Default Mystery M42 Heer ET 62 Double Decal?
Gentlemen your thoughts and opinions please ,
I offer for you consideration this M42.
It has never been in a collection and was obtained yesterday directly from a family who state that it was returned home from the war by an uncle?
The problem is that a state shield has been expertly painted on to it.?
Could it be that it was painted period for a special guard duty,funeral,or wedding?
Or is it a great helmet that must now be classed as "messed with"?
lufty lufty lufty
Does not look like paint to me. Last 2 pics looks like a decal that was poorly installed. Looks distorted from being stretched. But it is in your hands so you would know for sure.
Was not uncommon for GIs' & artists to either decal helmets in 1945-46 or paint these shields on the helmets just to "dress them up" as something to bring home from Europe
It just looks original?
A retirement present?
A period proper gander film prop ?
and yes RS a colleague suggested paint but decal sound right the more I look at it.
what is the maker and lot number of the helmet ? Can you do better close-ups of both decals ?
Thanks.
Frank...it's an ET 62...lot# looks like 2064by Schwerpunkt
Images of the decal
If G.I.s were responsible for enhancing helmets with the addition of a state decal how many single decal M40's fell foul of this practise are now verified as genuine vet bring backs with added shields.?
The fact is that this m42 is a mystery item and until another appears (If Ever) with a similar batch number it cannot be scientifically categorised ..
The Idea That A New M42 Was Given A State Decal Before Being Placed On A Coffin For funeral services Appeals To Me .
However The easiest answer that will appeal to those who do not own the item is that it was period messed with ?
Tricolors on M40/M42 were not factory added we have established this with the lot numbers database already. There are a handful of helmets most of them M40 with what we term period applied tricolors. The purpose is unknown.
If G.I.s were responsible for enhancing helmets with the addition of a state decal how many single decal M40's fell foul of this practise are now verified as genuine vet bring backs with added shields.?
The fact is that this m42 is a mystery item and until another appears (If Ever) with a similar batch number it cannot be scientifically categorised ..
The Idea That A New M42 Was Given A State Decal Before Being Placed On A Coffin For funeral services Appeals To Me .
However The easiest answer that will appeal to those who do not own the item is that it was period messed with ?
It is entirely possible that some helmets received a tricolor (out of factory) for ceremonial reasons however each such helmet must be viewed with a critical eye and if via the internet with crystal clear photos so first the authenticity of the decals can be ascertained.
Maybe if you google , ww2 german funerals you can find M42's with tricolors in period photos.
Thank you I am reassured by your knowledge !
I will take your guidance !
Hi, as the learned gents above have said already, it is highly unlikely that the National shield is period applied. Very few M40's have been seen with them, but I have personally never heard of an M42 showing one or seen any period photographs with them either. Leon.
The M42 Helmet returned from WW2 with the decal
If the collecting community accept the existence of period post factory applied shields then I am comfortable with that .
If they can apply a shield for any of the suggested reasons to an M40 then the practice could well extend to this M42.
At least this was not upgraded by a GI as it surfaced in the U.K.
Had the tricolour shield been presented to WRF members without declaring it was on an M42 would anyone have questioned it's authenticity?
Imagine the fun people could have applying tricolours to m38's if it could be achieved so convincingly ?
Nobody has found fault with the Tricolour and nobody really knows the answer .
It is the easiest thing in the world to offer an opinion based on statistics rather than scientific evidence.
Before some idiot tries to scrub of the tricolour just so that the helmet conforms further digging is required !
If you are of the opinion that the m40's with after factory applied tricolours are fantasy items then you are
entitled to your opinions.
Regards
Lufty
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