| Hełm wz. 50 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Type | Combat helmet |
| Place of origin | Polish People's Republic |
| Service history | |
| In service | 1950–1967 (Polish People's Army) |
| Used by | SeeUsers for details |
| Wars | Vietnam War Six-Day War Warsaw Pact invasion of Czechoslovakia Yom Kippur War Iran-Iraq War |
| Production history | |
| Designed | 1950 |
| Manufacturer | Huta Ludwików Huta Silesia |
| Produced | 1950–1955 |
| No. produced | 533 910 (1955) |
| Specifications | |
| Weight | 1,2kg |
TheWz50 (Polish:Hełm wz. 50) is a steelcombat helmet produced inPoland from 1950 to 1955. During theCold War from 1947 to 1991, these helmets would be widely exported to a number ofArab countries for its low price.[1]
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After 1945, production of helmetswz. 31/50 (using pre-war resources) was not sufficient for the expandingPolish People's Army. In 1950, it was decided to launch the production of a new domestic helmet based on soviet pattern. The shell is anotherWarsaw Pact copy of theSoviet SSh-40 design, along with theCzech M53 andHungarian M70.[2][3]
It was the first mass-produced helmet design developed in Poland after World War II. Its prototype was the Soviet helmet Sch-40. This product had the following dimensions: height 166 mm, length 271 mm, width 248 mm. It was pressed from 1.4 mm thick special steel sheet. Its weight did not exceed 1200 g. The internal fittings were based on theItalian helmetM33.[4] Its most important part was a springy hoop, to which the leather elements of the internal fittings and the lining were attached. The helmet's shell was painted smoothly with semi-matt varnish.[citation needed] The land forces usedkhaki helmets, theair forces used blue-gray helmets, and theInternal Military Service used white helmets.[citation needed] The helmet was tested by firing a 7.62 mmTT pistol or a 7.62 mmAK rifle from a distance of 3 m.[citation needed] The dimensions, rivet holes, the distance from the line connecting the centers of the rivet holes to the lower edge of the shell, and the materials from which it was made were also checked. If even one shell was found to be defective, the entire batch was returned to the plant for sorting and correction.[citation needed] The production of combat helmets was limited by the throughput of the annealing furnace used for thermal processing of the shells.[citation needed]
In 1955, the production of helmets wz. 50 was discontinued. A total of 533,910 pieces were produced in the years 1950–1955.[5]
Early pre-production helmets by a double riveted chinstrap and cow skin leather liner. All models of helmet would include a maker and manufacture stamp.[2][6] Starting in 1962 branch specific stenciled insignia would be applied to the front. A variant for use by thecivil defense was developed which featured a prominent crest on top and insignia on the side with its respective city.[7]
Afghanistan[8]
Albania[9]
China
Croatia[10][11][12]
Egypt
Iraq: Replaced by theM80.[13]
Israel: Captured by the Israeli Army.[14]
North Vietnam[15]
Poland: Replaced in 1967 by thewz. 67 helmet.[16]
Syria[17]