Description
Rare WWI French Model 1915 “Adrian” Helmet – Late Midnight Blue Infantry Variant with RF Flaming Bomb Badge
This is a scarce and highly desirable WWI French Model 1915 Adrian steel helmet, featuring the late-war midnight blue paint finish and the correct infantry “flaming bomb” badge marked RF (République Française). These infantry-marked helmets are among the most iconic French combat helmets of the First World War, instantly recognizable by the bold bomb insignia and the sharply crested shell design pioneered by General Louis Adrian.
Unlike the earlier horizon blue finish used in the mid-war period, this example retains its later dark midnight blue paint, a color adopted for improved camouflage and better resistance to field wear. The badge exhibits the correct RF monogram within the bomb motif, denoting issue to standard French line infantry units.
Inside, the helmet is fitted with its 2nd pattern liner, introduced to improve comfort and durability over the earlier versions. The leather and metal components follow the proper wartime pattern, making this a solid, representative example of a true front-line issue Adrian helmet.
Perfect for WWI collections, museum displays, or reenactment reference, this Model 1915 Infantry Adrian showcases the evolution of early steel helmet development and remains one of the most historically significant headgear types of the Great War. Rare in this configuration and paint, it stands as an authentic artifact of French trench warfare history.
