The Modèle 1951 helmet was a military helmet used by the French military (Army, Navy, Air Force and Gendarmerie), iconic of the Algerian War. It replaced a variety of helmets used during the Second World War, including the Adrian helmet, Modèle 1945 helmet and American-supplied M1 Helmet.
Development The Modèle 1951 was designed to have the same general shape as the US M1 Helmet, in an effort towards standardisation within NATO. The two differ in that the M1 has a longer visor and a more pronounced downwards slope on the sides. The M1 also has a nape strap while the Modèle 1951 does not.
Description The Modèle 1951 comprised a heavy external cover, made of 1.2 mm of an amagnetic alloy of manganese steel, and a lighter inner helmet.
The Modèle 1951 was produced until 1976, before being superseded by the Modèle 1978 helmet. It nonetheless remained in service well into the 1980s.
Users
– Burkina Faso Armed Forces – Khmer National Armed ForcesConboy, FANK: A History of the Cambodian Armed Forces, 1970–1975 (2011), p. 182. – Cameroon Armed Forces
– French Armed Forces, Gendarmerie Nationale
Kingdom of Laos – Royal Lao Armed ForcesConboy and McCouaig, South-East Asian Special Forces (1991), p. 7. – Indian Armed Forces, Indian Police Service – Israel Defense Forces – Armed Forces of the Republic of Ivory Coast, National Gendarmerie – Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Police – Lebanese Armed Forces, Internal Security Forces
– Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie
– Pakistan Armed Forces and paramilitaries – Portuguese Army, Portuguese Republican National Guard
– Rhodesian Army, British South Africa PoliceAbbott, Botham and Chappell, Modern African Wars (1): Rhodesia 1965–80 (1986), p. 43. – Armed Forces of Senegal, National Gendarmerie – Vietnamese National Army, Republic of Vietnam Military Forces – South African Defence Force, South African Police, South West Africa Territorial Force, South West African Police – Tunisian Armed Forces, Tunisian National Guard
Non-state users Al-Mourabitoun – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks. Al-Tanzim – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks or provided by Israel. Amal Movement – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks. Army of Free Lebanon – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks. Guardians of the Cedars (GoC) – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks or provided by Israel. – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks. Kataeb Regulatory Forces – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks or provided by Israel. Lebanese Arab Army – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks. Lebanese Forces – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks or provided by Israel. Lebanese Youth Movement (MKG) – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks. People's Liberation Army (Lebanon) – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks. South Lebanon Army – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks or provided by Israel. Tigers Militia – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks or provided by Israel. Tyous Team of Commandos (TTC) – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks or provided by Israel. UNITA/FALA – Seized from Portuguese Army stocks or provided by South Africa. Palestine Liberation Organization – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks. Polisario Front/Sahrawi People's Liberation Army – Captured from the Royal Moroccan Army or provided by Algeria. Zgharta Liberation Army (a.k.a. Marada Brigade) – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks.
See also Modèle 1978 helmet SPECTRA helmet
Notes
References Kenneth Conboy and Simon McCouaig, South-East Asian Special Forces, Elite series 33, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1991. Kenneth Conboy, FANK: A History of the Cambodian Armed Forces, 1970–1975, Equinox Publishing (Asia) Pte Ltd, Djakarta 2011. Peter Abbott, Philip Botham and Mike Chappell, Modern African Wars (1): Rhodesia 1965–80, Men-at-arms series 183, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1986.
External links
Le modèle militaire 1951 le casque français modèle 1951