Long shot....but what do you think?

[Rahllo]

I think the odds of this being a legit Winter War helmet are slim....but I'm rusty so here goes:











Thanks in advance for your input

[Estonian]

Too synthetic for me

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I think that the odds of that being legit are so slim that you might get a few gnats whiskers in the gap.

[AndyM35]

Unfortunately the entire helmet is a post-war created piece using what looks to be an original shell. Surviving examples of Imperial German helmets painted in a winter type camo appear to be few and far between most likely due to being painted over or daubed with wash that was subsequently removed. In 1917, a small number of white canvas covers were issued to soldiers fighting in areas that received snow in an effort to blend in. Mud from the trenches was also used to blend in with the surrounding terrain, with the mud/clay in some areas of France appearing as a chalky white colour as seen in the image below.

[CSW]

Unfortunately the entire helmet is a post-war created piece using what looks to be an original shell. Surviving examples of Imperial German helmets painted in a winter type camo appear to be few and far between most likely due to being painted over or daubed with wash that was subsequently removed. In 1917, a small number of white canvas covers were issued to soldiers fighting in areas that received snow in an effort to blend in. Mud from the trenches was also used to blend in with the surrounding terrain, with the mud/clay in some areas of France appearing as a chalky white colour as seen in the image below.

While most certainly true, I'm afraid that is not quite exactly what the original poster asked. They were referring to the helmet as one used by the Finnish military during the Winter War of 1939-1940, more precisely one of the "skull helmets" of Light Detachment 4 (those did exist in reality, even though this one is, as said, a fake)

It might perhaps be a good idea to move the thread to the correct section of Finnish militaria to avoid confusion.

Cheers!

[AndyM35]

I didn’t see where they mentioned ‘Finnish Military’ or “Skull Helmet’s, however we can certainly move the thread.

[Rahllo]

Thanks to all!

[CSW]

I didn’t see where they mentioned ‘Finnish Military’ or “Skull Helmet’s, however we can certainly move the thread.

Considering that they did mention the Finnish-Soviet Winter War (November 1939 to March 1940) and that the helmet is unit marked to "Kev. Os. 4" or Light Detachment 4 (which was THE Finnish Winter War unit famous for these skull helmets) I concluded that it was what they indeed meant!

User Rahllo can of course correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe I got it right... for once!

Cheers!

[AndyM35]

Still can’t see any words about the famous Finish Winter War unit in the original post Can you post a screen shot? OR was it posted somewhere else? Helmets with skulls painted on them were also used by the Reichswehr and are sometimes also used to pimp up old helmet shells for extra dollars.

[CSW]

I would like to offer my humble apologies for any inconvenience I might have caused.

My sole intention was to kindly clarify that the respected original poster was talking about this being, as they stated, a Winter War helmet, and that it would receive more insightful replies in the correct place - that being the Finnish militaria section of WRF.

I did not by any means intend to cause an argument over the matter as there should be no need for it. This was, after all, a thread started purely to receive opinions on the authenticity of this named and unit-marked Winter War helmet.

Best regards and sorry again to everyone involved!