An original WW2 German Fallschirmjäger (paratrooper) helmet, side-stamped ET66 and rear lot-marked 5069. This helmet has all the hallmarks of a combat veteran, with roughly 60% of its original olive-green factory paint remaining. Fallschirmjäger helmets are among the most distinctive of the war, designed specifically for Germany’s elite airborne troops.
Key Features
Model: M38 German paratrooper helmet
Manufacturer: ET (Eisenhüttenwerke Thale)
Size: ET66 (medium shell size)
Lot Number: 5069 → production date late 1939 / early 1940 (Brian Ice Lot Data)
Paint: Approx. 60% original factory olive green finish surviving
Decals: 100% original, untouched, never restored
Condition: Honest combat wear, consistent with frontline use
Collector’s Analysis
Fallschirmjäger units were frequently deployed to critical points on the front lines, explaining the heavy wear on surviving helmets.
Helmets like this are far scarcer than standard Luftwaffe or Heer helmets, and their elite association drives demand.
With camouflaged examples commanding upwards of $10,000, this piece represents an affordable entry point into collecting authentic German paratrooper gear.
An excellent “shelf queen” that retains authenticity without the extreme price tag of camo variants.
Historical Context
The ET66 is one of the most common shell sizes for early paratrooper helmets, balancing availability with wearability.
Lot 5069 production falls right at the beginning of mass deployment of German airborne units, who would become infamous during early war operations such as the assaults on Norway, Holland, and later Crete.
