Fake m42 NS66 helmet?

[Friedrich]

Hello All,

I've recently acquired this M42 NS66 Helmet with lotnumber 6821, and I'm unsure whether the Helmet is real or a fake.
I cannot seem to find any info on the lotnumber 6821 (Normally there's a letter in front of NS-lotnumbers, which makes me think that it's probably a fake) and I've never seen a NS66 Helmet with the specific placement of the makers mark and a NS-lotnumber.

So, I hope that some of you with great experience in German Helmets might be able to help me out here.




Any help determining what I've actually got here, would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Friedrich

[helmet2id]

It is a real M42 combat shell, but has been stripped. It has very little collector value but someone who reenacts of simply wants a shell to restore may want it.

[Logictox]

That is a very late war helmet. It would have never had a decal and the paint IMHO is post war. I believe it to be a real shell and that is all.

[Friedrich]

Thanks for the quick reply.

What about the strange lotnumber - shouldn't there have been a letter fx 'D' in front of NS-lotnumbers? Could it be a special run or what does the lacking letting in the NS-lotnumber indicate?

Is there anyway to know from the lotnumber whether it's real or not?

Any guidance is greatly appreciated - still have a lot to learn about collecting helmets.

[Logictox]

The lot number is good and there is one recorded with that number and location for the NS but it is at the extreme end of the war. Long long long after decals were applied and the other example with that lot number was a no decal helmet.

[KradSpam]

Agree with all above.

[Friedrich]

Thanks for the info guys.

How much info can actually be obtained about a Helmet from the lot-numbers alone? Is it possible to find out what branch it was issued to or how does it work?

[FALLSCHIRMJAGER]

Thanks for the info guys.

How much info can actually be obtained about a Helmet from the lot-numbers alone? Is it possible to find out what branch it was issued to or how does it work?

Hi , lot numbers are only a guide , they are not a certainty of branch of service and the list is incomplete. Leon.

[SteveR]

The lot number is good and there is one recorded with that number and location for the NS but it is at the extreme end of the war. Long long long after decals were applied and the other example with that lot number was a no decal helmet.

Stamping the makers and lot numbers this way in the back all together was a late war practice to speed up production.

[Friedrich]

Thanks again for the info. I suppose it makes a lot of sense with streamlining the process of stamping the Helmets during the last period of the War. I was just a little worried, as I couldn't find any other examples of a NS66 online with its Markings similar to mine.

I suppose I have a lot research ahead of me if I want to be able to determine what kind of Helmets I'm being offered on site.

What is that list of recorded lotnumbers mentioned earlier?

How did you all come about your extensive Helmet knowledge? Is there any literature or guides that you could recommend me?