Picked up another surplus M63 liner the tail end of last year to complete an M63 steel pot which was lacking one
Picked up another surplus M63 liner the tail end of last year to complete an M63 steel pot which was lacking one
Regards James
Beautiful condition!! rare I must say for condition!!
Cheers Rene' hope all is well mate ,yes for it's age it's in great nick ,only the chin strap is showing some superficial wear
Regards James
My South African M63 or Dunois M51 export?
Up until 1963 the South African Defence Forces bought & used the French export helmet M51 TTA Type 3 manufactured by Dunois & Fils.
Once under the United Nations armement embargo the Republic decided to manufacture the Dunois M51 helmet under licence.
South Africa had experience manufacturing helmets, it is estimated that they produced 1.5 millions of Mk II helmets from 1940 to 1945.
The company that manufactured the helmet was C.J. FUCHS LTD.
The South African named the new helmet the M63, for the year of adoption & distribution.
The French Dunois helmet was an helmet based on the M51 but slightly different named M51 type 3.
The most obvious difference is the flattened base of the shell.
The chinstrap model was modified on the Danois M51 export helmet on South African request.
With the addition of "O" rings, helping to adjust the chinstrap quickly.
Note that there should be metallic reinforcement at the end of each strap.
Overtime they vanish or was there any to begin. The French chinstraps did not have metallic reinforcements
but the ends were folded & stitched.
The M51 type 3 has fixed bales.
Welding spots on the shell.
Rim jonction at the back.
Inside of the shell, forgot to take a picture & honestly did not want to removed the net & everything else afterwards again.
The stamping of the C.J. FUCHS shells was very similar to the French stamping, similar style & white ink.
The French Danois export helmet were not stamped (export policy). We will see how to identify a French Danois M51 export helmet from
a South African M63 unmarked (unusual) helmet like mine, is it really a FUCHS? That is the question!
See you in part 2 that will include the M63 liner, comparaison between helmets & more.
Last edited by Jack59; 05-10-2024 at 12:40 AM.
My South African M63 or Dunois M51 export? Part 2.
Welcome back, lets have a look at the M63 liner.
It is made of thermoplastic. It weights 356 gr.
The M51 type 3 liner is about 256 gr.
The French M51 type 3 liner did not have a nap strap.
Note on French M51 liners:
Type 1, the neckband holds with snap fasteners. 1951 to 1954
Type 2, the neckband is stitched to its back strap. 1953 to 1960
Type 3, the neckband is eliminated. 1960 to 1975
I presume that a type 3 liner was issued with the Danois M51 Type 3 export helmet.
The M63 liner's sweatbands & chinstraps are mostly red-brown, sometime green.
Sadly the chinstrap is missing.
The owner's matricule number, 823236353.
The liner's attachment zinc coated A washer & brass screw.
Chinstrap rivet & liner attachment nuts.
Sweatband adjustment buckle.
A characteristic of the M63 liner is a small circle in the bottom of the Liner's shell.
The M51 type 3 is larger.
Finally how do you know if the liner is a M51 type 3 or a M63 one?
Easy the m63's is thick, really thick, so thick that you have to force it in the shell, it won't move after!
Comparaison of liners in M51 & M63 shells.
Type 1 liner in M51.
Type 1 liner in M63 shell.
Type 3 South African liner in M51 shell.
Final part, comparaison & camouflage. See you then.
Last edited by Jack59; 05-10-2024 at 11:57 AM.
My South African M63 or Dunois M51 export? Part 3.
Final part, lets start with a comparaison between the South African M63 & a French normal M51.
How to know if your helmet is a M63 or a M51 type 3 export if their is no stamping in the M63 shell?
The South Africa's FUCHS shell as red primer under the green paint.
The M63 chinstrap's hooks strap as 4 folds, but it is easily replaced, so not a good reference!
The French M51 Type 3 had 3 folds.
The one riveted to the bale needs work to be replaced but still possible.
Overall if the Fuchs shell is not stamped it will be hard to tell, but why worry they are closely related.
Both are great helmets!
Camouflage of the M63 helmet.
No! This is not a Japanese helmet!
Sometime a cut tube was used.
More than often the net & burlap was used, a South African trademark!
In the field.
Last edited by Jack59; 05-10-2024 at 12:58 PM.
South African M63 strange engraving.
Here is what I discovered in both my M63's shell & liner.
It is engraved 3.13.21295 with an electric pen, often seen on unit level equipment
or on someone's personal possessions.
On the shell.
On the liner.
It doesn't stop here! Seen it also on a South African MK II helmet (not in my possession).
But is from the same source as my M63.
Thoughts please? Thanks
Update on small engraving.
UPDATE on the helmets & liner engraving.
The seller answered my reply about the engraving. He acquired a collection from an estate of more than 160 helmets. He believes the engraving may have been a way for the former owner to register & keep track of his helmet's collection! The engraving is very small, nevertheless...
I know that most collectors will be horrified with the idea of such a thing.
Hello
is this a South African Helmet cover?
RRR: Tarnuberzug fur Stahlhelm NVA=???? | eBay
Hello, IMO not a South African helmet cover or any that comes to my mind. Seems to be an very faded enlarge splinter pattern. Maybe someone try to imitate a WW 2 German paratrooper splinter cover by the way it's assembled.
Regards
Jack
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