Third Party Press

Questionable Camos

The sad truth is this helmet could have happened this way in WW2, but with the level of fakery that's been hoisted upon helmets it's impossible to know fact from fiction. I've never claimed to be a helmet guru, but the rust on the inside being so heavy and flaky (going so far as to stain the paper lable without the label falling off) with no wear on the outside creeps me out. I agree the the top of the helmet is the best way to set one down, and I would say nobody wore helmets all day long in a coastal artillery unit.
 
The paint visible under the damaged eagle makes me cringe.
 

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Green/Tan M35

Green/Tan M35
 

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Green/Tan M42

Green/Tan M42

I think this is the same helmet as #1, in the past sold on a different website.
 

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Green/Tan M42 #3

Here is the other one I was thinking about.
 

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I've got an M.35 in that exact pattern Brian. There are at least six helmets of that camo variant, identical, that I know of. A couple are said to be US vet bringbacks, some are found in Europe. Some are in ratty shape, some with exposed German decals, and a couple are named to German soldiers. They aren't fakes. The issue is whether they are wartime or postwar reworks of some kind. They were all obviously done at the same time, sprayed at the same time. There are M.35s, M.40s, and M.42s with that camo paint. I believe them depot or unit sprayed, wartime. I had not seen that second M.42 you posted, or I may be confusing it with another M.42 that has been for sale for a long time on multiple websites.
 
In the past I have seen period pictures of KM artillery personal on the Dutch coast with a pattern similar to the one on helmet #3 in this thread but of course fakers see these pictures to and copy what they have seen.


P
 
Peter, how do you feel about these? Here is mine, purchased from a dealer in Holland. All of them share similar characteristics: Heer, overpainted in this pattern, original liners, inside rim painted in the green, some show that they were camo overpainted over whitewash. Some have German names and ranks in the liners (the subject M.42) and some with German names in the rims, but exposed. Some have been collector diddled and cleaned, a couple with Heer decals exposed, which was a stupid collector trick of the 80s and early 90s. They are obviously not "fakes". They are unit done camos but the issue is whether they were done postwar. More than a few are attributable to Holland area of operations. Curiously, all, or most of them, show spatters of a grey type paint, like they were stored in an area that was being painted grey. You can see it on mine.
 

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HB: thanks for the photos. It looks like a Q64 DD Heer. It would be nice if the lot number was readable.

I was originally thinking a very late war camo scheme. The dark green base is consistent with other late war reissues that have a very dark green finish. Also the tan appears to be the 'ordinance tan' that was used on vehicles later in the war. The wear patterns look good. Also, the method of reissue (liners retained, original factory paint retained) is consistent with wartime reissues/field camos.

I was wondering why the feelings that these might have been postwar (Dutch?) done ?
 
M45, I think I have maybe 7 or 8 of these catalogued. A couple supposedly US vet bringback. What Peter was saying was that he has seen period pics of a similar pattern in use by German WW2 coastal artillery troops in Holland. It would even make sense for Market Garden area for troops being refitted, re-equipped, gear rehabbed, camo'd, etc. That pattern and those colors are definitely a prescribed, per regulation, sprayed pattern on armored vehicles, trucks, etc. As you noted, the "tan" is a dunkelgelb RAL 7028 which even got darker in 1944. That's the color I believe these helmets are. I believe they were done around summer 1944.
 

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Hambone, I feel comfortable about those helmets you posted.
Curious that they all have a Dutch connection but that wouldn't scare me; lots of static troops were based in Holland specially in 1944/45.
The picture I saw were of a battery of Marine Artillery in Holland and they wore helmets with the more "exotic" camo pattern as seen in helmet #2 in this thread. Pictures of course work both ways and in the case of the helmet in this thread I think the faker just copied something he also saw on a picture.

The most well known serial camo helmets are perhaps those FJR6 two tone sand camo's that 101AB vets brought back from the Normandy campaign.
How many of those have been shown on inter forums in the past? 25? 50? or more?


P
 
I attend plenty of militaria and gun shows and stay far away from German helmets, camouflaged or not. Many of the dealers and collectors I know have repeatedly stated that 90% of all German helmets offered at militaria shows are either "enhanced" or completely redone.
 
Kubel, if you love the hobby, you can't stay away. The fact that 90% of German helmets at militaria shows are altered means that collectors have to be that much more careful.
In other words, whatever you collect, you must know your business. If you are depending on others to tell you what is original, sooner or later you will end up bringing fake militaria home from the shows.
 
Well said M45. Also, if you are relying upon the purchase advise of moderators and high post count members on censored and controlled forums you can end up in trouble as well.
 
Very interesting thread highlighting the pitfalls of Militaria collecting. There's a fella down here in Fla. who produces some very fanciful camos as well as chicken wire helms. I've only ever found one camo in the wild so to speak. It came with a K98 rifle from a local estate. It's pretty muddy and subdued looking nothing like some of the camos I've seen offered for sale by dealers. Here are some pics.

Len
 

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I attend plenty of militaria and gun shows and stay far away from German helmets, camouflaged or not. Many of the dealers and collectors I know have repeatedly stated that 90% of all German helmets offered at militaria shows are either "enhanced" or completely redone.

I would tend not to agree. As with any faked item knowledge is power. K98's and lugers are faked to a hi level as well. But, once you know what to look for its easy to tell.. Study what you want to collect before you buy anything. Camos can be a mine field. If you don't like minefields stay away. I quite amazed how some of these artists can make a new paint job look 65+ years old and battle worn.. It is an art form. Some guys sell them as repros some don't. Buyer beware.

Len I love you're lid... Id own that one in a heart beat !!! :thumbsup:
 

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