Italian M42 Paratrooper*

General Information: The Italian Model 1942 helmet replaced the limited-production Model 1941 and was the main helmet used by Italian paratroopers during the Second World War.

Displayed Example: I acquired this helmet in a trade with a Canadian collector friend. He in turn, found this in a flea market in Ottawa. It is named to Second Lieutenant (“Sottotenente” abbreviated as “S. Ten.”) Antonio Canella. S. Ten. Antonio Canella is listed as a member of the Artiti Regiment of the Folgore Paratroopers of the RSI (“Repubblica Sociale Italiana”).[1] The abbreviation “med.” that appears with the name on the liner indicates that the original owner was a medical officer, likely a doctor. Since buying this helmet, I have often wondered about the fate of S. Ten. Canella.

When these helmets were issued, they had a circular rubber device with a star-shaped void that was placed in the center portion of the interior dome to provide additional cushioning. These were often removed by the paratroopers to prevent the helmets from riding too high on the wearer’s head.[2] If not removed during the period, then they often fall out over time due to failure of the adhesive used to attach the piece to the rubber arms that are part of the helmet liner. As with many surviving M42 helmets, this one lacks the round center piece.

Collector Notes: There is no area of World War II helmet collecting that is trickier than the Italian M42. For starters, most of these helmets were refurbished and reused post-war. The post-war M42s utilized wartime shells and sometimes surplus components left over from the war. It is very difficult to acquire a genuine unmodified WWII vintage M42 even in Italy. Compounding the challenge of distinguishing between wartime and post-war M42s is the fact that these are extensively faked. The fakery usually involves taking post-war M42s and making alterations to paint, chinstraps, liners, rivets, etc. to make them appear as they would have during World War II. A final problem is that there is very little documentation on this helmet type. What little is known is mainly in the heads of collectors, particularly Italian collectors, who have learned from years of studying these things. At some point, I will attempt to provide some guidance on how to tell the good from the bad. It is a deep dive. My general advice is the same as with all expensive hobby purchases: buy from reputable sellers, do not buy from people who do not accept returns, and validate the originality of the piece from knowledgeable collectors.

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* Deaquisitioned

* Private collection

[1] Arena. pp 218

[2] I was told this by two knowledgeable collectors who examined the helmet at the 2024 Show of Shows. One was Massimo di Martino who wrote “Paracadutisti D’Italia 1943-1969.”

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