VERY Early Double Decal Heer Transitional- M16 Shell with Hybrid Liner Assembly
Article about: I was lucky enough to score this one from a close friend who is liquidating his extensive collection. It is what I believe to be a VERY early tranny that appears to have had a few incarnatio
VERY Early Double Decal Heer Transitional- M16 Shell with Hybrid Liner Assembly
I was lucky enough to score this one from a close friend who is liquidating his extensive collection. It is what I believe to be a VERY early tranny that appears to have had a few incarnations in its service life. It obviously started out as a WWI vintage M16. It is a size 62, but the maker stamp is obscured by the last coat of brush applied green combat paint that was applied on the exterior and up to the liner band on the apron. Most likely due to supply issues early on the helmet was cobbled together using whatever was available when it was last reworked. For instance, although it is an M16 shell it was last fitted with an M18 liner. The leather is in decent shape, but obviously the metal band was broken. The armourer repaired the band with a few strips of aluminum, attached by small split pins to the disconnected ends of the original band. Also, the liner was attached to the shell in the front by 2 quite undersized brass split pins, but a WWI vintage large split pin was used in the rear hole. The most distinctive characteristic of the piece is the early "barrel bottom" tricolor, seen on some trannies as well as on some civil helmets. (I have a DD Luft Vulkanfibre piece with a rear flying hairy bird Luft Adler and one of these "barrel bottom" tricolors.) Another curious aspect of the piece is what can be seen UNDER the last set of decals. Under the bird, at the 4:00 o'clock to the 6:00 o'clock positions and through a few other chips you can see what appear to be remnants of a RED decal (a Party shield?), and through chips in the tricolor there appear to be remnants of a silver and black decal (a Runic shield?). Could it once have been....? Your thoughts? Anyway, it is what it is - hope you like it. Jim G.
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