M40 Wehrmacht helmet

**Giants77** · 01-03-2019, 02:00 AM

Hey guys! I wanted to get this helmet checked out by you guys before anything else. So this is a M40 Wehrmacht helmet which has an “original” decal and he says it’s a NS64 and DN51 I’m not sure what the DN51 is, could that be the batch number, because I thought batch numbers where only numbers haha anyways I asked for better quality photos and he’s sending them in the morning. Also he says he put a light protective coat on the helmet to stop the rusting which I thought would hurt the value, does it.?

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 01-03-2019 02:00 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**real steel** · 01-03-2019, 02:17 AM

Decal is a fake. Liner I would say is also & possibly post war repainted.
Nothing good here
D.

**Giants77** · 01-03-2019, 02:30 AM

Alright thank you very much! If I may ask how do you know the decal is fake, what do I need to look for.

**real steel** · 01-03-2019, 03:32 AM

I suggest taking a look when you have some time at the sub forums "Fake German helmets" & also the "helmet decal authentification". Many examples of good & bad decals of most branches of service. A few of us devoted the time to upload images & give explanations to show what to look for & what to avoid.

Your decal it's in the legs & chest feathers among other obvious signs of a fake
D.

**MAP** · 01-03-2019, 03:43 AM

Agree 100% with David. I'm not liking the paint either. Especially around the decal and vent holes. And the liner has the fake aging look to it.

As for the decal. I'm sure there are 20+ reasons our decal geeks can point to, but for an decal novice like me, the first point is that if this is an NS shell it should have a C.A. Pocher decal. And this is not a Pocher. Another issue is the breast feathers are a style that did not exist on any accepted Heer decal. And the construction/layering gives me great concerns.

Edit: Stepped away to turn off the kettle and make the wife some tea. Only to hit "send" 10 min later. Looks like David beat me to the punch. But at least we are aligned with is always very comforting that I'm gettin' there

David: Not sure if that decal section is visible to non-Gold members

Edit 2: I think it is. Here is the link

Fake German Steel helmets

**Giants77** · 01-03-2019, 03:48 AM

Thank you guys! I didn’t know there was a thread you could learn about these! I know where I’ll be at in the forum for the rest of the night lol. Time to study haha.

**Stevade** · 01-03-2019, 06:22 AM

Hi Giants77.... Where do you find all these awful Helmets?

**FALLSCHIRMJAGER** · 01-03-2019, 07:27 AM

Hi Giants, as David and Michael have said, the whole helmet is a mess. An original shell that has had a fake aged liner dropped in and a complete re-paint. Even by covering the decal somewhat by "camo" it has not hidden that it is a cheap and poor fake. I find one of the easiest "spots" to look out for on a fake Adler is that the inner tips of the wings rarely have a nice "curve" to them, they tend to be sharp, the same as the outer facing points. That will show up the majority of fakes for you at a glance. Leon.

**HoundsTooth** · 01-03-2019, 08:47 AM

I agree with my forum friends - they have summed this helmet up well I think.
The decal feathers on the adler legs and breast are what I first noticed - and they are not pointed enough.
DN51 is the Lot number - NS lot numbers were often preceded by letters such a D, DN, E etc...

Why don't you invest some of your money on one of Ken N's books. EG:
The Helmet Decals of the Third Reich: Amazon.co.uk: Ken Niewiarowicz, Anders Lehrman, Dietrich Maerz: 9780989364683: Books
https://www.amazon.com/Helmet-Decals.../dp/0989364682

It seems a lot of money, but trust me - it is worth it.

Nick