Explosion heat effects on helmets?

[stray_dog]

Hi all!

I don't know if this is the appropriate forum, so if the mods think it's not, please move the thread... I would like to ask for some opinions on a certain form of oxidation seen on some helmets. I have read somewhere a long time ago -and unfortunately can't remember the source- about it being indicative of the heat emitted during an explosion.

While serving in the arty, I had the chance to see some M1 helmets used on mannequins in fire ranges, but none of them happened to have this effect. Shrapnel on the other hand, did have this appearance. So, do you think that this is just "normal" oxidation or the effect of blast heat?

Here is a greek M34/39 helmet from my collection, with this effect.

Regards, Giorgos

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt226/stray_dog/127-2728_IMG.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

The oxidation effect

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt226/stray_dog/127-2730_IMG.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

And the other areas (diametrically opposite) where the bare metal is exposed, but not oxidized.

<a href="http://photobucket.com" target="_blank"><img src="http://i614.photobucket.com/albums/tt226/stray_dog/127-2731_IMG.jpg" border="0" alt="Photobucket"></a>

[Jean-Loup]

In my opinion that is simple rust. You see similar strange rust paterns on old tools in the shed that were never near an explosion.
Also, if a helmet is close enaugh to an explosion to have burn marks, I would expect the presence of shrapnel damage as well.

[PlaceOfBayonets]

In my opinion that is simple rust. You see similar strange rust paterns on old tools in the shed that were never near an explosion.
Also, if a helmet is close enaugh to an explosion to have burn marks, I would expect the presence of shrapnel damage as well.

I don't think shrapnel will hit the target no matter how close it is 100% of the time. This is why an arty round goes off and kills or wounds one man while the man next to him is not harmed.

W.

[CWP]

Sounds to me like an effort to make poor condition helmets that have been badly stored into desirable relics damaged in the heat of battle.

[stray_dog]

Sounds to me like an effort to make poor condition helmets that have been badly stored into desirable relics damaged in the heat of battle.

I guess that this could also be the case. I have been looking through my magazines and googling, but unfortunately still can't remember the source.

About the shrapnel and blast/heat effects, the results can be quite chaotic I think. Some of the mannequins during the aforementioned shot with 155mm explosive rounds in a 50x50m area were torn apart, while others had 1-2 shrapnels on their bodies (an 1cm long piece is really more than enough...) and not on their helmets, while others had them incorporated only on their helmets which had either been pierced or not. The blast can also kill, whether someone is hit by shrapnel or not, too...

But this effect was nowhere to see, at least on 3 occasions that I had the chance to see... But since these don't make me an expert in any way, I am really interested in reading other opinions!

Regards, Giorgos