WW2 Finnish Wärtsilä M40 Combat Helmet

[@warhistorygeek6013]

As to expected with an obscure topic like this, a few errors have been made in my research. These are outlined below by Panu Korhonen. "Good video, Just to preface, I have two very good condition original Finnish M40 helmets (both of them have the red water transfer label inside) and I have seen a lot original m/40 helmets for sale here in Finland. A few of points on the video: 1) The helmets were ordered in 1940, but were only taken into use in 1941 just before the Continuation War, so they were not used in the Winter War. 2) The "star looking emblem" is an artillery cannonball with crossed cannons over a swastika. That is indeed the Finnish anti-air branch symbol. There have been other painted symbols seen on these helmets too. 3) your assessment on the number of rivets on the original straps is not correct. The original Finnish M/40 straps had two rivets like the Swedish ones. A lot of M/40 helmets for sale today have lost their original strap and have some kind of a replacement on them. In fact, the Finnish M/40 and the Swedish M/37 are so similar that I have yet to find a way to distinguish them from each other in black & white photos. ------------------ About your helmet, sorry to rain on your parade, but: Like said above, the chinstrap in yours is not original. The original is light brown leather with two rivets on each fastening swivel end. The buckle also has a leather tab riveted under it with two rivets. I haven't seen an original Finnish M40 liner with reinforcing rivets on the holes of the top of the head leather tabs. All the ones I've seen have been without rivets, and for this reason very often torn from the holes. The flat rivets suggest postwar replacement. All original M/40 examples I've seen have had smaller and more protruded dome shaped aluminum two-pronged rivets. The one on your video looks like a hollow steel rivet set with a star punch. The later model Finnish M/62 used these flat rivets on its different liner. The shell of the M/62 is almost identical to the M/40. Like you said, many m/40 shells were converted to M/62 just by replacing the liner."

[@CarsofTheArctic]

15:15 Thats the artillery troops insignia, Two blackpowder cannons and a flaming cannon ball.

[@warhistorygeek6013]

Thanks for the comment COTAC! I couldn't seem to find the identity of that emblem anywhere! I hope to see you in the comments in the future!

[@charlieparsons4967]

glad to see some more content from you

[@warhistorygeek6013]

Thanks for the comment Charlie. I'm glad to finally be able to get something released again. Life is always busy these days. 😄

[@ww2.militaria]

Brilliant in-depth video!👍

[@warhistorygeek6013]

Thanks very much WW2.Militaria! Glad to hear that you enjoyed.

[@Kaivukonku]

In time 14.15 you said Winter war examples but M40 helmet wasn't use in winter war. But anyway it was a very good video.

[@warhistorygeek6013]

Thanks for the comment Kaivukonku! That is an error on my part and thanks for the compliment! I hope to see you in the comments in the future.

[@АлексейГорохов-и8о]

Купол наверное такой же, как у шведского м37.

[@warhistorygeek6013]

Thanks for the comment! You are correct. The design of this helmet is identical to that of the Swedish M37 because the Finnish government purchased the rights to produce the M37 domestically which became designated as the Finnish M40.

[@АлексейГорохов-и8о]

Спасибо за информацию, раньше я немного сомневался, что м37 Швеции и м40 Финляндии идентичны.

[@warhistorygeek6013]

@@АлексейГорохов-и8о Sure thing!