Polish Exile helmet Eagles

[Mateusz Mroz]

Hi Ivan,
did you ever remove liner from this helmet? This is real AT MK 2 or converted AT MK 1? Because I have helmet with the same eagle, but it's converted AT MK 1 to Mk 2. When I removed liner, from inside you can see riveted or welded two holes and between them drilled new one. from outside it is invisible. Pictures of that helmet are in Polish Para Helmet AT MK I/II . You post in that thread pictures of another your helmet.
Regards,
Mateusz

[Mateusz Mroz]

Hi Ivan,
did you ever remove liner from this helmet? This is real AT MK 2 or converted AT MK 1? Because I have helmet with the same eagle, but it's converted AT MK 1 to Mk 2. When I removed liner, from inside you can see riveted or welded two holes and between them drilled new one. from outside it is invisible. Pictures of that helmet are in Polish Para Helmet AT MK I/II . You post in that thread pictures of another your helmet.
Regards,
Mateusz

[Mateusz Mroz]

Here's another original template of eagle from Museum of II Polish Corp (Muzeum II Korpusu Polskiego) from Jozefow near Warsaw. Template is from Palestine, dated 1943.
https://www.facebook.com/Muzeum2Korp...type=3&theater

[Sebol]

Hello all,

Just bought it for my collection, look like the civilian soft helmet version converted into Regulacja Ruchu /Trafic Control/ with the hand painted eagle in 2.KP style. The eagle and band is like on ones Ivan Putski picture. The liner of the helmet is very similar to army model but without the size stamp. Only what I found is a circle ink stamp on the canvas part but is very worn.



Ragards,
Seb

[A.J. Zawadzki]

Hi Seb, congratulations with your new acquisition, and thanks for sharing with us.

Cheers,
Tony

[Mark K]

Thanks Ivan for your continued knowledgeable input on what is an area of the hobby that remains shrouded in uncertainty for most of us.

Here’s my offering of a helmet that fits into this category. It’s one I’ve owned several years and like the look and feel of. Although as is so often the case in the helmet arena, especially with a non-recognized pattern, I am basing my thoughts on circumstantial evidence coupled with a healthy dose of always objective gut feel . I’ve kept the helmet exactly as found along with the remains of its past inhabitants from the environs of a rural UK storage shed. It was found there along with three other WW2 era British helmets, and those were genuine.

Regards,
Tony

PS If anyone can provide me with a WW2 period photo of this pattern in use there’s a handsome reward awaiting them!

I am quite pleased to say that stewardship of this particular Mk II has changed hands and I am confident that the eagle was WW II period applied but as stated not an obvious and or widely recognized pattern and feel it stands a very good chance of being an early variation that was not widely adopted and was possibly applied for a very short period of time while the Polish Army in exile was being reconstituted in Scotland in early 1940.
This of course at this point is only speculation and a theory as there is no period evidence in the form of images to support this but it does cause one to pause and ponder the possibilities as there are other one off period variations to the Polish eagle known to have been applied to helmets.
IMO this Mk II and the Polish eagle are worthy of a bump and further discussion .,

Regards Mark

[Jerry B]

You lucky b#st#rd to score such a stunning lid Mark. Some cracking lids in this thread and so many of them tankers or DR's, so cool to see them.

[Jerry B]

The only Polish lids I see all look faked to my eyes so this thread is useful to see.

[Mark K]

You lucky b#st#rd to score such a stunning lid Mark. Some cracking lids in this thread and so many of them tankers or DR's, so cool to see them.

Thanks Jerry I am very pleased to have it in my collection and consider my self one very lucky b#st#rd indeed.

Regards Mark

[wadowicznic]

Fellows,
I have been lucky to take the below pictures at Sikorski's - and I think they provides an another small step to understand various designs of Eagles used by Polish Free Forces of WW2 and beyond.

Photo album with clear provenience - dedicated to polish guards / security units attached to US Army - Camp Kosciuszko.

I am not an expert on helmets - but some of you more experienced collectors in the subject - may actually have such helmet.

However, I would think - it probably is "one -off and very rare item" and to avoid it being copied on the basis of the picture (that will not be difficult by skilled counter-fitters) - i have taken a liberty of removing some relevant details. Idea is to balance the noble objective of knowledge sharing with all of You with the collateral damage as a result of giving materials for less considerate fellows to profit.


Hope that is OK.