M42 battle? damaged helmet

[Danmark]

Hi all,
I got this shell from Wayne ( ww2relicsandcollectibles ) a little while back because it intrigues me.

The damage appears to have been done all at the same time and has aged accordingly but it comes from all directions!! Maybe it was target practice for a GI who then brought it home ( Wayne did say it was a vet bring back ) The decal seems to be covered with something like paint but additional to and different to the repaint that can be seen near the vent hole ( 4th photo ) ....... strange.
The 5th & 6th photos are the damage from the inside - all looks period to me!

Any thoughts?
Dan

[VolksJager]

Your probably right there Dan, if it were a bring back it could have been jazzed up by alittle target practice. Nothing like a battle damaged helmet to bring home to the kids.

Jason

[KradSpam]

Nice one Dan, they look like hits from a .45 to me so I would say target practice was a good theory

[Danmark]

Thanks guys, you can still see the lead smear from the slugs! ( didn't show up well in the photos but sure does in real life )
You can almost hear the bragging ...... " look what I did to this lousy kraut..... Kablooey, that'll teach 'em to mess with uncle sam!!!"

[MD Helmets]

The decal was probably painted over in the field to conform with the late war order to halt application of the decal. A nice little beat up lid ya got.

[Matt L]

Thanks guys, you can still see the lead smear from the slugs! ( didn't show up well in the photos but sure does in real life )
You can almost hear the bragging ...... " look what I did to this lousy kraut..... Kablooey, that'll teach 'em to mess with uncle sam!!!"

Or maybe- "I came all this way, hung out in England for months and months, and I never even saw a lousy Kraut- had to trade for this lousy helmet... I'll show it who's boss!" (blam, blam) LOL

It's pretty neat to be able to nail down the source of the deformations- I have an Fallschirmjager shell with battle damage too from multiple directions and luckily a couple are distinctive enough to see the size and shape of the shell splinters that caused the dents...

[Wayne J]

I am glad you like it your pics are better than mine i better get that sorted because i am going for the better condition one's now....
Wayne
Ps if you see anything of intrest on my site make me an offer i need to get rid of the lot..out with the old in with the new..

[Danmark]

if you see anything of intrest on my site make me an offer i need to get rid of the lot..out with the old in with the new..

Thanks Wayne ........ and I DID!!!!!!!!!!!! ( but I can't buy everything ) ha, ha!
Dan