Austrian M75 helmet

The Austrian M75 helmet (known to Austrian troops as the Stahlhelm 1) is a locally produced copy of the American M1 helmet. This helmet was introduced around 1975 and remained the standard for the Austrian Bundesheer until it was replaced in the early 2000s by Kevlar helmets such as the M92.

Key Features

Although it closely resembles the American M1, the M75 has several specific European modifications:

• Liner: Unlike the American web system, the M75 uses a plastic inner helmet with nine leather "tongues" and a drawstring, similar to West German helmets.
• Chinstrap: The helmet has an olive green chinstrap with a typical Central European quick-release buckle; half of this chinstrap is no longer present.
• Markings: The helmets are usually stamped with manufacturer codes (such as HBA, VDN, or U-SCH) and the year of production.

For collectors, the M75 is a popular and high-quality alternative to the original American M1.