Opinions please about this stunning para helmet with "parachute decal"

[beerlover]

It might be a bit overpriced but € 1000.00 that somebody mentioned is far too low.

It was ofcourse a beautifull helmet before it was repainted.
But that's the way it is. It took my friend almost 9 house te remove 70% of the paint.

Wat is the best choice ?? Leave it repainted with a glossy ugly green paint or remove the paint. ?????

I think it looks better now but who am I ??

[yellow]

Who are you suggesting painted the helmet in 'gloss' in the first place?

[Beau Brummel.]

Didn't M' de Trez sell this helmet about ten years ago? If so the MP was uncovered then but not the wings. I can't see this being worth more than a grand.

Guy.

[ROBB]

Who are you suggesting painted the helmet in 'gloss' in the first place?

The following story is true and not a ferry tale.

This helmet was bought by a guy I know. He bought it from another guy who had it from his father who found it in WW2 near Arnhem.

Must have been painted by an MP Para .Rob

[lnijherald]

Leave it repainted

Leave it, it's already buggered.

Cheers, Luc

[yellow]

Perhaps an officer told him to drop the clown colour scheme?

To paint helmet gloss would in my opinion be a very silly thing to do. Sunlight is going to reflect on that and whoever is wearing it is going to visable from a mile away.

Considering all the trouble other units went to camoflage helmets as well manufacturers the whole story strikes me as odd.

If I saw that helmet with out knowing the story I would assume straight away a gloss covered helmet is a post war British Army stores job.

[force136]

Paint

A few points...

firstly, who told you guys that all early para helmets had a textured finish? This is not true. In fact some of the early P types and HSAT ( fibre rim) were painted in a smooth glossy surface. There are many photos of these helmets at Ringway - No texture.

Also you tend to forget that helmets were worn in England and at other bases inhabited by airborne troops. So it is very likely that an MP type would paint his helmet like this. While on base, it is obvious that an MP would want to be visible.

I have no clue about the overpaint. However unit records clearly record the fact that they repainted helmets. A lot of units, not just airborne, did this to their entire stock of helmets. So please dont crap on a helmet because it was repainted.

The British were always short of helmets. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that this started life as an MP helmet and then pressed into " combat" service.

British airborne units did use paint used on gliders etc. and sometimes this can have a glossy surface.

However generally glossy paint is suspicious and the fact that it was found in Holland with an overpaint that might be post war is very odd.

Ken

Perhaps an officer told him to drop the clown colour scheme?

To paint helmet gloss would in my opinion be a very silly thing to do. Sunlight is going to reflect on that and whoever is wearing it is going to visable from a mile away.

Considering all the trouble other units went to camoflage helmets as well manufacturers the whole story strikes me as odd.

If I saw that helmet with out knowing the story I would assume straight away a gloss covered helmet is a post war British Army stores job.

[Beau Brummel.]

All very good points Ken and all very plausible.

I agree entirely re the HSAT helmet! Some of the early pieces had a lovely, shiny pea green finish like the early M38 para helmets, these have always been my favourite personally. I remember showing one to someone once who wanted to buy a para helmet and he said he'd pass as he thought It had been restored due to the paint .

I think the reason there are some questions over this piece Is that a few remember a helmet amazingly like this being sold by a French dealer a few years ago. Then It seemed to dissappear and reappear some years later with a new story. It could be an entirely different piece but given the rarity of genuine sign written helmets I think people are just excercising caution. If It could be obtained for a decent price I think I would be happy to own Iteven with the question marks .

Yours, Guy.

[jelle]

I fully agree with SMP on the paintmatter,I also own a fibrerim which is smooth and it is the original peagreen finish.Also the markings are in my opinion correct for a airborne MP.There was a simular allthough mk2 helmet on Ebay ages ago.The green paint could have been done at anytime by anyone who owned it,wouldn'"t even put it past a collector who simply wanted a fibrerim to put on a mannequin.I like the helmet but the price is simply to much for it in this condition for me,but that is my opinion.

[mousekilla]

someone got a dremmel for xmas!!!!!!

[beerlover]

Some people mentioned that this helmet came from M. de Trez.
This is not true !!!
This helmet comes out if private hands. The original owner is not a collector at all.
I repeat ,there is absolutely no link between this helmet and M. de Trez.

[Mk1rceme]

A few points...

firstly, who told you guys that all early para helmets had a textured finish? This is not true. In fact some of the early P types and HSAT ( fibre rim) were painted in a smooth glossy surface. There are many photos of these helmets at Ringway - No texture.

Also you tend to forget that helmets were worn in England and at other bases inhabited by airborne troops. So it is very likely that an MP type would paint his helmet like this. While on base, it is obvious that an MP would want to be visible.

I have no clue about the overpaint. However unit records clearly record the fact that they repainted helmets. A lot of units, not just airborne, did this to their entire stock of helmets. So please dont crap on a helmet because it was repainted.

The British were always short of helmets. It is not beyond the realm of possibility that this started life as an MP helmet and then pressed into " combat" service.

British airborne units did use paint used on gliders etc. and sometimes this can have a glossy surface.

However generally glossy paint is suspicious and the fact that it was found in Holland with an overpaint that might be post war is very odd.

Ken

Yea, it's funny that a repainted German helmet is called a depot repaint, but if you have a WWII-era M1 or Mk.II that has a visibly old repaint it is (like stated above) crapped on.

In my Grandfathers diary he says that as the Canadian 1st division made it's way up the Italian boot it was not uncommon to see piles of helmets being repainted to somewhat match the surrounding area...which is only good common sense in my book.

[Beau Brummel.]

Must be a coincidence then.

Guy.

Some people mentioned that this helmet came from M. de Trez.
This is not true !!!
This helmet comes out if private hands. The original owner is not a collector at all.
I repeat ,there is absolutely no link between this helmet and M. de Trez.

[Kelly w]

$1970 us

THis type early fibre band Brit. helmet and leather straps, I saw just sell for $1970.00 US at a Canadian militaria site.

It had original paint job though not this mess lol. If para wing was painted during ww2 it's one in a million.

Thanks
Kelly