SSch40 Wartime Helmet?? Post War?? Help Needed

**Soljenitsyne** · 04-26-2009, 06:25 PM

Excuse me Steve i think i make a mistake on your helmet ,this one could is WW2.

Marc

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 04-26-2009 06:25 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Adrian Stevenson** · 04-26-2009, 06:39 PM

Hi Steve, I am happy this is a good WW2 helmet.

Re the ink stamp, I know this might sound crazy, but look at this pic and I have highlighted where to look. Now squint your eyes up, do you see a "44" now? Sometimes this works when trying to make out a faint detail on a pic.

Cheers, Ade.

**Kilroy Was Here** · 04-27-2009, 04:04 PM

by Soljenitsyne

Excuse I Steve, I think m etre to deceive on your helmet, this one could WW2.

Marc

Hello Marc, OK, thanks for the note. I do not what it is now. I only had a few replies about this helmet. Guess it is a mystery. I ended up paying $110 for it, so not too bad. I will keep it until I find one with a date stamp you can read. I guess that is the only way with these helmets. I just wanted an original pre 45 to display with my Soviet hand grenade collection. I will post a pic now in ordnance section of new F1 grenade I got. Regards, Steve

**Kilroy Was Here** · 04-27-2009, 04:19 PM

by Adrian Stevenson

Hi Steve, I am happy this is a good WW2 helmet.

Re the ink stamp, I know this might sound crazy, but look at this pic and I have highlighted where to look. Now squint your eyes up, do you see a "44" now? Sometimes this works when trying to make out a faint detail on a pic.

Cheers, Ade.

Hello Ade!! thanks for taking time to do that high tech pic. I see what you are saying, and yes I have used the squint trick may times. You might be right.
What I was thinking, and wanted info about also was the liner. It seems most of the wartime 3 pad types has a unique fabric that had a lot of triangular, or angular stitching on the outside. At least that what it looks like from pics, I have never handled one in person. This one has the pebble grain look to it, and a type of felt under where the 3 rivits are to hold it in. Did they use pebble grain type cloth in late war 44-45? Maybe an orig shell, and liner has been replaced? It looks so aged and haed used. If so, and an arsenal replacement, wouldn't they repaint it, and get rid of the Red Star on front?
When where the Red Stars used on Soviet helmets? You, an just a couple others have helped with this helmet. Must be a mystery helmet, or my questions are too complex or advanced!! : ) I am going to post now a pic of a Russian war time F1 grenade I just got, and wanted to show it, and get some feedback on it.

Regards, Steve

**Adrian Stevenson** · 04-27-2009, 09:56 PM

Hi Steve, there was never any kind of uniformity in regards to the Red Star markings on helmets. Indeed, most never got one. They tended to be applied earlier in the war than later.

The dispersed nature of helmet production means that not every wartime liner was the same. Not all had the "Graleks" type material.

BTW the price you paid was fine.

Cheers, Ade.

**Kilroy Was Here** · 04-28-2009, 10:31 AM

Hello Ade!! Thanks agin. OK, I have looked more carefully at the helmet , and feel confident this is a war time lid. Here is what I found, and some more pics.

1 of the liner pads is the "greylex" outer black material, and the other 2 pads are what appears to be the pebble grain type material. They have the same wear and tear to them, so maybe in the rush of wartime production, maybe they put different liner pads in because that is all they had at that moment??

The helmet has 3 different paint colors on it. The last coat was the darker olive green, and that is what the Red Star is painted over. So that means the dark green was the last coat. The other colors underneath are very odd looking. One is a kind of yellow /green. I have attached pics, you might be able to see what I am talking about.

One other thing, I think the chin strap is mounted backwards on this helmet. The strap rivits look original, and appears to have been originally installed that way. Have you seen that before? Again it seems that was a wartime hurried production mistake.

What do you think?? Have you seen these oddities before?

I looked through the site for other Soviet helmets, and came across yours and some others. You have some VERY nice helmets Ade!! I like mine too, it is the first, and it has a good look to it. It displays good also, and was a fair price.

Regards, Steve

**Adrian Stevenson** · 04-28-2009, 10:54 AM

Hi Steve, thanks for the extra pics.

The thing to remember with almost all Soviet gear is there was a war of survival going on. Factory managers had to meet production targets and shortcuts were taken, otherwise they could suffer severe punishment! A chinstrap on backwards, does not really matter under these kind of circumstances! Likewise with different kinds of liner materials.

The mulitple layers of paint I like. But I cannot explain the yellowish one.

The liner again I like. Postwar liners, as early as 1948, have a different look to them. Compare the 1948 dated lid on the right to the 1942 dated one on the left. The pads in my 42 dated lid do not all match.

Cheers, Ade.

**Kilroy Was Here** · 04-28-2009, 11:05 AM

Great, thanks for the pics Ade. I see the differences. Now I am really confused. Dimas just said he thinks it is post war. Oh well. still a controversial helmet. I am happy, until I find a dated one for $110. Hope someone knows about the German snow camo helmet I posted a bit ago. Regards, Steve