Opposition Force Helmet

[Peter_Suciu]

Any ideas on this helmet:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=6514944396

I personally think it is an "Aggressor Force" helmet used by the American Army's unit that "played" the role of the Soviets in training.

There is a similar helmet in Marzetti's book. I wonder if this eBay helmet is a variation.

[blinky]

I don't think so, not with a leather chin strap. Everyone I've ever seen has had a web strap. Are you sure it's a US pattern liner and not Chinese? Maybe it's some funky Albanian knock together.

Eric

[Peter_Suciu]

I don't think so, not with a leather chin strap. Everyone I've ever seen has had a web strap. Are you sure it's a US pattern liner and not Chinese? Maybe it's some funky Albanian knock together.

The liner is similar to the Yugoslavian NE44 as well, but it still looks to be removable like an American helmet (and the Aggressor Force helmets). That's the odd part. Hard to know if the leather chinstrap is original to the helmet.

Did any European/NATO countries have similar Aggressor Force units for war games? Then again...I'm beginning to think movie prop too.

[blinky]

For an aggressor helmet, why paint the inside of the liner to match the shell?
Also, did they use metal shells for aggressor helmets? I don't have any books with me at the moment and the only "soviet" style ones I remember seeing were plastic.
Weird.

eric

[Ciaran Byrne]

To me that looks like an Italian helmet. Could be wrong though.

[Peter_Suciu]

Here is an Italian helmet:

[Peter_Suciu]

And a Soviet. Notice that the shape is similar but different enough.