Luftwaffe helmet w/ maltese cross?

**Pablo** · 08-12-2011, 02:49 AM

I just got this helmet today and have a few questions. It is an M40 hkp64 lot#895. The liner looks pretty good to me and doesn't seem to be messed with (I will also refrain from messing with with). After cleaning up a bit I noticed a very small remnant of the luftwaffe adler and I also noticed the ghost of a large maltese cross on both sides. Is this a luftwaffe helmet? Is the paint original? Do I assume the helmet to have had a former life as a biker accessory? Any comments would be greatly appreciated. Pablo

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 08-12-2011 02:49 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**ObKrieger** · 08-12-2011, 06:57 AM

It looks like a good LW M40 that a biker has messed with. Bikers love the look of the stahlhelm, and unfortunately that means that a lot of helmets have been butchered over the years.

A biker-messed with helmet would be my guess but there may be others who disagree. A helmet like this would be very hard to sell.

**Nikolaus** · 08-12-2011, 07:05 AM

Hi Pablo,
in my opinion the liner and paint are original. The strangely signs on the helmet are not from any official organisation of the 3Reich.
Looks like a sign of a Rocker gang....

Regards
Nikolaus

**Pablo** · 08-12-2011, 10:03 AM

Any suggested ways to remove it w/o harming the paint too much?

**davejb** · 08-12-2011, 11:41 AM

First off, check to see if it was painted on, some of the bikers used a form of plastic decal that had glue on the back, what your seeing could be the remnants of the glue as it appears there are very exact lines to the cross, if it is , a lighter fluid will break up the residue and will not affect the paint, if its painted on then youll have to decide what to use to minimise further damage

**António Fragoeiro** · 08-12-2011, 12:29 PM

Great helmet, shame it has been messed with.
Cheers.
Nuno

**Pablo** · 08-12-2011, 12:48 PM

by davejb

First off, check to see if it was painted on, some of the bikers used a form of plastic decal that had glue on the back, what your seeing could be the remnants of the glue as it appears there are very exact lines to the cross, if it is , a lighter fluid will break up the residue and will not affect the paint, if its painted on then youll have to decide what to use to minimise further damage

Thanks Dave. Looks painted on using a stencil because the outline looks a little thicker and is yellow. I guess I'll try a few weak solvents and see what happens. I'd be happy to rid the helmet of this blemish!