Rad m-40

[helmet2id]

Hi, I am new to the forum, but have been collecting for about 30 years. I am always a bit hesitant to say that a piece has repro components, but I agree that the decal looks to be post war. The shovel is too rounded, and there should be an up side down "v" beneath the swastica. Also, I have never seen brown paint on an RAD helmet before, but maybe they did exist. Jim G.

[BOB COLEMAN]

Hi, I am new to the forum, but have been collecting for about 30 years. I am always a bit hesitant to say that a piece has repro components, but I agree that the decal looks to be post war. The shovel is too rounded, and there should be an up side down "v" beneath the swastica. Also, I have never seen brown paint on an RAD helmet before, but maybe they did exist. Jim G.

Jim-
Do you have information that would limit the producer of the RAD decals to only one manufacturer?

[helmet2id]

Hi Bob, I do not know how many manufacturers made RAD decals. I have 2 RAD's, one a rough feldgrau sd M42 with the decal on the left, and no decal visible underneath, the other a sd reissue m40 with the RAD decal over a heer decal. That one has smooth grey-geen combat paint. The head of the RAD eagle was knocked off and the heer head exposed, looking the other way! A pretty neat piece. Anyway, to get back on track, both have the standard RAD decals, like the top one pictured on the German-Helmets.com site in the Wehrmachtsgefolge: Reichsarbeitsdienst - National Labor Service Insignia page of the site. On that site there is a second RAD decal pictured, with slightly different dimensions, and no inverted "v" between the swastica and shovel handle. I have seen that decal only once on one piece at a show a few years ago, and the one I saw left me with some doubts. Anyway, I agree that it is hard to judge a piece without having it in your own hands, and will only go as far as to say that I haven't seen the decal variant on your piece before. No doubt there are unknown manufacturers, such as the manufacturer of the SS runic decals on the Chris Jones double runic helmet pictured in the Beaver/Hicks book. Knowlege of the history behind the piece, experience, and a good first hand examination are therefore the best ways to satisfy one of the authenticity of the piece. I do really like the M42 RAD you posted. Cheers, Jim Geanuracos

[BOB COLEMAN]

Jim-
Thanks for your response. As collectors, these days we have certainly been conditioned by the continual improvement of the faker's work. I have first hand provenance on this helmet that goes back over fourty years. As I mentioned previously, the study of the paint on a helmet is as important as the study of the insignia. Many items need to be seen in hand as photographic images do not always convey the object accurately. I have a camoflaged M-40 SS helmet that shows through wear that it was a double decal. It has a field made chicken wire net which gives many newer collector doubts as "it is not German wire." No, it is not. It is also not an arsenal made wire net. It is something made in the field by a soldier who used what was available at the time. The helmet was in a friend ofr mine's collection since he veteran purchased the helmet bafck in the 60's All who have seen the helmet in hand have never had a doubt. These days, not everything can be judged just from pictures.
I have seen two other brown RAD helmets over the years. I believe they were utilised in the same manner as the seldom seen SA M-35 or M-40. They were worn by guard units at a headquarters building.

[big ned]

Like any other period helmet, more than one manufacturer supplied decals. In my 54 years of collecting, I have encountered one other RAD helmet with this decal. The provenenace on this helmet goes back to the 1960's. In hand, this helmet is a one looker. I am not offering it for sale. The reason for posting it was to display an origial, variant decal. I know variant is not a word newer collectors like to hear. They want "textbook." What is "textbook?" In my mind, it is anything that is period original that we can learn from. Thanks for your thoughts.

At NO POINT was the reason for this helmet being posted, was it mentioned that it was to ' display an original variant decal'. This only became a written claim AFTER the RAD decal was questioned as to it's being real or not by respondents to this thread.

Curious, Ned.

[BOB COLEMAN]

At NO POINT was the reason for this helmet being posted, was it mentioned that it was to ' display an original variant decal'. This only became a written claim AFTER the RAD decal was questioned as to it's being real or not by respondents to this thread.

Curious, Ned.

Ned-
It is always more interesting to open a package slowly. Nothing to be curious about.

[francis006]

Anyway, to get back on track, both have the standard RAD decals, like the top one pictured on the German-Helmets.com site in the Wehrmachtsgefolge: Reichsarbeitsdienst - National Labor Service Insignia page of the site. On that site there is a second RAD decal pictured, with slightly different dimensions, and no inverted "v" between the swastica and shovel handle. I have seen that decal only once on one piece at a show a few years ago, and the one I saw left me with some doubts.

Jim ,for info this "other" type also isn't good

[BOB COLEMAN]

Jim ,for info this "other" type also isn't good

Please elaborate on your comment with some back up.

[vady]

yes please as bob requests.

Jim ,for info this "other" type also isn't good

[francis006]

simply because the decal was on bad helmets (paint and/or application ) ! (BTW The other very scare "variant" with the swas in a round shield also is bad )
This opinion also is shared by some "advanced" US helmets collectors you surely know Bob and has been expressed in few threads posted by them on another forum in the passing years .