the thing that confuses me is if it has a shell-like pot i thought the liner only came with the suspension system and sweatband if it does come with the pot-like shell, can it be used as a regular helmet?
The old M1 Helmet. 3 lbs to compress your neck at doubletime. The link will tell you everything you want to know and more. Alternative use of steel shellThe design of exterior metal led to some novel uses: When separated from the liner, the shell could be used as an entrenching tool, washbasin, bucket, seat, and, in desperate times, *********latrine. The shell was also used as a cooking pot but the practice was discouraged, as it would make the metal alloy brittle. I found a book written about the 2/317 based on the diary of a Mortar Platoon Leader. My Dad was in this Bn. so the day to day stuff gave me insight about Dad. The Lt wrote about taking a crap in the pot during several hours of inbound artillery.not an uncommon event in WWII. The funny part was 2 pages later he mentions cooking something in it.
The 'liner' is a collective name for all the gubbins that goes inside the helmet: the actual liner itself, sweatband, suspension-webbing, and chinstrap. Early liners were originally made of a compressed mix of paper fibre and resin, and later ones from plastic. They had their own chinstrap, in addition to the actual helmet chinstrap. It was an unecessary and clumsy addition, which was usually left fastened across the helmet's brim. You could feasibly wear the liner without the helmet over it, but you'd look like a tool and it would have no protective value. Hope that helps!
The steel shell fits over the inner liner shell which has the suspension system and sweatband.
