*French, WW2, Model 1935/37 Armoured Troops Steel Helmet, Dark Blue Armée de l’Air Finish, Complete with Liner & Chinstrap*
Commonly known as the Chars de Combat helmet or Model 1935 Armoured Vehicle Helmet, this scarce French WWII steel helmet was designed specifically for tank and motorised vehicle crews. It features the characteristic pressed steel skull shell with short rear visor and the distinctive thick leather brow pad fitted to protect the wearer inside confined armoured compartments.
These helmets were issued to armoured vehicle and tank crews of the French Army before and during the Second World War, and were also utilised by certain motorised and communications personnel, as the design allowed the wearing of headphones or intercom headsets beneath the shell. While primarily associated with Army armoured and mechanised units, documented examples show issue to ground personnel of the Armée de l’Air, particularly motorised, communications and airfield defence sections. Its principal historical association, however, remains with French armoured troops of the 1939–40 campaign.
This example retains much of its original dark blue finish — a colour typically associated with issue to the Armée de l’Air — and remains complete with its original liner and black leather ear-flapped chinstrap with roll buckle. The helmet displays honest service wear and attractive, even patination, giving it strong display presence.
A scarce and increasingly difficult helmet to source in complete condition.
Historical Context:
French tank development began during the First World War in response to trench warfare stalemate. Early designs included the Schneider CA1 and Saint-Chamond, but it was the Renault FT that proved revolutionary, establishing the fully rotating turret layout that influenced armoured vehicle design worldwide. By the outbreak of the Second World War, France possessed one of the largest armoured forces in Europe, fielding approximately 5,800 tanks across metropolitan France and its colonies. Vehicles such as the Renault R35, SOMUA S35 and Char B1 bis were heavily armoured and, in many respects, technologically comparable to or superior to contemporary German designs. During the Battle of France, French armour demonstrated significant tactical resilience. At Stonne on 16 May 1940, the Char B1 Eure famously destroyed thirteen German tanks in a single engagement. German 37mm and 20mm anti-tank guns struggled against its armour, and even General Rommel later acknowledged the difficulty posed by French heavy tanks. However, French armoured doctrine emphasised deliberate infantry support rather than fast independent manoeuvre. Limited radio distribution and dispersed command structures reduced flexibility against Germany’s rapidly coordinated Blitzkrieg tactics.
The Armée de l’Air did not field tank formations, but it did maintain motorised ground units, airfield defence sections, communications detachments, and armoured vehicle elements attached to air bases. Personnel operating armoured cars, security vehicles, and mechanised ground equipment required protective headgear similar to that used by Army tank crews. Helmets issued to these Air Force ground units were typically finished in dark blue rather than the khaki/green associated with the Army. Thus, this helmet represents not an “Air Force tank division,” but the mechanised and defensive ground components of the French Air Force during the 1939–40 campaign. Helmets of this type are directly associated with the final phase of pre-war French mechanised doctrine and remain tangible artefacts of early armoured warfare.
*Condition*
The shell retains its original dark blue finish with honest age-related wear and surface oxidation. No structural damage observed. Ventilation holes and riveted fittings remain secure. The padded frontal crash roll shows surface wear and age but remains firmly attached. The liner is complete, retaining its leather crown sections and partial drawstring. Age-related dryness and minor surface wear are present, commensurate with period use. The chinstrap is present with working buckle; fabric and leather show age-related wear but remain sound. An honest and complete wartime example. Please see photographs as part of the condition report.
An excellent example of a rare French M35 armoured helmet from the 1939–40 period — complete, original, and ready to display.
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