Hełm wz. 63
Hełm wz. 63 - Polish steel helmet designed for airborne troops introduced in the 1960s in the Polish Army.
| Hełm wz. 63 | |
|---|---|
 wz. 63 helmet | |
| Type | Paratrooper helmet |
| Place of origin | Poland |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1963-2015 |
| Used by | See Users |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 1,5 kg |
Design
Hełm wz. 63 has the shape of an oval bowl without a visor and a nape. The dimensions of the body are: height 140 mm, length 245 mm (after changes 243 mm), width 206 mm (after changes 213 mm). The weight of the helmet with full equipment is approx. 1.5 kg. There are ventilation holes in the helmet: two on each side[1].
The fascia is almost identical to that of the wz. 50, the difference is the use of an additional shock absorber in the form of a foam pad. In addition, the helmet uses a shock-absorbing shaft (along the periphery of the helmet, it protrudes slightly to protect against a sharp edge) and a leather pilot cap (shorter than in motorcycle helmets). On the sides of the pilot there are pockets for headphones.
The helmets are painted with smooth khaki varnish. Together with the helmet wz. 63, masking nets and covers are used[2].
Users
Poland - the helmet was used by Polish paratroopers and special forces soldiers from the 1960s until 2015[3][4]
East Germany - used by paratroopers[5][6]
References
- ^ Kijak, Jacek (1993). Hełmy Wojska Polskiego 1917–1991. Warszawa: Bellona. pp. 139–142. ISBN 83-11-07997-8.
- ^ helmy.xlx.pl http://helmy.xlx.pl/polski%20wz.63.htm. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
{{cite web}}: Missing or empty|title=(help) - ^ "Żołnierze z desantu żegnają „orzeszka"". www.polska-zbrojna.pl. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
- ^ "Hełmy dla desantu wycofane ze skoków spadochronowych | DEFENCE24". web.archive.org. 2016-04-01. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
- ^ "From Behind the Iron Curtain: Communist Bloc Helmets". Military Trader/Vehicles. Retrieved 2023-08-16.
- ^ Sharky (2010-04-11). "Four Bees: Polish - DDR- NVA Wz-63 Paratroop Helmet". Four Bees. Retrieved 2023-08-16.