M40 Luft Camo
Hey guys I have been looking at this camo luftwaffe helmet and was maybe thinking about putting it on Layaway. The dealer also noted that it does seem like someone has treated the leather liner at some point. All opinions are welcomed! Thank you guys as always. Also it states it is a Q64. Is this helmet worth pursuing more information for like the batch number or leave it alone.
Yes. Always get a batch number
Q produced M40's till end of war. Well after the no decal change. Ask if the maker stamp is on the rear or side as well
On my cell so will refrain from formal opinions on the camo
"Please", Thank You" and proper manners appreciated
My greatest fear is that one day I will die and my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them
"Don't tell me these are investments if you never intend to sell anything" (Quote: Wife)
Okay I just asked for that information Map, I’ll update this post when I get it.
On a small sidenote, I have heard about the no-decal change several times now. Was it 1943? Can someone give a quick reason why that was done and why many decals were scratched off?
He said the Q64 is marked on the side and that the batch number is almost impossible to read due to surface patina on and around it but the last number looks like a 1 or a 7
On my PC now......
Side stamped
TBH....I can't tell anything from the photos. When enlarged they are blurry and can't provide the level of detail needed. I like the pattern and colors but that has no bearing on originality. Better photos are needed.
"Please", Thank You" and proper manners appreciated
My greatest fear is that one day I will die and my wife will sell my guns for what I told her I paid for them
"Don't tell me these are investments if you never intend to sell anything" (Quote: Wife)
Like MAP says closeup photos are essential when evaluating a camo. There's only one closeup image so far, and that shows the area around the decal. What I can see there is a worn decal, as is often seen on non-camo helmets that have been around, but here we see the brown paint on top of the left fragmented wing. In other words the brown paint was applied after the decal had deteriorated to it's current state. So I guess you ask the question would it reach that worn state in the 2 or 3 years between manufacture and late war camo paint job being applied?
On a first look I thought this looked quite nice, but looking closely i'm not sure - there seems to be x3 separate colours going on - brown, light green and a purple colour too. On the close-up of the decal the purple seems to go over the rust. To my eyes it doesn't look like the original Luft blue/grey either and it seems to go over the decal as well.
These camos are a nightmare and extremely difficult to authenticate. You have to be really sure and convinced with what you see. I'm not sure on this one.
Eric - in 1943 they dropped the decals to deter snipers and speed up production. There was also an order to remove the national shield from existing helmets as it was noticeably visible. As Michael stated, Quist produced M40s until the end of the war so they are sometimes 'ripe' for fraudsters to apply fake decals to (or even un-issued real decals). The Lot number assists in identification. Check Frank's Lot number database at German Helmet Vault.
nick
I would not consider it. Not because it has big red flags but because it does raise a couple of questions.
If one is "in a pinch" to make a hasty decision on an M40 & there is no reference available...of note for those that don't know...every M40 left the factory with a decal regardless of the maker. The exception is a "rear stamped Quist". Those should not be decaled unless it's a pair of police decals. So if one suspects fraud in regards to a rear stamped Quist having a decal other than police...it is fraud. No need to look into it furtherby HoundsTooth
D.
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