M15 Adrian with blackish brown paint

[Apache8]

Hello there

I was doing some digging on my Adrian helmet and noticed a few on this forum with a similar hand applied blackish brown coat over the original horizon blue. To the best of my knowledge I believe that the helmet was manufactured in 1916 as it has the first model liner and earlier semi glossy blue with a second model shell. The paint also has a burlap texture in a couple of spots so maybe it had a cover? (or someone left it on a sandbag to dry). Would this paint job be some sort of field modification, a post war repaint or a reissues to a different group like police or CD?

Any assistance you can provide would be greatly appreciated.
Apache8






(burlap texture)

[AndyM35]

Nice untouched helmet!

I’d be interested to see what colour the paint looks like in broad daylight which often changes the colour quite dramatically. During WW1 the early horizon blue was often painted over in various shades of a much darker blue some of which tended towards black. With the passing of time and the effects of patina, the paint can darken even more, so I am wondering if this is what you are seeing. I have an example in my collection that is overpainted and now a very dark blue/black colour.

You could be right about the helmet having rested on sandbag, perhaps while being repainted!? Early on in the war some soldiers were issued with a burlap cover however this lost favour as it was discover that the material became lodged in wounds from shrapnel strikes etc.

Below are a couple of picture of my helmet in broad daylight. Inside the paint looks black.

Adrian helmets are not my area of study but I’m sure there will be some other more experienced members that come along with more information.
Andy

[Apache8]

Here it is outside in daylight.

[Tinhat]

From the daylight photos it looks like a dark khaki paint, the French continued to use this model of helmet into the 30's until it was gradually replaced by the M26. I like it.

Steve.

[Apache8]

Thanks for your post

I was somewhat aware of the M15's continued use up to the beginning of WW2 but I wasn't sure if that's what happened with this one, as the M26's I've seen appear more green in color (although that ignores the fact that by being done by hand it was likely "close enough" and time and use will change the color as well).
still quite an impressive service life sticking around for that long.

[AndyM35]

Thanks for your post

I was somewhat aware of the M15's continued use up to the beginning of WW2 but I wasn't sure if that's what happened with this one, as the M26's I've seen appear more green in color (although that ignores the fact that by being done by hand it was likely "close enough" and time and use will change the color as well).
still quite an impressive service life sticking around for that long.

Sure, no problem. Apache.

[Tinhat]

as the M26's I've seen appear more green in color (although that ignores the fact that by being done by hand it was likely "close enough" and time and use will change the color as well).

This thread has a lot of examples and shows the variation in shades of green.
French M-26

Steve.