American Experimental Helmet No. 8 " Price Negotiable"
The American Experimental Helmet No. 8, also known as the Ford Motor Company Model 8 helmet, was a rare, full-face combat helmet designed for the United States Army towards the end of World War I.
Design and Purpose
The helmet was designed by Bashford Dean, a curator of arms and armor at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, who was tasked by the War Department with developing more effective head protection than the standard issue M1917 helmet. Dean's design was heavily influenced by 15th-century Italian armor, with the goal of providing maximum facial protection.
Key features included:
- Full facial protection: It featured a prominent, mobile visor with a narrow ocular slit designed to provide substantial ballistic strength against pistol rounds.
- Material and Finish: The helmet was made of ballistic steel and finished with a rough khaki/olive drab paint.
- Liner System: The interior featured a three-felt pad liner system. This one is probably not original but probably comes from a Swedish M21 helmet. and a original web chinstrap,
- Production: Approximately 1,300 units were produced by the Ford Motor Company in November 1918.
Field Testing and Legacy
The Model 8 and other experimental designs were field-tested in France late in the war. While offering superior protection, they were not widely adopted due to mixed results from field testing and the imminent end of the war. Soldiers sometimes found the extensive body armor uncomfortable, preferring to take their chances without it, though the protective value was significant.
Today, the American Experimental Helmet No. 8 is considered a very rare and highly sought-after collector's item in the world of militaria.
