WWII US Army M-1 Hawley Liner Helmet -
The M-1 steel pot helmet is one of the most utilitarian designs produced for a U.S. helmet and one of the
longest lasting. Many news reels and pictures show the GI's using their helmet to cook, dig, carry water
and many other functions.
This helmet might be one of the most recognizable icons of WWII. Approximatelly 8 million helmets were produced
during WWII by a large number of companies.
The design of the helmet consisted of a steel outer shell with a separate fiber glass inner shell, known
as the liner. The outer shell came with a fixed canvis chin strap while the liner had a lighter duty,
removable leather chin strap. What makes the helmet featured here more interesting is the use of a
cardboard base liner. This design was done in very small numbers. as one might expect, cardboard does
not hold up well to the rigors of combat. The liner was soon discarded. The cardoard helmet limer is
known as the Hawley liner.
The M-1 helmet was introduced in 1941. The early versions of the helmet had a fixed bail. later on
the armed forces figrued out that the failure rate in such design was greater because the force
exerted on the bail when the soldier was runing was too much and would cause the bail to break.
The swivel bail was introduced to solve the proble. This design had a hinging mechanism that allowed
the bail to move as forces were applied, reliving the stress on the weld spot.
The edge of the helmet has a fold that runs the entire perimeter. This feature covers any sharp edges left
after the manufacturing process, protecting the soldier from getting cut. The placed where the start and end
of the fold meet forms a seam. The WWII helmets had the seam in the front. Later war helmets and post war
examples had the seam in the back.
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This page is a recognition and identification guide for US hats and helmets. Multiple
detailed photos of a specific sample are provided. Descriptions point out clearly defined
points that should be noted.
One of the most commonly asked questions is "How much is my US headgear worth?".
A price guide is included here to address this question. The value of the hats and helmets
is reviewed over a period of several years. A trend can be observed. The present worth
of US militaria in the collector's market is illustrated.
This service is provided free of charge to the visitor/enthusiast courtesy of
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antiques and collectibles to museums, institutions and the general public.
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The earlier version fixed bail system is shown in these photographs. This anchoring methid is an earlier
version that dates back to 1941.
The Hawlet liner has a thick rim around it. The suspension system is identical to its fiber glass
successor. It consists of a series of canvis straps riveted to the side of the main body. A sweatband
goes around the circumference and is lined with a brown leather insert. A neck strap is also provided.
Refer to the
M-1 helmet anatomy section for further details.
The liner does not have an eyelet. The inside is stamped in black ink with the following phrase:
"Liner-Fibre M-1".
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The "Military minute" is a series of instructional videos created by MilitaryItems.com for the purpose of
providing basic information about military collectibles. The idea is to expose people to the exciting
world of military collectibles.
The video presentation coupled with detailed photographs and written information, including a military
collectible's price guide, enhances the visitor's experience.
Whether you are a long time collector, a beginner or simply have an interest in the history and value of
each collectible, we hope that you find the information presented here useful.
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US headgear in general is currently being
reproduced.
It is becoming more difficult to be able to tell the fake ones from the real ones because
the quality of the reproductions is improving. The collector must become familiarized with
the construction style and materials employed in the manufacturing of this headgear.
Attention to the details is critical in order to be able to determine the authenticity of
the collectible.
If you have an interest is seeing other American military headgear, you can do so by
going to our US Military headgear
identification guide. Where we cover Army, Navy, Army Air Force and other organizations.
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