For starters at least.......the high rivets and the screw top = MkIII BUT some MkIIIs were Mk4'd (if that's actually a verb) with the screw hole filled with a lift-the-dot "post"...but the rivets weren't lowered. Low rivets (about an inch from the rim) = Mk4 / "Mk5"
Does it make me a sad person that I understood every bit of what you saidby Composite
It has both the high rivets and the screw top so I am confident it is a MK III. However, earlier on Belgian produced MK III copies were mentioned which have slightly different dimensions, lower rivets (but still higher than on MK IV) and also have a slightly longer shell. So the British MK III rivet height would be appreciated to work out whether mine is indeed British or Belgian. Thanks for the Quick response,
Jack
In the words of reliable Canadian collector Roger Lucy - "The easiest way to distinguish these from the originals is the magnetic steel rim and chin-strap lugs,however when measured, the body is some 10mm longer, and the rivets are mounted 5-10mm lower."
Of course none of this is obvious unless you have the two to compare together. Mind you a sure sign would be the presence of the Belgian liner, made of brown leather (pretty much exactly the same as in the Mle49 copy of the British MkII) and the crown pad faced with the same brown material. The shell does NOT have the characteristic Belgian 'dimple' where the liner-bolt sits.
If you do have a Belgian Mk III you have a truly hard to find thing. I've looked for one for years now. I did think I had one a few years ago but it was a 'normal' shell with the Belgian liner fitted. Bought from Belgium too, so it could have been right. Oh the disappointment!
Hi Greg do you remember that 58 dated MkIV I found? Well I’ve only gone and found another one. I wanted to take pics of it today but the lighting has been poor today very overcast. I’ll try again tomorrow
Thanks for the help so far,
I tried sticking these little magnets to its rim and none of them took, so I guess that makes it British. However the shell itself appears to be magnetic, is that right? I was under the understanding the British went for non magnetic steel in the MK I? and I assumed this would of continued. So is the shell of a MK III supposed to be magnetic? and if so does anyone know why the change was made from the MK I? Or have I got it all wrong.
Edit: this apparent shell magnetism could just be due to the roughness of the paint as when I turn the helmet upside down most fall off. I really have no idea what is going on any help greatly appreciated!!!
I also found out that one of my two Mk IV/V helmets rim is very magnetic seemingly holding all the magnets I stuck to it, while the other only took a couple at certain points. Does anyone have an explanation for this? I know it could just be a case of how i presented the magnets to the rim however I think that I did it fairly similarly and enough times to convince myself at least that something else is at play.
Unfortunately this one came without a liner, so I am trying to source one, which is causing me an issue. I feel like a repro liner takes away from its heritage, but taking a liner from another helmet also seems wrong. Does anyone else have an opinion on this matter or am I just being a bit of a fusspot?
sorry for the seemingly endless stream of random questions, any further help will be greatly appreciated.
What type of liner are you looking for? Presumably a LtD model....
From what I've read some MK III helmets were issued without liners, for the owners to transfer there old one across, so any MK II liner up to 1944 should be perfect.
When you consider the long life of these helmet shells and the high likelihood the liners will have been changed there's really no such thing as an 'accurate' liner. With the exception being that if your shell is still in the same condition as issued in, say 1944, then an appropriately dated liner is a good thing.
It certainly sems true that the original issue was without liners and the swap was done as you say; what I have never been clear about was what happened next - given the fact that the shells are all the same sizes and it is the *liners* that are supposed to fit the individual it would be reasonable to assume shell and liner (of whatever type) were issued separately all along. Does anyone know for certain?
As regards magnetism, I've just tested about twenty mixed 3/4 (including my 'fake' Belgian...) and found nothing magnetic, not the rims, not the shells.
Thanks for the reply, upon further testing the with some more magnets and a compass the MK III is definitely not magnetic its just the roughness of the paint holding things on and one of the MK IVs had a magnet id dropped stuck in the liner which i assume show why the other magnets held in one place. However my other MK IV/V stills seems to be. When I move it next to the compass there is some visible movement, moving the needle from south to south east, and it holds magnets on its rim but not the shell.
I've hopefully attached a photo of both the MK IV/V with the magnets attached and my MK III.
Thanks again for all the replies, tomorrow I should have access to some iron fillings and some finer compasses so shall test again to see if it is just me or not.
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