new yorker magazine ( evolution military armor) tanks

The design was copied by many other countries. The M1 has been described as the most successful helmet of all time, given its service history spanning forty years. It hit the sweet spot of providing adequate protection while being (just) light enough. The adjustable one-size-fits-all design meant that it could be easily mass produced yet still be suitable for every G.I. Over 22 million M1 helmets were produced by the end of WWII, and the ‘steel pot’ was so effective that it continued protecting noggins during the Korean and Vietnam wars. The liner could be easily removed so the metal shell could be used as a bucket or washbasin in the field if needed. It also had a canvas strap with a quick release to prevent being caught. Notably heavy at almost three pounds, the M1 was made more comfortable by adjustable webbing, which could be tightened or loosened to give a better fit for individual skull sizes and shapes. This strap could be a liability: once tightened it was difficult to undo, a deadly consequence for a soldier who gets accidentally snagged on some obstacle.Ī private wears the new M1 helmet in Great Britain, 1942. It came with a basic liner to stop it from rubbing, and a leather chinstrap.

The design was basic, just a sheet of manganese steel pressed into a bowl shape, weighing about a pound and a half. “We shrieked with laughter when we tried them on, as if they were carnival hats,” according to one French soldier, but they cut head injuries from 70 percent to 22 percent.Īmerican troops were issued with the M1917 Kelly helmet, copied from the Brodie helmet developed by the British. In 1915, armies hurriedly introduced helmets, widely known as ‘tin hats.’ The soldiers found the new helmets comical.

Although a few cavalry units held on to helmets and breastplates, the infantry lost them long before the start of the First World War, and soft hats or caps were standard issue.ĭuring WW1 though, one type of weapon proved particularly lethal: fragmentation shells exploding above trenches. Even heavy armor was of limited use against bullets, and soldiers had too much to carry anyway.

Pikes and swords were less of a threat than musket fire. With the widespread introduction of gunpowder in the 16th century, European infantry started ditching their armor.

New yorker magazine ( evolution military armor) tanks