British Para Helmets

[Guy]

Hi Chaps,

Hope everyone had a good christmas.

Thought I would post my Para Helmets as there seem to be quite a few questions about those lately. I deliberately haven't taken too many close detail shots because as Ade pointed out we aren't here to help the fakers. If anyone requires good photos of a specific area feel free to pm me or email me through the website. www.axisandallied.com

The 1st pattern is an Arnhem find with a charming provenance; the rim has been removed, the net fitted and then the rim replaced. This was quite a prevalent modification. Thanks Patrick for this one.

The 2nd pattern walked into a junk shop in Apeldoorn and from thence made it's way into a friends collection before ending up with me. Thanks Michel.

The 3rd pattern has real mickey mouse camouflage and is really sleepy but the liner has been rebuilt. It came from my local Air base where it was being used for gate duty until fairly recently. It came with an ill fitting DPM cover taped on. When I took it off this lovely camo emerged .

Hope you like the pics, Yours, Guy.

[Guy]

1st Pattern.

[Guy]

Sewn harness to 1st Pattern.

[Guy]

2nd Pattern.

[Guy]

Rivetted harness to 2nd Pattern.

[Guy]

Interior 1st Pattern.

[Guy]

Interior 2nd Pattern.

[Guy]

3rd Pattern.

[lnijherald]

Hi Guy,

Thanks for posting these pictures!

I believe I've seen 1st patterns like yours before with the rim replaced. I never realised it came off so easily; I thought it was a really tough material.
Cheers, Luc

[Guy]

Hi Luc

The rims are quite tough as they are bonded to the shells. However once removed it loses rigidity and is not paricularly strong. The material it's self seems to be a sort of vulcanised cardboard fibre.

Yours, Guy .

[lnijherald]

The material it's self seems to be a sort of vulcanised cardboard fibre.

Guy, you mean the material identity discs were made of?
Luc

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Luc, it is very hard to describe this material. The ID disks are made of a finer type of compressed cardboard.


Cheers, Ade.

[Guy]

Hi Luc, it is very hard to describe this material. The ID disks are made of a finer type of compressed cardboard.


Cheers, Ade.

Hi Mate,

Hope you and the familly had a Good Christmas .

Regarding the rims Ade is absolutely correct, it is very difficult to describe. It is almost like a very hard equivalent of egg box fibre which is then treated with a resination or vulcanization process, dunno thats as close as I can get.

Yours, Guy.

PS, Luc the rim isn't a replacement, it has been removed and replaced to hold the net. Is is original to the helmet. Apparently there are quite a few pics of this from the Arnhem period. A friend of mine should be digging one out for me but I don't know how long it will take. If anyone has one they could post in the meantime it would be much appreciated.

[Jack Dutton-Roberts]

Hello Guy,

Very nice helmets there

I too have seen photos of the rim being put over the net, so I'll try and dig some out also.

Thanks for showing, from Jack.

[Guy]

Cheers Jacko you're a hero.