WWII Era USAAF Army Air Force M5 Flak Helmet Complete withSuspension VERY NICE

  

WWII Era USAAF Army Air Force M5 Flak Helmet - Complete w/Suspension & Partial Chin Strap - Very Nice Condition. This helmet is complete with the HBT webbing suspension straps, the HBT Nape Strap, the Leather Sweat Band and Partial Leather Chin Strap.

The chin strap clips are present, but the short strap with the buckle is missing. VERY HARD to find these helmets with the complete suspensions. Please see photo's for details. When the USAAF started to operate from the air fields in England, their main purpose was day light bomb raiders over occupied Europe. The Germans relied mostly on their flak guns to prevent the bombers to drop their load.

The American bomber crew suffered mainly from shrapnel injuries all over the body and the head. To offer some protection the 8th Air Force started to develop anti-flak gear. At the very start the head protection was a regular M-1 helmet with cut-outs for the earphones. Than experimental gear was tested (T-3 helmet) and later on the headwear improved and special metal ear flaps were added to the M-1 helmet. This resulted in the M-3 helmet. The last modification was the M-5 helmet with longer ear flaps to protect the cheeks. For the turret gunners the available space was very limited and therefor a large M-1 helmet couldn't be used. So a new helmet had to be developed, the M-4 helmet (M-4, M4A1, M4A2 and a rare version H-28-CL project). Check out my other items. The item "WWII Era USAAF Army Air Force M5 Flak Helmet Complete withSuspension VERY NICE" is in sale since Sunday, March 3, 2019. This item is in the category "Collectibles\Militaria\WW II (1939-45)\Original Period Items\United States\Hats & Helmets".

The seller is "koolstuff1958" and is located in Henderson, Nevada. This item can be shipped to United States.

1. Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
2. Time period: WWII 1939-1945
3. Item: M5 Flak Helmet
4. Branch of Service: US Army Air Force
5. Other: US AAF