M42 with odd finish

**Wartime Collectables** · 08-27-2018, 08:17 PM

OK, I'm far from an expert on German helmets so please be kind

This M42 looks all original to me but can't figure out the finish? Remains of snow camo, something someone added?
Thanks for your input!

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 08-27-2018 08:17 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Wartime Collectables** · 08-27-2018, 08:21 PM

Bright outdoors pics....

**real steel** · 08-27-2018, 08:30 PM

Yes...most likely remnants of whitewash. This is an HKP shell. They normally had a very heavy textured paint from the factory, so the white looks to have settled into it well & would be rather difficult to remove it all..

**MAP** · 08-27-2018, 08:49 PM

Liner is in backwards.....pins are loose with no remnants of white wash. I would check out the split pins. See if they are bent. Liner might have been swapped in.

Chin strap is not German either.

**real steel** · 08-27-2018, 08:57 PM

by MAP

Liner is in backwards.....pins are loose with no remnants of white wash. I would check out the split pins. See if they are bent. Liner might have been swapped in.

Chin strap is not German either.

Thought on that. If the liner is in backwards...the 3 holes would not line up for the split pin rivets. Where the seam is, if it were in backwards, the hole normally where the seam is would not line up with the two front holes in the helmet. I edited. Yes Map...think you are correct. Looks like a liner swap. Some reddish paint on the liner edge that I see no reason for it to be there.

**MAP** · 08-27-2018, 09:05 PM

yes. Agree 100%. I've seen these mistakes/anomalies as well.

I should have said the leather was replaced and put in backwards and not the whole liner band. Possible the leather was crap and someone took out the liner band, replaced the leather and put it back in. the split pins look real loose which is why I was thinking this, but could also be from wear.

The split pins should tell us if just a manufacturing mistake or a replacement by someone.

Just a thought to be checked out.....

**real steel** · 08-27-2018, 09:36 PM

The red paint on the liner rim is an issue too. So really not sure what is going on. But the exterior finish appears to be old whitewash.

**Wartime Collectables** · 08-28-2018, 12:14 AM

Thanks for the insights! OK, couple things from there. Yes, the liner pins are all loose. ONE of the liner pins has remains of the same paint on it. The other two are clean but the finish seems to match the helmet? And, can't really get a picture of it, when I invert the liner, I found whitewash had gone through the vent hole and remnants were on the helmet interior and in a matching place on the liner.

**MAP** · 08-28-2018, 12:40 AM

So the "red paint" on the liner is rust, The liner pins (at least one) are original and the leather is probably original and an anomaly being inserted backwards. Decal is in the Lot number range as well.

In the last photo of the split pin. Just check to see if they have been re-bent.

Overall from these photos, I think it may well be an nice ex whitewash SD M42!

But who knows about that chin strap. Odd....

**Wartime Collectables** · 08-28-2018, 01:25 AM

Ok one last brad pic. They do n
ot appear to have been bent or monkeyed with.
And, lastly the story, briefly... I collect antique toy soldiers. I bought a very nice toy collection a couple weeks ago from the collectors widow. There were two German helmets, this one and an Ordnance Tan with provenance I posted earler. The widow had no idea where he got this helmet but this wasn't a guy who bought militaria. Didn't want to 'lead with a story' believing you let the artifacts stand on thier own merit.
Lastly, advice... the other helmet comes with capture documentation and is a keeper. With no vet history (my thing!) I won't keep this one. Do I offer as legit whitewash with funky liner or what???