help with Helmet ID... German fireman's helmet?

**DiggityDiggity** · 05-21-2012, 05:36 PM

Sorry no pictures yet... hoping someone could help though. I tried google imaging german ww2 helmets and haven't seen the exact match... A family member's father snagged the helmet in WW2 and brought it back home. It's a dark green helmet design much like this one..

But it also has a mohawk center piece of the SAME green color. Here's an example of the mohawk...

^ This photo shows the mohawk in a silver/steel color, but the piece on my family member's helmet is the same dark green color as the rest of the helmet.

My family member is on vacation for a month so I can't get pics of it until he comes back. I'm DYING to figure this out. Google has been no help but I might not be searching with the correct keywords. (I'm a helmet newb)...

I think the helmet had the same style swastika symbol with eagle wings (not sure if it has the text 'Luftshultz')

Could it possibly be a fireman's helmet specific to the Luftwaffe? Any help would be AWESOME, if not, I'll post pics of it in a month or so.. Thanks dudes!

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 05-21-2012 05:36 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Donald L.** · 05-21-2012, 08:27 PM

help with Helmet ID... German fireman's helmet?

Fire helmets are among the various types of helmets that were refurbished for their new role in the LS. The upper image is of a typical LS "gladiator-style". The helmet was designed to offer increased coverage to the wearer from debris. The lower image is an early M34-type civil fire police helmet. I have attached an image of an early FP helmet that ended it's service within the LS. It still retains the original early FP decals which is rare (most were overpainted or scraped off) in combination with the LS decal.

Hope this helps,
Regards,
Don

**DiggityDiggity** · 05-21-2012, 08:37 PM

Thanks so much for the info, Don! The one my family has looks different from the one you pictured. But it makes sense if there were a large variety of styles.

Do you know of a source on the internet that shows all the different styles of the fire helmets? Also, how rare are the fire helmets in general? Are they worth more/less than typical German military styles? Thanks again for your time and knowledge!

Cheers!

**Donald L.** · 05-21-2012, 09:10 PM

You're very welcome! Off-hand, other than forums and dealer sites I don't know of a site listing images of Fire helmets. The vast majority were of the variaous M34-styles, however early commercial (WW-1 clones), outdated leather and brass imperial era helmets were also brought into use. Practically any helmet available could have been fair game to be refurbished into the LS including those previously mentioned, as well as captured helmets, etc, etc.

You mention that it has a comb and a winged decal, is the decal on the front or side? W/O an image it's tough to positively ID the helmet. Could it be a French helmet with a LS decal applied to the front? The reason that I ask this is that a pre-1945 green German Fire helmet is quite rare. The French M26 is typically green, has a green painted comb and are known to have been used by the LS.

**DiggityDiggity** · 05-21-2012, 10:52 PM

^ Don, that's the helmet!!! I almost want to say its the exact model!! I was trying to remember if the wings/swastika were on the front or side (I'll find out in a month) but I'm pretty damn sure that's the one. So to confirm, the helmet pictured here is the French model M26? Were they originally a French fireman's helmet, then refurbished for use with voluneers of the German LS? How rare is this particular helmet?

My fam member ironically is a volunteer fireman LOL. He's gona crap himself when he finds out the origins of this helmet.

Cheers!

**Jerry B** · 05-21-2012, 11:02 PM

Probably captured ex french army stock, with it's original badge removed and the Luftshutz decal added. The Germans used lots of captured helmets for the Luftshutz, including Dutch M34s and others I think.

**DiggityDiggity** · 05-21-2012, 11:05 PM

by Bond

Probably captured ex french army stock, with it's original badge removed and the Luftshutz decal added. The Germans used lots of captured helmets for the Luftshutz, including Dutch M34s and others I think.

Thanks! So I'm guessing since they weren't actually manufactured by Germany they aren't as highly collectible?

Cheers!

**big ned** · 05-21-2012, 11:52 PM

I sincerely hope he didn't 'snag' it from a German fireman's corpse, if you know what I mean.

**Donald L.** · 05-21-2012, 11:55 PM

Jerry has it right. These were originally French military stocks made available to German civilian organizations including the Luftschutz later in the period. French, Dutch, Czech, Russian, etc were all used and though not of German manufacture, any of these refurbished non-German helmets are highly collectible today.
Regards,
Don

**DiggityDiggity** · 05-22-2012, 12:10 AM

by big ned

I sincerely hope he didn't 'snag' it from German fireman's corpse, if you know what mean.

I'd like to think that he traded it for freedom from tyranny but I'm probably asking too much.

by Donald L.

Jerry has it right. These were originally French military stocks made available to German civilian organizations including the Luftschutz later in the period. French, Dutch, Czech, Russian, etc were all used and though not of German manufacture, any of these refurbished non-German helmets are highly collectible today.
Regards,
Don

Awesome! FREE COOKIES TO DON!!!!

Thanks again for everything.. I'll be sure to post pics when they become available.

Cheers!