This is an original early-WWII M2 "D-bail" paratrooper helmet shell. The helmet's heat stamp of 231B dates its production to July 1942. Unfortunately, the prior owner, not knowing what they had, sanded the heat stamp area to make the marking more legible (I encourage all collectors to refrain from doing this). We hired a professional restorer who painstakingly matched the paint and reversed the damage done by the helmet's prior owner. The exterior showcases its original olive drab factory finish and cork texture, while the interior is marked with the original owner's laundry number, "K-6514". During WWII, McCord Radiator Co. produced around 20 million steel helmet shells. Of those 20 million, American Paratrooper Helmets posits 392,000 were made as the M2 version, with The M1 Helmet of the World War II GI estimating the production total at a much lower 118,000. These helmets had a significant design flaw; the pressure put on the loops, would often cause them to snap at the welds, as evident on this example. Riggers sometimes repaired these damaged helmets in a variety of manners: brass brazing of the original loops, drilling holes into the helmet and weaving wire through, or, like on this example, by utilizing mess kit hardware as replacement chinstrap loops. Although damaged, authenticity can still be confirmed by examining the remaining “feet” of the original loops. Original M2 welds have a distance of 36 millimeters, whereas standard infantry M1 welds are only 31 millimeters apart. M2 feet have a distinctive shape that the M1 lacks. The M1’s loops are also made out of stainless steel, whereas the M2’s loops are not. An original set of field-applied OD#7 (green) infantry straps have replaced the factory-applied paratrooper chinstraps. M2s in this configuration are believed to have been collected from the battlefield, refurbished, and then issued to nurses and other rear-echelon types. Due to limited production numbers, the design flaw, as well as having to endure a war, original M2 helmets are incredibly scarce. This helmet would display quite nicely when paired with an original Inland paratrooper liner.