Hełm wz. 31
The Hełm wz. 31 (German for: helmet pattern 31 ) was the standard helmet of the Polish army in World War II . The characteristic shape is still used today as a model for all other helmets of the Polish army.
History and background
After the end of the First World War , the newly created Polish army did not have its own steel helmet. The army's stocks contained large quantities of the German steel helmet and the French Adrian helmet. It was decided that a stand-alone helmet should be created. In the event of possible conflicts, confusion should be avoided, which can easily arise due to the use of different helmet shapes within an army. The designer Leon Krauze of the IBMU Institute in Warsaw developed an independent pattern. The helmet should combine the advantages of the German steel helmet with an independent appearance. The helmet had been manufactured around 320,000 times by September. The helmet's good protection options were praised in action. The size and weight of 1.3 kilograms of the helmet were described as disadvantageous. The helmets were given a special helmet paint called salamander . It was hoped that this paint would have a high camouflage effect and would avoid reflections. The paint usually consisted of a thick layer of lead (II, IV) oxide , which was provided with a khaki paint .
use
The helmet was adopted by other armies and exported to the following countries.
- Spanish Army (no official sources exist)
- Persian Army (no official sources exist)
- Air raid protection (booty stocks)
- Finnish Army (booty holdings / transmitted by the Third Reich )
literature
- Kijak J., Hełmy Wojska Polskiego 1917-2000, Wydawnictwo Bellona, Warsaw 2004, ISBN 83-11-09636-8 .
