helmets were used in Finnish Army as main
model since 1992 when Finnish composite helmets were purchased.
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