The first Spanish-designed steel helmet, and despite its designation it was manufactured in 1926. (Some authorities do indeed call it a M26 'sin ala (without wings)' as opposed to the M26 as shown below.
The 'sin ala' may have a good protective shape in today's terms, but it was considerably disliked at the time because of its unappealling appearance.
This is an original production helmet; after 1943 the familiar frontal attachment for the Spanish Army badge was added.
On the basis of this example the M21 is a somewhat crude and handmade item. The rivets are not uniformly spaced, and the liner attachment is, frankly, careless, some rivets barely holding the leather at all.
Also known as the 'Trubia' helmet after the Spanish government
arsenal that designed and made it.
Original issues would NOT have had the clasp for a national insignia
welded to the front; that was added at the end of the Civil War
after the victory of the fascist Franco.
These helmets were used by both the Nationalist (Franco) and Republican factions during the Spanish Civil War, being originally designed in 1926 and put into production in 1930.
Also known as the 'con ala' ('with wings', literally) it is a development of the M21 helmet which has almost vertical sides and back with none of the outward side and back flare of the M26.
A somewhat lighter and simplified version of the M26, this helmet commonly known as the 'Eibar' was introduced 1938, and was primarily used by militia units rather than the Spanish military.
Compared to the M26 the Eibar has distinctly less flare to the sides particularly and the back, and also has just one retaining rivet for the liner, at the crown.
Also known as the M42, this is a Spanish-made helmet cloned from the German M42, and first issued in 1943.
Not made in Germany, not used in the Spanish Civil War, not a German M42.
Most definitely not a German wartime M42 when it has the later, web-cradle liner fitted in 1979, making it actually an M42-79.
Anyone selling these as genuine German M42s on ebay or elsewhere should be prosecuted for deception and fraud. Or stoned in the streets, whichever is the more satisfying.
The original Modelo Z issued in 1943 has a three-lobed leather liner - very similar to that used in the M21 featured above - and a leather chinstrap with a conventional buckle.
The later M42-79 has a complicated canvas chinstrap made up of several pieces buckled together.
It is at times like this I wish I could read Spanish properly....
I am sure Joseba Revelda can explain this helmet to me.
As far as I can understand it is a basic US M1 that has been
modified in Spain for use as a paratroop helmet.
Certainly the liner setup is very similar if not identical to that used on US M1 para helmets....
SPAIN_M1 PARA shell strap detail 1
The shell strap is simple to the point of, well, unusability. I can't imagine it would actually work!
..but the liner looks like a very crude field modification, with new rivets punched in as required and the original hloes just left.
SPAIN_M1 PARA_liner strap detail 1
I really need some useful Information Please about this helmet!
The Marte helmet
Readers of this webpage may be as surprised as I am to find that the Marte helmet is so hard to find, considering it has been in service for almost twenty years, while US, German and British ballistic fibre helmets are commonplace. Javi Neila, a Spanish helmetter, offers this explanation - see right:
"Unfortunately here in Spain is difficult to find the Marte model. In my army (I have been tank officer) the helmets are considered weapons. If you have a Marte helmet you could be arrested. The problems is that they are specially controlled in units...I hope the legacy will change soon, but right now only a few had this model into Spain (Specially high ranks of the army) I know people from USA that have aquired some of them freely." - Javi Neila
Anyone who has a Marte for sale at a reasonable price please contact me!
And while we're on about it, why are Canadian Cadpat helmets so ludicrously expensive....