US M1 HELMET RAYON SWEATBAND 1942 PATTERN FOR HAWLEY LINERS

US M1 Helmet 1942 pattern sweatband.  These are not adjustable.

These sweatbands are made from a light colour silver rayon with a tan leather padded section.  

On April 28, 1941, Hawley Products Co. of St. Charles, Illinois received approval for its fiber helmet liner. Its design consisted of two rigid fiber shells cemented together, impregnated with water resistant chemicals, covered with olive drab fabric, and outfitted with a silver rayon suspension. The liner would then accept a small neckband and a headband, both of which were constructed of the same rayon material as the liner suspension.

The rayon headband's 12 snaps would fasten into the liner suspension's corresponding snaps. These snaps came in three different varieties: (1) nickel-plated brass, (2) blackened brass, and (3) a zinc finish.

Six liner manufacturers (Hawley, General Fibre, St. Clair, M.S.A., Westinghouse, and Inland) utilized this rayon suspension in their liners until approximately late-1942, when the new cotton suspension was introduced. Two manufacturers (St. Clair and Inland) produced liners with transitional suspensions that continued to accommodate the 12-snap rayon headbands.

Sizes and colours are available as follows:

Size 55cm - Black snaps only
Size 57 cm - Silver nickel snaps only
Size 59 cm - Silver nickel snaps only
Size 61 cm - Silver nickel snaps only