The U.S. M-1938 Tanker’s Helmet
by Chris Armold

As the 1930s progressed, mechanization was being recognized as a very important force multiplier for armies around the world. Within the United States Army that fact was recognized by two separate branches, the cavalry branch and the infantry branch which headed off in different directions and attempted to independently design a tank helmet for its personnel.

Why the cavalry branch did not adopt the very functional "infantry" style tank helmet is not very clear but certainly internal rivalry and pride probably steered the cavalry branch away from the design of their infantry branch counterparts.

Essentially the criteria for a tank helmet were identical to both branches: crew protection. Both the infantry and cavalry tested a variety of commercial helmets, especially football styles and each branch eventually developed their own variation of a tank helmet. This, however, changed in 1938 with the testing and adoption of the Model 1938 tank helmet, the helmet which would be used just a few years later during WWII.

In 1938, after years of duplication and expense between the infantry branch and the cavalry branch, the Ordnance Board finally intervened. Ordnance set out to test all the various helmet options currently available with the intent of standardizing a single helmet for armored crews regardless of branch. Ordnance carefully reviewed the testing and development of the infantry-style helmet, the cavalry-style helmet, plus an assortment or private-purchase and football helmets. While Ordnance understood the requirements for crash and bump protection, they also truly hoped to devise a helmet capable of providing ballistic protection. However, with war in Europe looming on the horizon, Ordnance compromised and decided on a temporary stop-gap measure.

This stop-gap measure was envisioned to be a composite of a helmet currently in production yet would also have to incorporate some criteria including these requirements:

-The helmet would have to be light weight

-It must be easy to put on and remove

-It must not be encumbered with a complicated chinstrap system

-The helmet was also required to securely hold communications earphones

Based on its evaluation, the Ordnance Board determined the cavalry-style helmet was superior to the infantry-style. The Rawling’s Manufacturing Corporation became the beneficiary of the U.S. Army tank helmet development program. Ordnance provided Rawlings its criteria and ask the manufacturer to design a suitable helmet. Rawlings accepted the project and a development team made up of Mason Scudder, Elmer Nolte and Harry Latina were tasked with creating the helmet.

Prior to 1940, the design team completed its task and the Model 1938(1) U.S. tank helmet was a reality. The Model 1938 Tank Helmet incorporated many of the features found on both the cavalry and infantry-style helmets but was very different in many respects. Like the earlier helmets, the Model 1938 used a resin-fiber shell for the crown of the helmet.

The crown was well ventilated with ten holes evenly spaced across the crown. Gone was the crash pad and the front brim featured on early helmets. Besides the resin-fiber bowl, the primary material used for most of the components of the helmet was leather.

At the rear of the helmet, a leather neck guard protected most of the back of the head. On the sides of the neck guard were leather tabs with snap fasteners used to secure the straps of the goggles in place. An elasticized strap with press snaps protruded from the neck guard as well. This adjustable strap was snapped into the earflaps as the primary means of holding the helmet securely in place, yet provided enough flexibility that the helmet could be removed with speed.

A key feature of the model 1938 tank helmet were the leather ear flaps designed to accommodate communications earphones. The earphones were positioned in the holes in the earflaps and held in place by a leather "arm" anchored to the resin-fiber crown. The arm was riveted in place and could be swiveled into several positions. When placed over the earphones in the down position, the arms acted as a spring, providing tension to hold the earphones in place. The earflaps were very flexible and relied on sewn "hinges" rather than metal. This permitted the earflaps to be folded 180 degrees and made it easy to put the helmet on or take it off. The suspension and interior of the Model 1938 was very different from the infantry or cavalry-style helmet. Rather than using cotton webbing for the suspension, the designers opted to stick with leather. Consequently, a four flap padded leather suspension provided the primary cushioning effect for the helmet. The four flaps were secured at the crown of the helmet with a cord. The forehead, back of the head and earflap areas were also covered with leather.

The Model 1938 helmet was light, weighing approximately two pounds and again, was intended only as a temporary measure until a proper ballistic tank helmet could be developed. Consequently, for ballistic protection the Model 1938 tank helmet was designed to be worn beneath the M1 steel helmet.(2)

Earphones used with the Model 1938 helmet were the standard communications style used in a variety of applications to include aircrew helmets. However, they were mounted individually rather than with a headset. Communications and power cables ran from each headphone to an adapter jack which was plugged into the communications system on-board the armored vehicle.

As the US entered WWII, the majority of tank helmets in service were the infantry and cavalry-style helmets. The Model 1938 started to be seen in numbers by the end of 1942. As the demand increased the army sought additional companies to manufacture the helmet. Before the end of WWII no less than four companies are known to have made the model 1938 tank helmet

-Rawlings Manufacturing Corporation

-Wilson Athletic Goods Manufacturing Company

-Sears Saddlery Company

-A.G. Spaulding & Brothers

Each company marked their products by either embossing or ink stamping their company name inside the helmet on the suspension or on the neck flap area. The Model 1938 tank helmet was made in sizes ranging from approximately 6 ½ to 7 5/8th.

Like US M1 helmet liners, the Model 1938 tank helmets did show subtle differences from manufacturer to manufacturer but essentially all the helmets were alike.

The Model 1938 tank helmet, while ballistically inferior and quite unattractive, was functional and accepted by tank crews. During WWII the helmet was used by US Army and Marine tank crews in every theater of operations. The Model 1938 tank helmet was also exported to an assortment of allied militaries including Britain, Australia, India and China.

In the end, the "temporary" Model 1938 tank helmet served throughout the war and continued in service through Korea and even saw service in the early stages of the Vietnam war.

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