Is this helmet Canadian?

cantom

cantom

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I saw Koldt's pic in the C1A1 thread below.


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I've had this helmet for a long time, always thought it was American. Can those who know tell me if it's in fact Canadian? That'd be nice...sorry if this is in the wrong thread...not sure where the helmet thread would be??


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woodchopper said:
yes the reversable one with sand one side and woodland the other.

I still have one of those somewhere :D
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I can't remember where I got this...I thought ebay, but it might have been at a gun show like 15 years ago...are we sure it's Canadian? Could it be American? Wouldn't the camo pattern tell the tale?

Chin strap is a bit frayed, but otherwise the thing's like new.
 
Canadian plastic/fiber glass helmet liners are bigger than the US counter parts and would stick out under the helmet rim. As said, cammie cover was the reversible 2 tone leaf pattern identical to US GI cover used in Nam during the 60's.
 
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There are nuances with the welds and the shape of the thin steel wrapping around the exposed rim. If the weld is in the front it is one model and on the back another. The chinstrap links are another clue. Like the fellas are saying, this looks genuine CF.
 
Amazing. Never thought there would be so much interest/expertise on crappy M1 steel pot here on CGN.
 
OMG.... that opening picture was a blast from the past. I had memories of carrying my 4L6178 C1A1 over my head along White Route in Wainwright Battle School. :eek:

Yes, my steel pot helmet would come down over my eyes while firing that C1A1 and the silly little revolving disk rear sight use to bang up the camo cover fabric on the rim of my helmet and tear at the cover. Then like a good Patricia, I busted open my sewing kit and stitched up that tear. What a keener :D I was....
 
I too remember that helmet well... The C1A1 out dated me... I joined with the C7... before the elcan sights...

There will be a really long number inside of it... I can't remember but I think it's like 12 digits long (it's been a while)... separated into different sections by dashes... one of them will be a 2 digit number... As I recall, Canada's designation in this NATO stock number scheme was 21 (someone correct me if I'm wrong), so the number should look like ###x-###x-21-###

Let us know.

EB
 
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Just compared posted pics to my old helmet...I'd say the pic is almost for sure genuine CF.

FNC1A1...NSN is 1005-21-111-2002 for a rifle with Normal butt. There are 4 other NSNs for butts of XL,L S and for the C1A1D which, I believe, was the full auto C1 issued to RCN.

My C1 is the A2 version in the 8L ###x series. The manufacturer, Canadian Arsenals Limited, felt that, because of three very important improvements, that the rifle should be taken into the CF inventory as the C1A2...however the CF decided to call it a C1A1, causing no end of grief for gun plumbers and bin rats as they tried to source parts.

Hope this helps.
 
Rule 303 said:
NSN is 1005-21-111-2002
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There you go... that's the format of an NSN... any Canadian issued kit will have the same ###x-21-###-###x designation...

So your helmet is Canadian if the 21 is there...

So here's a question... how many founding nations of NATO were there? why did we get #21???

EB
 
Rule 303 said:
... and for the C1A1D which, I believe, was the full auto C1 issued to RCN.
Click to expand...

Yes, and a sailor told me the Navy also chopped their barrels just in front of the gas block for better handling inside ships' compartments. Same selector switch as the C2.

I think he meant the NATO stock number inside the helmet.
 
ebruder said:
There you go... that's the format of an NSN... any Canadian issued kit will have the same ###x-21-###-###x designation...

So your helmet is Canadian if the 21 is there...

So here's a question... how many founding nations of NATO were there? why did we get #21???

EB
Click to expand...

The 21 does not signify Canadian issue kit, it signifies kit that was assigned a Canadian stock number. We used the US M1 helmet starting towards the end of the second world war. The helmet, and all it's components, would have been issued under the US stock number once we adopted the NSN system.

The NSN comprises three parts. The first four digits are the stock class. For instance, 1005 would be a small arms or component, 5120 would be a hand tool non edged, 5305 would be a bolt, etc. The next two digits are the country identifier code. 00 was for the USA, and by 1974, they used up all their possible combinations, so they went to 01. They have since used up all those combinations and have now a different identifier. Canada was 21 (we have used up all ours and now have a new identifier) Britain was 99, germany was 12, etc. The next seven digits (shown as ### ###x) are a sequential number assigned by each country.
The NSNs were a mutation of the US federal stock number system (FSN) which was virtually the same but without the identifier code.

Anyway, for a great book on the helmets used by Canada over the years, get "Tin Lids", by Roger Lucy and published by Service publications.
 
Hmmm, 00 is American eh? I think this might be American, I see 00 in the numbers on the camo cover. I don't see 21 anywhere...:( I couldn't find a number on the bucket anywhere.

From the sound of it they were virtually the same helmet anyway...appreciate all the info guys!


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