Romanian M73 Paratrooper Helmet, Surplus

The Romanian airborne/paratrooper helmet from the Golden Age of Communism. Based on the M73 infantry model, which in turn was influenced by the earlier M38 helmet. Contains the liner and padding with neck and ear protection. A net on top. A cool piece of Cold War-era military history that is getting rarer and rarer.

Features

In shape, this helmet looks like an M73 infantry helmet with the lower part cut off. This innovative design concept isn’t of Romanian origin. The same philosophy has been used e.g. in German paratrooper helmets prior to this. The idea was to reduce the weight and make the helmet better suited for airborne activities.

The steel is also thinner than on the infantry model, so this might offer more spiritual than physical protection but at the same time the helmet is a bit lighter. The liner with the padding and the chin strap are also a bit different. This model has ear and neck protection made of leather, which come in handy when you dive out of the airplane into the cold air and eventually hit the ground. The style of the liner varies a bit from helmet to helmet. Most use black leather but there are also brown and possibly other shades, too. The padding seems to be wool felt but there can be optional solutions as well.

Sizing

On the average, these weigh about 1,2 kg (2.7 lbs). The sizes and padding styles vary, so the weight can also vary accordingly. These seem fairly small, so if your head is a bit humptydumptyesque, these might not feel so comfortable. We sell these in a sort of “one size fits whom it fits” kinda deal out of necessity.

Condition

Used Romanian military surplus but in fairly good condition for their age. The metal can have some small scratches and there can be some surface rust and such on these. The net on top of the helmet is in surprisingly good shape, which is rare since they are not of super high quality. When you see these on the market, the net is often missing because of this.

The lining along with padding and straps are more worn. They have most likely been changed at least once, so there can be differences in the style, color, and materials. The leather might also have gotten worn, stained, and a bit stiffer during the years. Many of these have quite a lot of surplus sand that may or may not have historical significance. In case you are a vampire from Transylvania, you’ll have native soil wherever you go when you wear one of these.

We sell these purely for collecting, not for protection. So, if some enemy sniper shoots through it, you crash your lawnmower on the highway, or dive head first into the shrubbery when ski jumping, your funeral expenses will go from your relatives’ inheritance money.