I saw some photos of Finnish Panssari-divisioona (Panzerdivision) a.k.a Division Lagus (Ruben Lagus) they have helmets which were painted as a skeleton !!!
but do someone know is it how common for them and where to find closeup photo of those motives !!!
joni
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Finnish Helmets !
!
Unfortunately that information is partly false. Kevyt Osasto 4 (Light Detachment 4) did use the insignia, but the helmets were not model 35. What I have read Finland tried to purchase model 35 helmets from Germany just before Winter War, but with no success.macgoy wrote:Hi,
In a book that I have concerning uniform of WWII, it is written that it is normally an helmet model 35 with the insignia of the 4th Kevyt Osasto (light brigade ?) in the years 1939-1940.
Regards
Mac
The helmets Finnish troops used during Winter War (1939 - 1940) were German and Austrian M/16, M/17 and M/18. Finland had bought about 80,000 of these helmets in 1920's. What I remember from original the helmets of Kevyt Osasto 4 look like those WW1-era Austrian or German helmets. Helmets were one of the multitude of items, which the Finns had shortage during that war. So Finland ordered some 75,000 Hungarian M/38 (design based to German M/35, so they look very similar) from Hungary at February of 1940. First delivery of the Hungarian helmets arrived already that same month, so at least some of them got used in Winter War.
The Finns acquired some 25,000 German M/35-40 and M/35-42 helmets, but that was not until summer of 1943.
BTW: In General Finnish helmets were a quite a mized bunch. The other helmets used in Finland during WW2 included:
- Swedish M/21
- Swedish improved M/21
- Italian M/33
- Czech M/34
- Swedish M/37
- Finnish M/40 (licensed copy of Swedish M/37)
- Soviet M/40 (captured, only at homefront use)
There were some effert trying to equip each frontline unit with helmets of same model. But it was not unusual (especially for non-frontline units) to have mix of helmets, so that same squad or gun crew could have even 3 - 4 kind of helmets.