Heer M40 Double Decal Helmet. Your opinions please.

[rebeldevil89]

Hello everyone!

This is my first post here, so let me first say thanks for letting me join and be a member!

I was searching on the internet about M40 Heer Double Decal Helmets, and it seems y'all have had quite a few topics on the subject, so I figured this might be a good place to ask about mine.

I've had this helmet for many years (6 years I think), I believe the helmet to be original, but there have been mixed to no opinions on this helmet when I've posted in other forums. It seems some people think it's real, some people think the decals are fake. I would really like to know what opinions y'all have for this helmet. I've tried to take some good photos of it but if more are needed, please let me know. It's been kinda frustrating having this helmet for so long not knowing if it was 100% original or not. I can handle it being fake, I'd just like to know for sure. I took all photos in natural sunlight outside, also the liner band is dated 1940 (photo shown).

Thank y'all very much, and glad to be here!!

[Danmark]

The "furry" edge to the red worries me a bit.
Just looks more like a stencil than a decal.

[DougB]

The adler with those heavy detail lines and misshapen claws I believe is a bad one and the tricolour looks good but when was it applied. It by the pics looks to match the wear of the helmet and these were/are plentiful in unapplied decals. Not one I would be pursuing based on these pictures.

What other forums have you posted this on?

[Sir Payne]

Liner, chinstrap, and paint are original. The main red flag here is the fact that the shell is an M40 and Double Decal at the same time. Double Decal M40 Heers are very rare. The matter of fact, I can't recall a single Luft or Heer DD M40 posted on this forum that I like.

On first look the Heer decal looks bad to me. Unfortunately not much remains of the head of the eagle; however, the poor detail in the feet (which is clearly not wear) and the fading color on the right wing are problematic. In addition to this, the Heer decal does not match any NS decal I have seen before.

Corey

[Sgt Rock]

I'm not a fan of either decal.

[timothy]

Original m40 helmet and components the decals I don't know about lots of the guys that do have weighed in. timothy

[Wagriff]

Helmet, liner and chinstrap look fine to me. The decals both look postwar.

[Sir Payne]

According to the GHW2 lot number database, NS M40 helmets closest to 4993 are exclusively Single Decal Heer, and mostly Pocher. Of course there is a huge gap, but still it does not fit.

M40 546 NS ?? SD Heer
M40 682 NS 64 ??
M40 1546 NS 64 SD Heer steel liner Pocher eagle
M40 1547 NS 64 SD Heer steel liner eagle
M40 5465 NS 64 SD Heer steel liner decal
M40 5838 NS 66 SD Heer steel liner Pocher decal
M40 5838 NS 66 SD Heer steel liner Toned Pocher decal
M40 6076 NS 66 SD Heer
M40 6076 NS 66 SD Heer

[FALLSCHIRMJAGER]

Hello and welcome to the forum. I think the guys have said petty much all of it already. The adler is not correct, you can see that it has been placed on top of the original one in the top right corner especially. With that in mind it suggests that the tri colour was a post war applied original, I will say that it does match the helmet very well. All other aspects of the helmet are fine and original. Leon.

[Tank Destroyer]

Welcome fellow Alabamian, the guys here will pick a item apart to give you true assessment of that item. I to believe they are right it is not a dd m40. ROLL TIDE!!!!!! Marty