5 of the craziest looking WWI helmets ever assembled

Tim Kirkpatrick
Jan 28, 2019 6:44 PM PST
1 minute read
5 of the craziest looking WWI helmets ever assembled

SUMMARY

Bayonets, entrenching tools, and ammo are just some of the pieces of gear troops carry into battle. Over the years, as technology’s progressed and missions have evolved, the gear we use to fight the enemy has changed. Some gear goes fro…

Bayonets, entrenching tools, and ammo are just some of the pieces of gear troops carry into battle. Over the years, as technology's progressed and missions have evolved, the gear we use to fight the enemy has changed.


Some gear goes from concept to development to testing but never make it to the frontlines — often for good reason.

During World War I, "turkey peeking" was one of the only ways allied troops could spot the enemy from across the way. However, when a soldier glanced over the parapet, he risked getting shot right in the dome by the opposition's marksmen. As you can imagine, this made the helmet extremely important in trench warfare.

Since steel helmets were absolutely needed to save troops' lives in the field, allied forces turned to Dr. Bashford Dean to help lead the design process to create newer, more advanced protection.

Dr. Bashford Dean

Some of the designs, however, may have been a little too crazy.

Related: That time Russia used children to spy on a US embassy

1. The Model 2

Based on helmets used by Greeks and Italians in the 15th century, this steel contraption was designed to shade wearers' eyes like a ballcap. This style of helmet saw limited field-testing during the war, but it was shut down before major production started as it looked too similar to the German Model 1916 helmet.

(Metropolitan Museum of Art)

2. The aviator's model

A few designs were drafted specifically for aviators, but very few made it to the field testing phase.

3. The tank operator model

This helmet showcased a padded-silk curtain and visor. Its main purpose was to guard against lead splashing onto the operator's face.

4. The machine gunner's model (take 1)

The knight-style helmet featured a narrow eye slit and, reportedly, was incredibly challenging to communicate through.

Also read: Helmets just got new technology to protect your brains

5. The machine gunner's model (take 2)

Again, this style of helmet was reminiscent of medieval-era knights. Instead of a narrow slit for the eyes, this design featured trimmed eye holes and a removable steel mask.

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