502nd airborne helmet, Battle of the Bulge,

[David101st]

Hi all! A friend of mine showed me a swivel bale shell with 502nd insignias. He told me that his German grandfather took the helmet from a dead US soldier during the Battle of the Bulge as souvenir and then he brought it back from there thought Austria, where he lived soon after the war, and Italy where he got married and, after 68 years, his grandson showed me it.
I don't know if he told me a lie, but actually his grandfather was german and the shell looks original to me, apart the large sized insignias that are so unusual. I mind to buy it but before I would like to hear your opinion about it.

[NickD]

to be honest i don't like the look of it not only is the insignia to big but to me it looks like its been added post war & an attempt to age it has been done for its

[seandm]

Hi David

I agree with Nick although you cant always go on the size of the decal. There was a general size standard so to speak but I have seen originals with larger field painted insignia's similar to your one pictured but like Nick said I think its been artificially aged although the helmet itself & straps looks like it could be as was original but you need more pics incl close ups for anyone to verify this. Cheers! Sean.

[davejb]

Have to agree it does look unusually large , although it has been done free hand I would'nt think any soldier would deliberately give an enemy such a large aiming point plus I thought these were usually applied with a stencil of a certain size and if not regulation one certainly it would be easy to make one onthe spot

[crites1234]

a heart that size would make a great target so i agree with the rest

[Glenn66]

Plus those Germans that escaped from the Battle of the Bulge were lucky to escape with their lives let alone the luxury of collecting souvenirs on the way...could be a true story but hmmm...

[FALLSCHIRMJAGER]

Hi,not one for me i'm afraid. I also agree that any german soldier present at the battle of the bulge would have more to worry about than collecting souvenirs! Leon.

[LizardKing]

why would someone tell such a lie????

[Glenn66]

cold, hard cash...

[LizardKing]

cold hard Gulag for these guys...