M53 Troops helmet | Dutchhelmets.nl

M53 Troops Helmet

The m53 Troops helmet was introduced to the Dutch Armed Forces in 1953 and remained in use until the mid 1990s, until it was replaced by the m95 combat helmet.

The m53 Troops helmet was a 2-piece helmet modeled on the American M1 helmet. 8 different manufacturers supplied the liners to the Dutch Armed Forces and 4r manufacturers the steel shells. Most liners were supplied by Schuberth and most steel shells by Linnemann-Schnetzer.

Both laminate and the plastic liners have been used, of which 2 different variations of the plastic liner. A early model with a vent at the front and the late model without the vent at the front.

Verblifa (VB) liners

An early Verblifa (VB) inner-helmet.
VB only produced fibre inner-helmets from 1953 upto 1956.
Distinguishing for the early VB inner-helmets, is the Olivegreen colour.
VB inner-helmets always have an eyelet at the front.

A liner in a dark green color.

A liner in a light gray colour. These gray liners were used by the Air Force (KLu) and eventually most gray KLu liner were painted green and in some cases white.

A liner in a dark gray colour. These gray liners were used by the Air Force (KLu) and eventually most gray KLu liner were painted green and in some cases white.

An early white liner with blue crowned M of the Royal Marechaussee (KMar). The blue band is painted on the early copies.

A white liner with blue crowned M of the Royal Marechaussee (KMar). The blue band is made from tape on the late liners.

A white liner of the Royal Marechaussee (KMar), painted over in black.
Black inner helmets were worn by the KMar professional staff.

A green liner of the Royal Marechaussee (KMar), painted over in matte black.
Black inner helmets were worn by the KMar professional staff.

A liner revised and painted in UN blue. This liner has been used in Lebanon.

A type II liner, rejected for combat use but could be used by other non-combat military organizations within the Army.
Helmets used by civilian employees within the Army had a white 'B' which stood for 'Burger' (Civilian).

A liner used by the Marine Corps. This helmet has been revised by the Navy workshop. The outside has been painted over in a dark green colour and the interior has been replaced for a Navy model.

1st model interior produced by Verblifa.
The leather band is attached with 6 metal clips.
The chin-strap is made of leather.

2nd model interior.
The leather band has been replaced by one with 6 leather fastening loops instead of metal clips.
In use from the late 1950's / early 1960's.
The chin-strap is made of canvas.

3rd model interior.
The leather band has been replaced by one with 4 leather fastening loops and 2 press studs at the front. In use from 1963.
The chin-strap is made of canvas.

Type II liners got 2 white stamps with 'II' on the inside.

Navy model interior.
After revision of the liner by the Navy workshop, the liner was fitted with this type of interior. Typical is the neckband, which is the American model.
The chin-strap is made of canvas.

Verblifa 1953

Verblifa 1955

Schuberth (SH) liners

An early Schuberth (SH) liner.

An early Schuberth liner from 1958. Early Schuberth liners have a white P stamp in the dome. It has largely faded on this liner.

A late Schuberth liner from 1958. The one shown here has never been used.

Schuberth liners from 1958 were supplied with the 1st model leather sweatband with 6 metal clips and leather chin-strap.

Schuberth liners from 1958 were supplied with a neckband with 2 press studs on one side.

Schuberth liner delivered from 1963 to 1968.

Schuberth liners delivered from 1963 to 1968 were supplied with the 3rd model sweatband and canvas chin-strap.

Schuberth liner from 1970, the first delivery of plastic liners by Schuberth to the Armed Forces. Schuberth's early plastic inner helmets have a vent at the front.

Schuberth liner from 1981. The late plastic liners from Schuberth have no vent at front.

Schuberth liners from 1958 have a white stamped P (early) or pressed P2 (late) marking in the dome.

Schuberth liners from 1963 to 1968 have a pressed N in the dome.

Schuberth liners from 1963 to 1968 have a white stamp on which the production year and lot number. In this case the production year is 1966 and lot number 45. SW stands for Schuberth.

SW 70.

SW 72. The letters SW are mirrored.

SW 81.

SH 88.

N.V. Beccon (BEC) liners

Ulbricht's Witwe (Us) liners

A liner from Us in the color bronze-green.

EUROCAP (ECNL) liners

Unknown (HL) liners

A pressed marking H.L. 80 can be seen on the interiour.

Verblifa (VB) steel shells

A VB steel shell in mat gray, used by the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

A VB steel shell in mat black, used by the Royal Marechaussee.

A VB liner in dark green with applied blue crowned letter M and blue band. These were used by the Royal Marechaussee, between 1951 and 1953.

A rejected VB liner.

1953.

1954.

1955.

1956.

1957.

Linneman-Schnetzer (LS) steel shells

A LS steel shell in mat white, used on the Infantry Shooting Camp Harskamp in the 1960's and 1970's.

An LS steel shell in black, used by the Royal Marechaussee.

A LS steel shell in UN blue, used in Lebanon during a UNIFIL mission.

1958.

1963.

1972.

1982.

Ulbricht's Witwe (Us) steel shells

un-issued. Factory packaging still present on the helmet.

A US steel shell in UN blue. Intended for use in Bosnia, early years of the UNPROFOR mission. However, this helmet has never been used.

Marine Patrouille.

Koninklijke Marechaussee.

1981.

1987.

1991.

Vereinigte Deutsche Nikkelwerke (VDN) steel shells

A VDN steel shell in bronze-green.

A VDN steel shell used by civilian workers.

A VDN steel shell in UN blue. Used in Bosnia, early years of the UNPROFOR mission.

1987.

1988.

For m53 nets and helmet covers, click on the picture above.

Verblifa helmets used by the Luxembourg Armed Forces

Verblifa helmets used by the Belgian Armed Forces

A Verblifa steel shell used by the Belgian Armed Forces.

M53 helmets used by the Argentinian Armed Forces

In October 1968, the Karel Doorman (R81) aircraft carrier was handed over to the ARA (Armada de la Republica Argentina / Argentinian Navy) where she was installed as the ARA 25 de Mayo (V-2).

The ARA 25 de Mayo stayed in service until 2000.

Together with the Karel Doorman, an inventory was overhanded in which some helmets were present. These helmets were m53 helmets and possible also some M1 helmets were handed over. It is not known how many m53 helmets were overhanded to the Argentinian Navy, but they were not many of them.

Until now, only 13 m53 steel shells have been traced by various Argentinian collectors. All these 13 m53 steel shells were produced by Linnemann-Schnetzer (LS58) and there are 2 Verblifa liners, used by the Argentinian Navy, present in private collections in Argentina.

3 of the 13 m53 steels shells still have the Dutch MvO domestamp.

There is also 1 Argentinian produced M1 (FM: Fabricaciones Militares) known with a Dutch made m53 chinstrap attached to it.

It was common for the ARA to revise helmets now and then. After revision, helmets were handed to various ships within the Argentinian Navy and the Argentinian Marines.

Creast of the 25 de Mayo.

The helmet shown is one of the m53 helmets handed over to the Argentinian Navy with the Karel Doorman.

This helmet was a donation to the Dutchhelmets Collection.

This helmet has been revised several times by the Argentinian Navy and has 3 layers of red paint. This helmet comes from the inventory of the ARA 25 de Mayo and serviced as a helmet of a ‘Damage Control’ unit on board.

Combat helmets

mkVI