The metal Pickelhaube M1915 (until 1918)
1915-1918 - Cuirassiers
On 21.9.1915 a new helmet type was also introduced for the cavalry. Analogous to the leather helmet, the metal helmets of the type M1915 underwent the following changes:
Enlisted men:
- The 8.5 cm high spike was equipped with a bayonet catch and was not worn for maneuvers or field duty, but left in garrison. Therefore, a two-piece helmet cover was introduced to replace the one-piece cover.
- During the war, the fittings and Wappen were made of galvanized or gray steel. The gray color was chemically produced or even by paint application.
- In maneuver or field service, a leather chinstrap with the M1891 rosette was worn. But chinscales were put on for all occasions when a helmet cover was not prescribed.
- The cockades kept a diameter of 6.5 cm. If some metal war helmets were equipped with smaller chinscales this was surely only due to the lack of material during the war, because the middle part of the chinscales would be almost invisible behind the wider chinscales. But according to the regulations, all areas of the cockades had to be clearly visible. If the monarchy had not perished after the war, these imperfections would certainly have been corrected.
Officers:
- The spike was always removable and was not worn for maneuvers or on field duty.
- Officers also now wore a leather chinstrap with the M1891 rosette on maneuver or field duty. But special chinscales covers, made of the same material as the helmet covers, also appear to have been permitted. However, chinscales were worn by on all occasions when a helmet cover was not prescribed.
- Officers' cockades also continued to have a diameter of 6.5 cm.
Separate helmet patterns that originated around 1890
Leib-Gendarmes
Jäger zu Pferd (hunters on horseback)