Another 'desert rats' helmet repaint on eBay

**Simonk** · 02-05-2017, 09:39 AM

Sorry if this has already been raised.

I felt compelled to highlight this one I spotted on eBay UK today.

The listing title is "WW2 British Helmet - Desert Rats - 1940 - With Liner and Chinstrap".

It has a £50 starting price with one bid already. It just goes to show you can sell almost anything on eBay.

Just maybe... if you were a re-enactor and wanted something which looked genuine then it might be worth having, but £50, really?

Ebay seems to have a steady supply of so called 8th Army desert rat helmets.

Check these pictures for yourself. In my view the desert rat badge painted on the outside is a recent addition. Notice how the inside of the helmet is far worse condition that the outside, another indication the outside has been repainted. The 'texture' on the painted outside is probably a result of the same rust you see on the inside. The shell, liner and strap are no doubt from the WW2 period, but that's about it. I've noticed there are several eBay sellers who have developed a technique of making paint look aged or certain 'patina' by giving it a kind of thin dark laquer 'wash' - some more subtle than others.

There are plenty of un-issued South African made desert issue helmets around so it baffles me why anything with desert paint fetches such high prices. I bought my South African version from a trader at a UK air show in the 1980's for £14. It was in almost mint un-issued condition and he had several others too. There was even traces of the original brown packing paper stuck to the liner. Shame I didn't buy more to keep!

Another 'desert rats' helmet repaint on eBay

**ynot** · 02-05-2017, 10:47 AM

Have you seen this thread? The new ebay money maker

**Simonk** · 02-05-2017, 12:10 PM

Yes thanks, I did take a quick look and now checking it again. What a joke those helmets are. Another member summed it up well - "shameful". However, it's always a case of 'buyer beware' so it pays to do some homework. The last post on the other thread was a few years ago so I decided to make a new one.

**HistoryMan** · 02-05-2017, 12:43 PM

Its not these pillocks again is it ?

**Gunny Hartmann** · 02-05-2017, 01:10 PM

by HistoryMan

Its not these pillocks again is it ?

https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/pillock
For the benefit of our non British members!...

**CampX** · 02-05-2017, 02:50 PM

Thank you Gunny.

Dean O
Canada

**Simonk** · 02-05-2017, 05:01 PM

The eBay seller is ormoluman and they have 100% positive feedback.

**Jerry B** · 02-05-2017, 05:05 PM

by Simonk

Yes thanks, I did take a quick look and now checking it again. What a joke those helmets are. Another member summed it up well - "shameful". However, it's always a case of 'buyer beware' so it pays to do some homework. The last post on the other thread was a few years ago so I decided to make a new one.

Actually the last post was only days ago.

Another purveyor of pimped up garbage.😈

**Simonk** · 02-05-2017, 05:27 PM

Ah, yes there were later posts on the other thread. I need to use my glasses more often.

**Composite** · 02-05-2017, 05:38 PM

is there a way of keeping all these posts under the one original heading "the new ebay money maker"..so they're all together??...just a thought

...and thought no.2...if you're about to buy one of these....and join 'Relics to look for help.....would you go to posts with this title??? perhaps we can help the desperate souls with a better name for a wonderful string of posts on the topic of dubious Mk2s.....what would YOU search for????