Help please guys

[Southbankchris]

I think I have a M35 Quist helmet that was rebadged after the war with Norwegian decals and new new liner - it was cheap for obvious reasons but as new collector that can’t afford the good examples, I like to to think I have a real M35 - any help please.

[Luftwaffe 1941]

You have a true M35 there. As you pointed out, it has in fact been reissued by the Norwegians in the post war period. Looks like the Norwegian decals have been semi defaced, which isn't uncommon for these. I wonder how it got the damage to the top though.

Despite it's faults I think this is still a really cool example. Just think if all the history this thing has seen over the years. A German solider wore it in occupied Norway, and it then saw a second life with the Norwegian military after the war.

[Southbankchris]

Much appreciate your reply, the history of these items can only be left to our imagination- thanks confirming I have real M35

[OsiusGaming]

It's definitely got some character!

[Kohima]

The defaced decals and (pickaxe?) hole may suggest that it was demilitarised when the Norwegian Army no longer required its services..
Just a thought.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

It is highly unlikely you would be able to do that kind of damage with a pickaxe, that's a high velocity hit of some kind.

[Kohima]

True.. maybe dent it a bit, chip the paintwork. Some sort of mechanical punch?
It clearly happened in, or post, Norwegian service, though I can’t think of any combat action that it may have seen in that time..

Baffled of Hampshire.

[HARRY THE MOLE]

True.. maybe dent it a bit, chip the paintwork. Some sort of mechanical punch?
It clearly happened in, or post, Norwegian service, though I can’t think of any combat action that it may have seen in that time..

Baffled of Hampshire.

Neither can I, but a pickaxe strike usually ends up with the metal being pushed downwards around the area of the hole, whereas a high velocity strike hits with such force that it punches a hole through and often results in cracks to the surrounding area - as seen in this example. I can only suggest that the helmet has been deliberately subject to a HV strike some time after its Norwegian service, purely to see what the results would be. These helmets would have been of little value after the Norwegian army originally stopped using them, and I can remember back in the 1980's when 'Battle Orders' in Manchester had storage boxes stacked high with all manner of German helmets at a fiver a time.