Czech M53/80 Helmet

[Flying10uk]

Ive owned this Czech M53/80 helmet for some years, in nice unissued condition, and it was sold to me as a Russian/Soviet helmet. The price was very good and so no worries about that as the vendor probably didn't know that it was Czech. The thing is, is that there is no cross swords marking on the inside and it has a small red star on the front of the helmet.

My thinking is that it is an export helmet but for which country as this style of Czech helmet was exported to several countries. I was thinking possibly Albania but there are several other countries that could have used it? Alternatively perhaps the red star is fake in an attempt to make it look more Soviet?

Any ideas please?

[BEAR]

Some 15 years ago after watching Enemy at the Gates, my son decided that I needed a Soviet helmet for my helmet collection. So he goes online to a military surplus company and purchases a nice Soviet helmet with a faded red star on the front and gave it to me for my birthday. Lo and behold, it turns out to be a Czech VZ53 in nice condition.

It seems that surplus companies do not always know what they have. I purchased an advertised Israeli combat helmet some years ago that turned out to be a Spanish M65 paratrooper helmet. I didn't return it because I collect Airborne helmets.

Fortunatley, these two purchases had silver linings.

"CAVEAT EMPTOR"

[Flying10uk]

Like I say I got it for a good price and so no regrets about the purchase.

If it is an export example it would be nice to know to which country as Czechoslovakia exported them to several countries.

[BEAR]

You have a nice looking helmet and you are probably right about it being an export.
I forgot to include pictures in my last post. The star looks like it has been there for a while so I don't know if the Czechs included red stars in their early helmets.


BEAR

[Flying10uk]

Apparently Czechoslovakia did refurb at least some genuine WW2 Russian helmet shells and the way to identify them is by the rivets. As I understand it the Czech refurbed Russian helmet shells have two rows of rivets.

Quite why there doesn't seem many genuine WW2 Russian helmets about for sale when one considers the millions made I don't know.

They did fit quite a nice quality liner, similar, or based on what had been fitted to German helmets.

[Aragorn243]

There are plenty of Russian helmets around. The problem is they refurbished the vast majority of them which takes them out of WWII collectability. I searched for a couple of years for one and finally just settled on a WWII manufactured one with an early post war refurbishment. I think it's 1946 but not positive. That one year difference is about $200.00.

Kind of like US WWII helmets. The one I just got is WWII but it was refurbed and used as late as Vietnam. Vietnam helmets are getting pretty collectable now as they are becoming the surviving veterans now.