DD M40 ET66 #700 or #703

[KradSpam]

I am trying to help out a guy on another forum with this one. I don't hold out much hope for a few reasons. It's a double decal M40 for starters, and black which I believe is unheard of for M40 lids, please correct me if I'm wrong. Lastly, I don't know if I like the decals, if it's a repaint they should be Pocher runes should they not? this decal seems a little too long for a Pocher to my eyes. Also a white backing seems to be peeking through, doesn't feel right. White field in the party decal looks offset to the left. I'm still very much a little bird with SS though so I present this to the circling eagles overhead....

My final reason for the bad feeling is that if there was another double decal M40 SS knocking around, I'd expect Doug to have it

No more pics available at this point, I'm asking if it is repainted a la M35 blackies or not. Was black ever factory issued?

[ObKrieger]

These decals are no good, sorry.

[big ned]

Both bad. Note the differences on the width of the runes on the Pocher fake.

Regards, Ned.

[DougB]

Yes both are repros.

[KradSpam]

Yes both are repros.

Sorry to split hairs Doug but what about the stuff I picked up on in post 1, am I on the right track?

[DougB]

Sorry to split hairs Doug but what about the stuff I picked up on in post 1, am I on the right track?

Sorry I didn't read the entire post of yours, basically you are bang on. The fake SS decal is a poor copy of a CA Pocher. The party decal is actually a very good fake, that has fooled the best SS collectors around when paired with a very good graphically accurate Pocher. What gives it away is the vertical and horizontal crazing. Being offset slightly to the right isn't the kiss of death as many CA Pocher party decals are offset but usually to the left.

As for a black painted M40 SS double decal, this one looks to have been postwar painted but there is evidence of at least 1 period black double decal M40 SS with both decals are overpainted and a Nordic variant runic decal applied (seen in the SS Decal Thread) with provenance / named to an ex-Schalburg Korps member in Denmark. An M40 was repainted to be used as a parade helmet probably in 1940 when things were going "well" for the Germans and Schalburg Korps was not yet combat active but mirroring the Allgemeine SS and the use of black helmets and uniforms was implemented. And yes I own that helmet.

As for a factory black M35, there is evidence of 1 factory black M35 double decal SS, a very early ET M35 double named and heavily worn for parade / ceremony use with factory black paint and size domestamp and the early 35 embossed liner and ET San Serif font. And yes I own that helmet as well. Its decal is also featured in the SS Decal Section.

But these are 2 very very rare exceptions to the "rules" that most blackies are always template painted and decaled in the field and are M35s as the SS discontinued the use of the black parade M35 in 1939.

[black janos]

Hi Doug How do you have this information ,which book,what documents,which files are you going by here,question there are no m40 black ss helmets?.

[KradSpam]

Very informative Doug thanks for taking the time to share that

[KradSpam]

Look at this...............................

This is the thread I was speaking of.

M40 black dd SS - Germany: Third Reich Uniforms, Headwear, Insignia & Equipment - Gentleman's Military Interest Club

[DougB]

Hi Doug How do you have this information ,which book,what documents,which files are you going by here,question there are no m40 black ss helmets?.

The actual SS inventory lists of which they no longer were issued M35 black parade helmets. They turned in black painted M35 parade Helmets to be repainted and reissued as combat helmets due to shortages in the SS. As well the rally's and ceremony were not performed wartime which required black helmets. Finally no documentary evidence supports black painted M40 SS helmets for parade use.