c loop helmet | airbornejumpjacket.com

Real World War Two US M-2 airborne paratrooper d-bail (also sometimes called d-loop, c-loop, and d-bale) helmets are extremely hard to find. Many military collectors are unfortunately not able to add one of these rare helmets to their collection because of their scarcity. I have already posted an article about one of these helmets on this site and it can be found in the archives under the category of airborne helmets and liners.

Pictured in this post is the most recent acquisition. This helmet shell recently surfaced at an estate auction. There was no airborne liner in it when it was found by the picker at the auction, but I still consider myself very lucky to have been able to acquire it. The shell exhibits all of the traits that you want to see on an original M2 airborne paratrooper helmet shell. The bails are the exact correct size and are attached as they should be on an original. The chinstraps are made of the correct materials and the male snaps are the correct type of snaps. The dimples on the rim between the bails are present. The heat stamp falls within the correct range for these helmets. Something that I found especially interesting is that the heat stamp number on this helmet is only 2 away from the previous M2 airborne paratrooper helmet that I have written about on this site. This indicates that these helmets were most likely manufactured at about the same time.

Original M2 Airborne Paratrooper Helmet Shell Interior

M-2 Airborne Helmet Shell Side

M2 Airborne Helmet Shell Rear

Original M2 Airborne Paratrooper Helmet Strap

Real M2 Airborne Helmet Chinstrap

Original M2 Airborne Paratrooper Helmet Bail

M2 Airborne Helmet Top

Real M2 Airborne Paratrooper Helmet D-Loop

Heat Stamp On Real M2 Airborne Paratrooper Helmet Shell

M2 D Bale Paratrooper Helmet

This original World War Two M2 D Bale Paratrooper helmet came from a Company G, 506 PIR, 101st Airborne Division Veteran. The Veteran received this helmet during WW2, after his previous helmet had been shot off his head by a German soldier. He wore that helmet, with the bullet hole still in it, for awhile but was later forced to turn it in and replace it with this helmet and liner, because his First Sergeant deemed a helmet with a bullet hole as unsafe.

The M2 helmet is referred to by collectors by many several names today. In addition to M2 and D Bale, you will hear it also referred to as a C Loop or D Bail. They are a highly desired piece of militaria today. Since they are in high demand and are fairly hard to find, they are one of the most heavily faked and/or recreated items of US WWII militaria today.

This M2 D Bale helmet exhibits all of the classic features you like to see in an original D Bale. It has a low heat stamp number, the male snaps that snap into the liner are chromed, and it additionally has the little single indentations on the rim of the helmet, in between the bales, that these original helmets often have. Also, the size, shape, and construction of the bales, and the feet of the bales, is correct. The liner is a WWII correct Westinghouse paratrooper liner and was in the helmet when it was purchased from the Veteran.