Polish Exile helmet Eagles

**wadowicznic** · 11-19-2009, 11:00 PM

Thanks
Appreciated
A

**IvanPutski** · 12-28-2009, 12:41 AM

Dorava had asked about a Polish helmet that was on sale on eBay and I said that when I was able to get some pics uploaded; I'd post a similar one from my own collection. So here it is. The eagle is very similar to the one posted by dorava. My example is Canadian-made and dated 1940.

The first pic (on the left) is the helmet in question; the second (on the right) is mine.

[Originally Posted by dorava
do any of you gentlemen have any thoughts in regard to this helmet for sale on ebay¡?
ww2 Polish helmet on eBay (end time 06-Nov-09 14:48:38 GMT)]

**IvanPutski** · 02-14-2010, 04:20 PM

In the interest of keeping this thread alive (because although I did not start it, it is still very near and dear to me), here's a better photo of the eagle on the second helmet pictured in the preceding post. Note the similarity to the one on the eBay helmet posted by Dorava. They are not identical, but they are close and in fact appear to follow the same general pattern. I do not believe that the stencils used on either helmet are of a well-known, recognized or even standard design; in fact, I would propose that they were locally made from the same drawings or outline but have ended up slightly different in the execution. I believe these helmets both come from the Italian campaign based on the overpaint evident on Dorava's photo and comparison of that color with known examples from Polish 2nd Corps forces.

**IvanPutski** · 06-05-2010, 01:37 PM

In my continuing effort to keep this thread alive: Here's a helmet from my collection with an unusual set-up. This M26 Adrian helmet has a khaki triangle, outlined in white, with a white eagle in the center. Around the base of the helmet there is also a blue band (sort of a horizon-bleu color). The helmet appears to have been painted khaki, but then the triangle was apparently masked off and the green painted over it. You can tell this was the process because the khaki color shows through in other places where the green paint has worn away.

I have never seen anything similar to this triangle pattern, except for some French Adrians that had different color triangles painted on the front. Our esteemed moderator was kind enough to track down a photo of an M26 Adrian from the Macjek Museum that has a similar triangle, but with a Polish Air Force eagle in the center.

Still, I have been able to come up with no definitive information on the khaki triangle / white eagle / blue band combination. Any information or comments that any members could provide would be most appreciated.

Addendum: Forgot to note that one French collector has previously suggested to me that the helmet in question may have been for a guard or sentry at an air base.