Strange Luftschutz helmet,opinions

[Toecutter]

This has the 3 rivet liner,a cord tied around beaded seam with a Russian front medal attached.No decal on front and looks to have never been one.There is a sideways police decal on side that looks original,what is this?The red dots are not there on the back just camera sun reflection/lens error.

[Neil Hever]

What was the source? US veterans often attached unrelated items together. Holsters with rank pips or cap insignia attached to them are a good example. I'm thinking a soldier looking for souvenirs located this helmet and spruced it up with a decal and award. It probably had more than one award on there at one time! NH

[Neil Hever]

Stewart's had this holster with soldier applied "decorations" for sale. I think the helmet had a similar decorative upgrade. NH

[real steel]

Neat helmet, but the decal is fake

[Toecutter]

It was a picker buy,the decal looks like it has been on there a long time,with the wear on it sure looks like it is original to helmet and the lack of the Luftschutz decal is strange maybe a last ditch helmet?Anyway the medal may have been put on by the vet.JMO

[M38]

Nice Luftschutz helmet and medal, but agree with RS that the decal is fake. White center is way too big. It's not a real late war helmet (2 piece construction) so a bit odd that there is no decal on front. But all is real except for the decal.

Cheers,
Terry

[Toecutter]

Thanks guys!Appreciate the opinions!Some of the red border is missing,looks like an ss decal,from the ones I have looked up,they had the larger circle swaz.Anyway not trying to make a case for it ,you guys know more about them than I do,anyway for what I paid someone sure wasted their time putting a fake decal on it and aging it to look old.Cant win them all!

[real steel]

Maybe an old "Biker" helmet from the late 60's,70's ? It's possible. Certainly not applied by a knowledgeable collector.

[Toecutter]

This is a second pattern ss party decal IMO,the deminsions are dead on with some originals I found on line ,russia front medal would have probably been from ss guy .I can hope cant I?ha ha Like you say a faker or collector would have never put this decal on like this,late war maybe,seen stranger things.Maybe a left over ss decal was applied to this helmet.SS guy made it back and fought for Berlin?Anyway there is old rust pitting through the decal, how are you going to fake that?No biggy anyway only paid 125.00 for the helmet.

[helmet2id]

Neat helmet, but the decal is fake

Indeed it is. Jim G.