Italian M42 - 60 Paratrooper Helmet

The Italian M42/60 is the post-WWII modernized version of the iconic M42 paratrooper helmet. It served as the primary headgear for Italian airborne troops (Paracadutisti) from roughly 1960 into the 1990s.

Key Features & Design

• Shell: It retains the same steel shell shape as the original WWII M42, which was a rimless design based on the standard M33 helmet.
• Liner System: Features a leather suspension liner similar to the M33 but with a distinctive forehead pad.
• Chinstrap: Unlike the WWII-era leather version, the M42/60 uses a cotton twill chinstrap with a leather chin cup, typically connected to three metal fasteners.
• Shock Absorption: Includes a circular foam rubber pad in the center of the liner dome for impact protection. These were frequently removed by soldiers so the helmet would sit lower on the head. 

Identification and Variants

• Color: Early versions were factory-painted khaki-green, while examples from the 1970s and 1980s are often seen in a darker olive green.
• Accessories: It was often paired with a camouflage cover, typically a mesh net or the M58 "Telo Mimetico" pattern cover.
• Refurbishment: Many M42/60 helmets actually utilize original WWII-produced steel shells that were reconditioned with post-war liners and straps.