SSh-36

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SSh-36
SSh-36 helmet
Type	Combat Helmet
Place of origin	Soviet Union
Service history
Used by	See Users
Production history
Designer	Aleksandr A. Shvartz
Produced	1936-41

The Ssh-36 (Russian: СШ-36, from стальной шлем, stal'noy shlem, lit. 'steel helmet') was a steel combat helmet developed and used by the Red Army. It was designed by Aleksandr A. Shvartz with production started in 1936.^[1] Its large front rim and wide flares over the ears provided good protection for the wearer. The German M35, introduced a year before the Russian SSh-36, served as a model for the development of the SSh-36.

The SSh-36 was also fitted with a comb on top, which allowed for ventilation. There were also apocryphal claims that the comb was designed to deflect saber blows.

The SSh-36 was worn by Soviet soldiers in several campaigns of the late 1930s and 1940s, including the Khalkin Gol campaign against the Japanese in 1939 (giving it the nickname "Khalkingolka"),^[2] the Finnish Winter War of 1939–1940, the 1939 invasion of Poland, the 1940 invasions of the Baltic states and Bessarabia, and in World War II, or as it is known in Russia, the Great Patriotic War. It was also distributed to the Republican soldiers of the Spanish Civil War in conjunction with Soviet support of the Spanish government.

However, during its use, a significant number of design flaws were revealed. The wide brim was said to create wind resistance while running and made it difficult for a soldier to move , and the large visor was said to reduce visibility. It was for these and other reasons that work began in 1939 on the next helmet, which was later named the SSh-39 and the SSh-40, ^[3] both the 39 and 40 were practically the same, but had minor differences in the liner. Beginning in 1940, the Red Army began gradually attempted to stop issuing any more SSh-36s, but the beginning of the Soviet Unions Involvement in The Second World War postponed this replacement, as a result of which the SSh-36 was issued alongside the SSh-40 by Soviet soldiers until about 1943.

Production of the SSh-36 ended in 1941.

Early SSh-36s were made with fragile leather linings. Due to the unreliability of these early liners, later variations were introduced with cloth linings. Similar problems were also encountered with early leather chinstraps, so the leather chinstraps were phased out in favor of cloth models as well. Throughout their production four sizes were produced: small, medium, large, and extra large.

The design of the SSh-36 lead to the creation of the SSh-39 and SSh-40 helmets.^[1]

•  Second Spanish Republic
•  Soviet Union^[1]