The hełm wz. 31 (helmet, 1931 pattern) was the basic combat helmet of the Polish Army before the outbreak of World War II and during the Invasion of Poland. The helmet became the basic type of combat headgear for Polish military formations in the 1930s and during the early stages of World War II. It was also exported to Persia, Albania and Republican Spain. By September 1939 approximately 320,000 helmets were delivered to the Polish Army.
While it was not the most common helmet in Polish service during World War II (in 1939 most of the mobilised soldiers were issued old French Adrian helmets), it became somewhat iconic and widely regarded in Poland as one of the symbols of Polish resistance. Because of this, the hełm wz. 67 designed in the late 1960s was based on the wz.31's silhouette.
The wz. 31 was an all-metal one-piece helmet with a distinctive peaked visor and a slight "skirt." It was covered with either plain or Salamandra matte paint. Most helmets were covered with a thick layer of lead tetroxide and then painted with standard all-military khaki, with some of them painted grey, greyish green or navy blue (the latter worn by the police). The weight of the complete set with inner lining was approximately 1.3 kg. The helmet could be worn with the visor backwards, which was used by artillery officers for increased visibility and better peripheral vision.
The wz.31 helmet with grainy Salamandra surface
Liner system used in wz. 31
History and usageedit
After the end of World War IPoland seized large quantities of helmets from other countries formerly occupying its territory. Among the most widely used was the German M1918 helmet, better known as the Stahlhelm. Large numbers of French Adrian helmets were also being used. However, as the shape of the helmet was one of the most distinctive marks on the battlefield, already in 1919 the Polish Army started working on a genuine Polish helmet, distinct from those used by the armies of surrounding countries and offering better protection than the German helmet.
Polish soldiers wearing the wz.31 helmet, 1939
The initial work on a new helmet was directed by the IBMU institute in Warsaw, with the chief engineer being Leonard Krauze. The design team created an outer shell, but the design process came to a halt in mid-1920s due to problems with the inner lining and production process preparation. It was decided to purchase a ready-made design or use a technological process developed in another country. SwedishEskilstuna Stal Pressing ABsteel mill was chosen as the contractor and a Polish commission spent several weeks observing the Swedish technology. In the end the Polish ministry of military affairs decided to buy a license for Swedish helmet suspension and liners, and to design a custom outer shell.
The shell was based on an earlier Polish design, the hełm wz. 30 which never entered serial production. The most notable modification included liquidation of the horn-like ventilator lugs, similar to the ones found on early German helmets. 300 copies of the modernised design were ordered for testing and were then extensively modified by the Pokój steel mill, the Warsaw-based Arms Factory No. 2 and the Wolbrom-based Ideal works. Simultaneously, the Warsaw-based "W. Karpiński and M. Leppert" factory designed a new type of grainy non-glossy paint to eliminate light reflection. The new paint was patented under the name of "Salamandra" (salamander) and accepted by the ministry.[1]
An insurgent during the Warsaw Uprising wearing wz.31 helmet, 1944
The tests of the modernised 1930 design were successful and by September 1932 the first 120 copies were made by the Bismarck and Silesia steel mills, the latter equipped with a complete production line of German World War I Stahlhelm helmets. Further tests at the Infantry Training Centre in Rembertów near Warsaw led to further minor modifications. Finally the Ministry chose two steel mills as contractors for serial production. The Kielce-based Huta Ludwików factory started serial production of helmet shells from a nickel-chrome-molybdenum steelalloy provided by the Baildon Steel Mill. At the same time some of the helmets were being produced from less durable manganese steel. Due to project's secrecy it was officially referred to in military purchase orders as "kettle production". Initially costing 21,70 złoty apiece, with time the price dropped to 16,50 złoty.[2]
The first batches of serially-produced helmets entered field service in January 1933. Initially issued to infantry and artillery, in time it was also provided to the Polish Navy and Border Protection Corps.[3] The Border Guards and State Police were provided with a variant of the wz.31 helmet with a large (10 centimetres in diameter) White Eagle adorning the forehead. However, at the end of the 1930s it was determined that the standard Polish wz. 31 helmet was unsuitable for tank troops and motorized units; while offering decent protection, it was too large and heavy. Because of that most of motorised units continued to use German Stahlhelms, while the cavalry used the French Adrian Helmet. The latter was also issued to many of the units mobilised in 1939.
Variantsedit
Export versionedit
The export variants were identical to the original wz. 31 helmet except for the paint: instead of standard khaki used in Poland the Spanish Republic used black mat.
Hełm wz. 31/50edit
The wz. 31/50 helmet in plain colour
While the production of the wz.31 ended with the German and Soviet occupation of Poland in 1939, the Kielce-based Huta Ludwików retained large numbers of original helmet shells in its warehouses. After the war production did not resume and instead the Polish Army was equipped with Soviet Ssh-39 helmets. However, the remaining wz.31 shells were fitted with lining from German M1935 helmet and issued to various military colleges.[4]
^webstrona.com.pl. "Hełm wz.1931". przeciwlotnicza.pl (in Lithuanian). Retrieved 2024-04-18.
^Wykpisz, Adam (2020-12-23). "Stalowy hełm wz. 31 typu "Salamandra" • Muzeum Historyczne w Legionowie". Muzeum Historyczne w Legionowie (in Polish). Retrieved 2024-04-18.
(in Polish) Kijak J., Hełmy Wojska Polskiego 1917–2000, Wydawnictwo Bellona, Warsaw 2004, ISBN83-11-09636-8.
External linksedit
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Hełm wz. 31.
(in Polish) Hełm wz. 31 at przeciwlotnicza.pl
January 01, 1970
hełm, this, article, includes, list, references, related, reading, external, links, sources, remain, unclear, because, lacks, inline, citations, please, help, improve, this, article, introducing, more, precise, citations, february, 2013, learn, when, remove, t. This article includes a list of references related reading or external links but its sources remain unclear because it lacks inline citations Please help improve this article by introducing more precise citations February 2013 Learn how and when to remove this message The helm wz 31 helmet 1931 pattern was the basic combat helmet of the Polish Army before the outbreak of World War II and during the Invasion of Poland The helmet became the basic type of combat headgear for Polish military formations in the 1930s and during the early stages of World War II It was also exported to Persia Albania and Republican Spain By September 1939 approximately 320 000 helmets were delivered to the Polish Army wz 31The wz 31 helmet with grainy Salamandra surfaceTypeCombat helmetPlace of originPolandService historyIn service1933 1960 Used bySee Users for detailsWarsWorld War II Polish Defensive War of 1939 Winter war Operation TempestProduction historyDesigned1930 1931ManufacturerHuta LudwikowHuta SilesiaProduced1931 1939No produced320 000 1939 Variantswz 31 wz 31 50SpecificationsWeight1 3 kg While it was not the most common helmet in Polish service during World War II in 1939 most of the mobilised soldiers were issued old French Adrian helmets it became somewhat iconic and widely regarded in Poland as one of the symbols of Polish resistance Because of this the helm wz 67 designed in the late 1960s was based on the wz 31 s silhouette Contents 1 Design 2 History and usage 3 Variants 3 1 Export version 3 2 Helm wz 31 50 4 Users 5 References 5 1 Books 6 External linksDesign editThe wz 31 was an all metal one piece helmet with a distinctive peaked visor and a slight skirt It was covered with either plain or Salamandra matte paint Most helmets were covered with a thick layer of lead tetroxide and then painted with standard all military khaki with some of them painted grey greyish green or navy blue the latter worn by the police The weight of the complete set with inner lining was approximately 1 3 kg The helmet could be worn with the visor backwards which was used by artillery officers for increased visibility and better peripheral vision nbsp The wz 31 helmet with grainy Salamandra surface nbsp Liner system used in wz 31History and usage editAfter the end of World War I Poland seized large quantities of helmets from other countries formerly occupying its territory Among the most widely used was the German M1918 helmet better known as the Stahlhelm Large numbers of French Adrian helmets were also being used However as the shape of the helmet was one of the most distinctive marks on the battlefield already in 1919 the Polish Army started working on a genuine Polish helmet distinct from those used by the armies of surrounding countries and offering better protection than the German helmet nbsp Polish soldiers wearing the wz 31 helmet 1939 The initial work on a new helmet was directed by the IBMU institute in Warsaw with the chief engineer being Leonard Krauze The design team created an outer shell but the design process came to a halt in mid 1920s due to problems with the inner lining and production process preparation It was decided to purchase a ready made design or use a technological process developed in another country Swedish Eskilstuna Stal Pressing AB steel mill was chosen as the contractor and a Polish commission spent several weeks observing the Swedish technology In the end the Polish ministry of military affairs decided to buy a license for Swedish helmet suspension and liners and to design a custom outer shell The shell was based on an earlier Polish design the helm wz 30 which never entered serial production The most notable modification included liquidation of the horn like ventilator lugs similar to the ones found on early German helmets 300 copies of the modernised design were ordered for testing and were then extensively modified by the Pokoj steel mill the Warsaw based Arms Factory No 2 and the Wolbrom based Ideal works Simultaneously the Warsaw based W Karpinski and M Leppert factory designed a new type of grainy non glossy paint to eliminate light reflection The new paint was patented under the name of Salamandra salamander and accepted by the ministry 1 nbsp An insurgent during the Warsaw Uprising wearing wz 31 helmet 1944 The tests of the modernised 1930 design were successful and by September 1932 the first 120 copies were made by the Bismarck and Silesia steel mills the latter equipped with a complete production line of German World War I Stahlhelm helmets Further tests at the Infantry Training Centre in Rembertow near Warsaw led to further minor modifications Finally the Ministry chose two steel mills as contractors for serial production The Kielce based Huta Ludwikow factory started serial production of helmet shells from a nickel chrome molybdenum steel alloy provided by the Baildon Steel Mill At the same time some of the helmets were being produced from less durable manganese steel Due to project s secrecy it was officially referred to in military purchase orders as kettle production Initially costing 21 70 zloty apiece with time the price dropped to 16 50 zloty 2 The first batches of serially produced helmets entered field service in January 1933 Initially issued to infantry and artillery in time it was also provided to the Polish Navy and Border Protection Corps 3 The Border Guards and State Police were provided with a variant of the wz 31 helmet with a large 10 centimetres in diameter White Eagle adorning the forehead However at the end of the 1930s it was determined that the standard Polish wz 31 helmet was unsuitable for tank troops and motorized units while offering decent protection it was too large and heavy Because of that most of motorised units continued to use German Stahlhelms while the cavalry used the French Adrian Helmet The latter was also issued to many of the units mobilised in 1939 Variants editExport version edit The export variants were identical to the original wz 31 helmet except for the paint instead of standard khaki used in Poland the Spanish Republic used black mat Helm wz 31 50 edit nbsp The wz 31 50 helmet in plain colour While the production of the wz 31 ended with the German and Soviet occupation of Poland in 1939 the Kielce based Huta Ludwikow retained large numbers of original helmet shells in its warehouses After the war production did not resume and instead the Polish Army was equipped with Soviet Ssh 39 helmets However the remaining wz 31 shells were fitted with lining from German M1935 helmet and issued to various military colleges 4 Users edit nbsp Poland Standard issue helmet of Polish Army in 1933 1939 Also used in LOPP andBorder Protection Troops nbsp Nazi Germany Luftshutz make use of stocks left over or acquired from Polish Army nbsp Finland In 1939 1940 captured in 1939 wz 31 helmets were donated by the Third Reich nbsp Soviet Union limited use of helmets captured in 1939 nbsp Spanish Republic exported from Poland during the Spanish Civil War nbsp Imperial State of Iran exported from Poland in 1930s References edit Poland Wz31 Brendon s Helmets Retrieved 2024 04 18 webstrona com pl Helm wz 1931 przeciwlotnicza pl in Lithuanian Retrieved 2024 04 18 Wykpisz Adam 2020 12 23 Stalowy helm wz 31 typu Salamandra Muzeum Historyczne w Legionowie Muzeum Historyczne w Legionowie in Polish Retrieved 2024 04 18 Poland Wz31 50 Brendon s Helmets Retrieved 2024 04 18 Books edit in Polish Kijak J Helmy Wojska Polskiego 1917 2000 Wydawnictwo Bellona Warsaw 2004 ISBN 83 11 09636 8 External links edit nbsp Wikimedia Commons has media related to Helm wz 31 in Polish Helm wz 31 at przeciwlotnicza pl Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Helm wz 31 amp oldid 1222170188, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
