Modèle 1951 helmet
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The Modèle 1951 was produced until 1976, before being superseded by the Modèle 1978 helmet.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
- Algeria
- Benin
- Burkina Faso – Burkina Faso Armed Forces
- Cambodia – Khmer National Armed Forces[1]
- Cameroon – Cameroon Armed Forces
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Comoros
- Djibouti
- France – French Armed Forces, Gendarmerie Nationale
- Gabon
- Guinea
- Kingdom of Laos – Royal Lao Armed Forces[2]
- India – Indian Armed Forces, Indian Police Service
- Israel – Israel Defense Forces[3]
- Ivory Coast – Armed Forces of the Republic of Ivory Coast, National Gendarmerie
- Kenya – Kenya Defence Forces, Kenya Police
- Lebanon – Lebanese Armed Forces, Internal Security Forces
- Madagascar
- Mali
- Mauritania
- Morocco – Royal Moroccan Armed Forces, Royal Moroccan Gendarmerie
- Niger
- Pakistan – Pakistan Armed Forces and paramilitaries
- Portugal – Portuguese Army, Portuguese Republican National Guard
- Republic of the Congo
- Rhodesia – Rhodesian Army, British South Africa Police[4]
- Senegal – Armed Forces of Senegal, National Gendarmerie
- South Vietnam – Vietnamese National Army, Republic of Vietnam Military Forces
- South Africa – South African Defence Force, South African Police, South West Africa Territorial Force, South West African Police
- Tunisia – Tunisian Armed Forces, Tunisian National Guard
- Togo
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.
- Hezbollah – 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 – Seized from Lebanese Armed Forces stocks.
See also
Notes
- ^ Conboy, FANK: A History of the Cambodian Armed Forces, 1970–1975 (2011), p. 182.
- ^ Conboy and McCouaig, South-East Asian Special Forces (1991), p. 7.
- ^ "Israel M51". Brendon's Helmets. Retrieved 22 May 2024.
- ^ Abbott, Botham and Chappell, Modern African Wars (1): Rhodesia 1965–80 (1986), p. 43.
References
- Kenneth Conboy and Simon McCouaig, South-East Asian Special Forces, Elite series 33, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1991. ISBN 1-85532-106-8
- Kenneth Conboy, FANK: A History of the Cambodian Armed Forces, 1970–1975, Equinox Publishing (Asia) Pte Ltd, Djakarta 2011. ISBN 9789793780863
- Peter Abbott, Philip Botham and Mike Chappell, Modern African Wars (1): Rhodesia 1965–80, Men-at-arms series 183, Osprey Publishing Ltd, London 1986. ISBN 9780850457285
External links
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