My first helmet

[IronCross197]

Hello and thanks for reading this. I am new to military collecting and recently bought my first helmet, a German m35 Luftwaffe double decal and would like to know if the helmet and the decals are real. Thanks for your help on this.

[SHEMP H]

I think the eagle and chinstrap are bad.

Bill

[relicz]

Decal is definitely bad. Liner and strap are suspect as well. Don’t get discouraged, for the right price it’s a good representation and we all have to start somewhere.

[SHEMP H]

Decal is definitely bad. Liner and strap are suspect as well. Don’t get discouraged, for the right price it’s a good representation and we all have to start somewhere.

I agree with John, it's happened to ALL of us and unfortunately that's one of the ways we learn


Bill

[IronCross197]

Is the shell real and how about decal on the left? Overall paid 400 bucks, should have been my first clue haha. Thank you for your help on this.

[relicz]

Is the shell real and how about decal on the left? Overall paid 400 bucks, should have been my first clue haha. Thank you for your help on this.

The shell looks good EF, and in a desirable size 68. Liner could be good just a treated replacement. Can you read the liner band date? Don't go bending it all up to find out. Pictures of the pins and washers may also help.

[IronCross197]

Thanks, I am not sure how to find the liner band date, but the washers and pins look heavily rusted. Let me know if these photos help.

[Helmcollector]

Maybe I am to strict about these data, but as I already said when evaluating my M35 droop tail luftwaffe helmet :

- single aluminium band changed to reinforced aluminium liner in 1938
- luftwaffe chinstrap changed from brown on the outside to black in 1940

Here we see a single aluminium liner with black chinstrap (on the outside).

I guess there will always be exceptions to this rule...

Is there a date on the chinstrap ?

Erwin

[Schwerpunkt]

Maybe I am to strict about these data, but as I already said when evaluating my M35 droop tail luftwaffe helmet :

- single aluminium band changed to reinforced aluminium liner in 1938
- luftwaffe chinstrap changed from brown on the outside to black in 1940

Here we see a single aluminium liner with black chinstrap (on the outside).

I guess there will always be exceptions to this rule...

Is there a date on the chinstrap ?

Erwin

Hello Erwin , brown chinstraps are rare. Most pre 40 straps will be similar as the Heer ones , black/ brown with alu buckle.
The only real distinction can be the LBA stamp on early LW chinstraps and sometimes even a unit marking.

The chinstrap on the helmet here is a typical humpback buckle fake.

Not an interesting helmet by a stretch , sorry to say. Replaced leather and liner , fake decal and strap.

[Helmcollector]

Frank,
Thanks for your reaction.
I took my 'book wissdom' from 'German helmets 1916-1945' (Jan Meland, pag 103) that states :
'the luftwaffe used brown chinstraps before 1940 and Heer/KM/SS/Polizei usually used black colored chinstraps. There were exceptions, but this was the main rule before 1940. After 1940, all chinstraps were colored black on the side facing outwards and the side lying on the chin and cheeks retained the usual brown colour. In some cases at the end of the war, the side that turned outward was not colored at all and retained its appearance as untreated raw leather'
So i will take this statement with a grain of salt...
Erwin