Opinions on Italian M33

[Jody]

Hello,
I believe it matches up, it is really hard to tell. German helmets which I collect are a lot easier. Here is the other photo of the paint from the Collectors Guild, pl;us two more my son took this morning. If you look carefully you can see the stencil (Alpini Infantry).

Jody

[MAP]

Hello,
I believe it matches up, it is really hard to tell. German helmets which I collect are a lot easier. Here is the other photo of the paint from the Collectors Guild.

Jody

Jody, Very sorry. I realized I did not include the link to the site I was mentioning. Here it is (I've also added it back to the original post yesterday).

ITALIANWARFRONT: ITALIAN WW2

In my view your helmet color matches up with the helmet in the top banner as well as the M33 helmet 8th regiment Pasubio.

I think you have a keeper.

Didn't realize these have gotten so expensive. $650 for the M 33 helmet 8th regiment Pasubio is more than double what I paid for my Marina. My two others (while in poor shape) were <$50.....

[relicz]

Hello,
I believe it matches up, it is really hard to tell. German helmets which I collect are a lot easier. Here is the other photo of the paint from the Collectors Guild, pl;us two more my son took this morning. If you look carefully you can see the stencil (Alpini Infantry).

Jody

I believe I can see the stencil ghosting, like I said earlier - I think you have a winner there Jody.

I like the color in these photos.

[Jody]

Hi Guys,
Thank you. My son borrowed a neighbors camera for the pictures.

Jody

[plumbob]

I don’t know guys. When you look at this video, to me the liner frame and liner are fitted after the helmet has been painted. I am thinking if there is paint on the top of the bracket that holds the “D” loop. This could be a sign of a repaint at some point.

Though how did they paint the inside and outside of the vent rivets that hold the liner chassis in position. Unless the outside was painted after the liner was fitted. And they touched up the inside of the rivet..
I cant really work that one out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFViD5BBuLE
Any way enjoy if you haven’t seen this before.
Rod

[MAP]

Rod,

I can't see the video here at work but will try tonight. That said, I assume you mean the aluminum bales that bolt to the liner that holds the chinstrap. Right? I think there are solid examples of these being painted and unpainted. Also, I've read, somewhere that almost all these helmets received a repaint at some point in time during the war (and obviously post war). Not sure if it is correct.

I'm at my limit here and it's getting down to the nitty gritty details so I will bow out and watch and learn from this point on.

Michael

[plumbob]

No probs Michael you could be correct mate about these having been repainted during the war. It might explain why so many of them have war time chin straps.
Here is a picture of mine to show what I mean. You can see that my one has been repainted with the original pre-war liner in position and you can also see that the chinstrap has been on it when painted yet the chin strap has been renewed after. Which could point a to war time repaint.
All I am saying is this could be sign of a repaint on certain manufacturers liners. When they were repainted god knows.
Nice to see a discussion on these.
Rod

[James C]

here is my m33 ,one of the liner brackets has snapped at some point in its life ,the rear stamp is p20 ,ive been told this P prefix is how to identify the shell as an early example ,see also my liner cradle appears to be painted green as is the liner rivits too

[MAP]

No probs Michael you could be correct mate about these having been repainted during the war. It might explain why so many of them have war time chin straps.
Here is a picture of mine to show what I mean. You can see that my one has been repainted with the original pre-war liner in position and you can also see that the chinstrap has been on it when painted yet the chin strap has been renewed after. Which could point a to war time repaint.
All I am saying is this could be sign of a repaint on certain manufacturers liners. When they were repainted god knows.
Nice to see a discussion on these.
Rod

Yes, this is a great discussion. I have yet to find a definative resource on M33. Lots of partial information (some contradictory) that I try to piece together which is dangerous. I think that is because up until a few years ago, these helmets could be had for $50 a pop

What I have read somewhere is that the early Pre-war colors are a light green, and then just before or during the war they were painted a darker color. And again another darker shade of green post war. Again, what I have not seen is a definative color scheme for these color changes (even the websites listed on this thread show light and dark green "war-time" lids.)

Plus as noted I have seen (what I believe to be legit wartime lids) with paints on the bales. My Navy has no paint while my others did....

I'm at the end of my knowledge sadly.

In all due respect to our Italian friends.......they have made it extremely difficult for us as I don't think there were any real "constants" with these helmets (lug size, color, markings, etc). As I said in my first point, IMHO these are a minefield...but I think Jody has a good one.

Michael

[plumbob]

Just to add a little more.
My one interestingly has been repainted the same shade as it was originally painted due to the fact that it match’s the inside of the dome, and there’s no way they got that spray gun in there without getting paint on the felt and under the fingers. Another thing that may point to wartime repaints.
I also note that the rivets holding the “D” loop lug to the frame are green. Can only mean that they were painted before they were fitted. So this may have been the same case with the air vent rivets that hold the frame to the helmet before they were fitted.
Its marked P3 and a crowned anchor which I have been told means it was made at the Pignone factory and is an early batch due to the low number.
I agree Jody’s one looks fine, the BB 38 must be the initials for another manufacturer, and 38 surely means a low batch.
Would be great to know how many batch’s each factory made and round about which batch they changed to metal eyelets, but that’s never going to happen lol.
Italian helmets I agree are a tough call.
Regards
Rod