Your Opinion on 2 More Stahlhelms Please

[RON]

Good day gentlemen,
The last 2 helmets in my possession for a while now...

> M1942 WH or SS, tropical sand color, mint condition incl. chinstrap (helmet never used), no decals:
Markings:
Outer Liner: '59 '(size)
Reverse Liner: '6-43' (I'm assuming June 1943) & 'RB Nr. 0/1?05/0327' & '58'
Shell: '384 S66'
Chinstrap: 'RB Nr. 0/1151/0005' (engraved at tip as usual)


> M1940 (?) WH/Heer, single decal, seems to have an 8mm (or close) bullet hole at right temple next to (missing) vent. lug, with chinstrap in relic condition:
Markings:
Outer Liner: '56 '(size)
Reverse Liner: 'B57 XII 1?'
Shell: Illegible


Your comments?
Thanks,
Ron

[ObKrieger]

The first one looks like one of the Czech refurbs thst were packaged to be sold to Egypt post-war. Scroll down to the bottom of this page and you can compare:

German WWII

The second one looks like a salty original M35 heer reissue, but I think the liner is an original replacement.

[VolksJager]

+1

The first is defiantly a refurb M42.

The second is an M35, salty but looks ok. Cant comment on the decal because we need to see it up close. The liners has been replaced though as it doesnt match the condition of the helmet. It's a put together, repainted relic maybe?

[davejb]

The first , m42, has a strange size no/ , never heard of a S66, pretty sure there isnt a maker with that designation, so im not 100% certain its a real lid, as for the liner it looks too good but it could be, the second, m35 looks ok apart from the liner, obvious replacement, but im not liking the condition of the rear, the leather washers have no wear at all and should show some sign of age, its a parts helmet, plus the liner pins dont match, it would be interesting to remove the liner , check the pins and the make of liner ring

[RON]

Thanks guys.
> I bought the Sand M42 from a well reputed dealer (HSC Collections) in France back in the mid-90's and got it shipped to Canada. It was described as a mint/unused WH or SS Sand/Tropical M42.
> I bought the M35 during the same period from the regular Lower Canada Arms Collectors Association militaria fair which takes place 5 or 6 times a year south of Montreal (Longueuil)... It does seem like the liner is authentic but not original to this helmet in particular. A clue to that would be that bullet hole which didn't pierce the liner aluminum rim/support (see close-up: the aluminum showing at the border of that bullet hole is intact). But what about that marking on the reverse of the M35 liner ('B57 XII 1')? Could this give us a clue as to the regiment it was attributed to (like in the WW1 pickelhaubes)?

[davejb]

One of the problems i have with the m42 is that these helmets were normally painted at unit level either by hand brush or spray, they never normally took the liner out and sprayed inside, the norm was to paint upto the liner ring , leaving the original factory paint showing in the dome of the helmet, as for the whole general look inside, there appears to be no normal wear and tear of the paint, if this was sprayed inside, the paint should have darkened over the past 65-70yrs, even a mint unused , unissued helmet would have a patina, this helmet raises a serious doubt in my opinion In addition, look at the different colours on the liner pins, they do not match the exterior paint on the helmet

[RON]

I've checked SVMilitaria.com (http://svmilitaria.com/GermanWWIIHelmets.htm; thanks ObKrieger!) and they have 3 sand camo stahlhelms on sale that are pretty close to my M42, especially #71016 which is also S66, and this is what the seller is saying about these:

There has been much debate over these helmets over the last 15 years. (...) The Germans used Prague as a depot for tropical uniforms and equipment. The Germans had planned great offensives in southern Russia with the goal of eventually linking up with the troops from Africa. These helmets could have been part of the tropical stuff for those planned operations. All these tan helmets, I have observed were always made with German war-time parts and to German specs. Some collectors have made some statements about them being for an order to Egypt after the war, by the Czechs. I am not sure. Perhaps they were rebuilt after the war, but why? In any event it is mint and all German WWII parts

Are there any reference pics out there about the Egyptian army wearing similar M42s? From what I know about the Egyptian army is that their fieldgear and personal equipment/armament including headgear has always been soviet-made or at least designed...

[Schwerpunkt]

I've checked SVMilitaria.com (http://svmilitaria.com/GermanWWIIHelmets.htm; thanks ObKrieger!) and they have 3 sand camo stahlhelms on sale that are pretty close to my M42, especially #71016 which is also S66, and this is what the seller is saying about these:

There has been much debate over these helmets over the last 15 years. (...) The Germans used Prague as a depot for tropical uniforms and equipment. The Germans had planned great offensives in southern Russia with the goal of eventually linking up with the troops from Africa. These helmets could have been part of the tropical stuff for those planned operations. All these tan helmets, I have observed were always made with German war-time parts and to German specs. Some collectors have made some statements about them being for an order to Egypt after the war, by the Czechs. I am not sure. Perhaps they were rebuilt after the war, but why? In any event it is mint and all German WWII parts

Are there any reference pics out there about the Egyptian army wearing similar M42s? From what I know about the Egyptian army is that their fieldgear and personal equipment/armament including headgear has always been soviet-made or at least designed...

Best put the tan M42 to bed , whatever it is it was never used like that in WWII by the German army , nor were they painted that way for the German army.
The text from SVmilitaria is his hypothesis but he has to sell these babies of course...

[RON]

All right, back to my M35 then: What do you guys think about that marking on the liner reverse ('B57 XII 1')? Could this give us a clue as to the regiment it was attributed to (like in the WW1 pickelhaubes) or is it pure fiction?

[Jerry B]

I have to agree with all the others about the sand M42, postwar put together. The decal on the M35 does not look good and appears to sit on some big scratches, but maybe a better pic would make think again, but it looks to be another post war messed with, liner has been changed, if nothing else.

Not sure about the markings, as they don't sound like a ww2 german unit designation, but I could be wrong.