Small Helmets?

Bob from Accounting · Post by **Bob from Accounting** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 6:33 pm

I remember hearing somewhere that late in the war, the Germans manufactured smaller versions of their standard helmet for teenage conscripts. Is there any truth to this? I inherited an old German helmet from my grandfather, and it seems quite small. So either it's one of these "kiddie" helmets, or I've got a massive noggin.

K98king · Post by **K98king** » Thu Oct 07, 2004 8:43 pm

Bob,
Don't know about the latter, but the standard Werhmacht helmet sizing went in 2 cm intervals:

Extra Small 60 (52-53 Liner) 6 1/2 to 6 5/8
Small 62 (54-55 Liner) 6 3/4 to 6 7/8
Medium 64 (56-57 Liner) 7 to 7 1/8
Large 66 (58-59 Liner) 7 1/4 to 7 3/8
X-Large 68 (60-61 Liner) 7 1/2 to 7 5/8
Custom 70 (62-63 Liner) 7 3/4 to 7 7/8

Helmet shell will be marked on the inner rim. Hope this helps.

K98king

Bob from Accounting · Post by **Bob from Accounting** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 6:08 am

It's not just the liner, the helmet itself seems small, at least compared to an American steel helmet and a Viet Cong wicker-and-plastic one that I also received (my grandfather was too young to serve in World War II except at the very end of the war in the Coast Guard, but later joined the army and served in Vietnam for two tours). I'll try to have a look at it when I have a chance. It's in storage somewhere in the attic right now.

Gesetz · Post by **Gesetz** » Fri Oct 08, 2004 1:34 pm

I have a size 60 shell, with Czech liner...makes it around a 54. but yes some quite small sizes were made. Possibly for HJ fire-fighter groups(?)

PaulW · Post by **PaulW** » Sat Jan 22, 2005 12:51 pm

Question for you owners of small helemts (which were produced for all war years to fit even the smallest recruit)
Is the helmet slightly differnt shaped to the larger sizes?