Why more Luftwaffe Helmets than Heer?

**wpheaton** · 07-01-2015, 05:45 PM

I have been following a thread on a Luftwaffe helmet and many guys are saying to wait for a better one since there are more Lufts than Heers. Anyone care to speculate why this might be? I am just curious. I find everyone's answers very interesting.

William

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 07-01-2015 05:45 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**lebus12** · 07-01-2015, 05:52 PM

Perhaps because LW had many FLAK units in the rear of the front, perhaps...

**wpheaton** · 07-01-2015, 05:55 PM

by lebus12

Perhaps because LW had many FLAK units in the rear of the front, perhaps...

Better chance for helmets to be preserved? Away from the fighting?

**severin** · 07-01-2015, 05:57 PM

Good question, something I have also wondered about.

Jonathan.

**MAP** · 07-01-2015, 06:41 PM

by lebus12

Perhaps because LW had many FLAK units in the rear of the front, perhaps...

Correct, this is the general theory that I have been told over the years. You do find a much larger % of "barrack Queen" Luft helmets vs Heer.

**Ripper** · 07-01-2015, 07:30 PM

William I would say this thread is a really good idea!!!

I had always been wondering the same thing.
I have another theory,I've read that the luftwaffe troops had a much lower morale then the Heer or SS troops.So could it be that the luftwaffe troops surrendered more often?
Emanuil.

**bigmacglenn** · 07-01-2015, 08:19 PM

Germany was covered with LW Fliegerhorste along with 500,000 Flak Troops...After the war, GIs stationed in former LW Kasernen and Air Bases across Germany were more likely to come across and bring back a LW Helmet than a Combat-Acquired SS or WH...
Nothing to do with Morale or lack of Courage...The high casualty-rates attest to that...
Much of the WH and SS fought outside of Germany for most of the war, and that's where those helmets are more likely to be found...while LW FLak Personnel in Germany were steadily increased as the Air War increased in intensity...
cheers, Glenn

**Ripper** · 07-01-2015, 08:38 PM

Okay that makes sence.

**Frundsberg** · 07-01-2015, 08:44 PM

And as today, also in 1945 every US soldier wanted to get a mint helmet as a war trophy, not a broken and blody war relic from the battlefield. Actually selling German militaria started before the war ended.

**ObKrieger** · 07-01-2015, 08:55 PM

You are always going to find larger numbers of helmets that lived in a closet or were easily captured from surrendering Germans by American, Canadian, and British soldiers, etc.

Every single original DAK camo with a feldpostnummer in it that I have researched, for example, can be tied back to a unit that surrendered in Tunisia in May and June of 1943. I have traced countless other helmets with FPN's back to units that surrendered in Cherbourg, the Ruhr Pocket, etc.

Many of these units that surrendered, particularly late war, were rear echelon support stuff- things like Luftwaffe flak, supply, Heer supply, transport, medical, paymasters, artillery, etc. It's actually fairly rare to find a helmet that is linked to an actual frontline combat unit.