A Pair of Double Decal Luftwaffe Vulkanfiber Parade Helmets - Interesting Decals

[helmet2id]

About 12 years ago I picked up a green double decal Luft Vulkanfiber parade helmet on which the Adler - a “hairy bird” - placed on the left side, was facing backwards! That piece also has a “barrel bottom” tri color. I had Al Barrows check it out and, not surprisingly, he had its fraternal twin, a blue/gray example with the same decals! I recently acquired a blue/gray example as well! My new piece has the same Adler, but instead of a “barrel bottom” tri color it has a commercial round bottomed black bordered tri color. When it arrived I called Al and during that call he shared his theory about the mirror Adlers on our 3 helmets. He believes that the decals were misprints. Rather than throw them away he postulates that the manufacturer sold them to Erel for use on non combat private purchase civil and parade helmets. He told me to examine the swastikas closely and I did. On my pieces the swastikas do not appear to be integral to the decal. Rather, it appears that the swastikas were applied over the talons/feet of the Adler decals after the birds had been applied. This would be consistent with the misprint theory. If the decals were mistakenly mirror printed the swastikas would be backwards. Al believes that the backwards swastikas were cut off and a correctly oriented swastika would be applied after the bird was put on the piece. On close inspection that appears to be what happened on my 2 helmets. Both were made by Erel and have the expected silver printed maker’s marks over the ears of the wearer on the leather liners, but, interestingly enough, the marks are different, which indicates to me that these helmets were not made in a single run, but that’s just speculation on my part. Anyway, here are the pictures. Hope you like them. Jim G.

BTW - the blue/gray example is named in the crown - Hansen. The pictures will follow in separate posts.

[helmet2id]

Here are the pictures. Jim G.

[MAP]

You certainly find the oddballs Jim. Two unique helmets. Never see a reverse Adler before. Was it printed like this or where they put on upside down?