Deutsch Feuerwehrhelm, West German Fire Helmet with Leather Neck Flap

Today I'll be taking a slight detour from our run of BGS items to show off a new addition to my West German "Feuerwehrhelm", or fire helmet.  I picked up a brand new, never issued, black leather neck guard for the helmet off of eBay.  This was the one piece that I needed to complete the helmet!  It arrived last week and I installed it today.

I won't go back through the complete history and details of this helmet, but I will give you this link over to my original blog page that gives all the vital information, and includes detailed photos of the helmet itself:  http://sharky-fourbees.blogspot.com/2011/05/deutsh-feuerwehrhelm-west-german-fire.html
 

Sweet Pea also got in on the action during the "Fire Helmet Photo Shoot" and decided to show me how a German Fire Helmet is meant to be worn........ Thanks Sweetie! 

These fire helmets can be worn with, or without, the leather neck flaps, but more often they are seen with the flap in place when being used for fire fighting.  The leather gets pretty grungy and warped over time and through use, which really adds to the character of the helmets..........  I'll be leaving this edition in mint condition.  The flaps are cut from a single piece of heavy black leather with keyhole shaped holes that match up with tabs around the outside of the helmet liner.  The flap is held in place by the tabs after they are inserted through the "keyholes".  Easy as that!

And now on to the photo album.