Fake Para Helmets

[Peter_Suciu]

I apologize if this has already been discussed in detail but I was wondering if anyone has any insight on how some of these fake para lids are actually created?

Where are the lightweight helmets made that are used by re-enactors? Willi, did you say your helmet came from China? And also someone told me those lightweight shells are also being made here in the States. Those are a lot more obvious to spot than the Czech repros, but I was wondering how people are managing to essentially press out new helmet shells?

I also remember seeing a few GSG-9 helmets in the 1980s and I actually bought one around 1984. I took a look at it over the holidays as I had given it to my grandfather years ago. There are numerous obvious differences but how often do those show up repainted? The things I noticed is there are no number stamps and the liner is quite different. I've never seen one of these actually faked but I was wondering what other points we should watch for in differences between the GSG-9 helmet and an actual para lid.

The other thing that somewhat worries me is that I know that the Austrian para helmets -- which looked like American M1 helmets -- used a chin strap that was very similar to the WWII era para chin straps. One dealer even told me that the Austrians used vintage straps. Anyone know if that was true?

[John Hodgin]

Hi Peter,

The GSG-9 bolt hole location is different from a WW II Fj jump helmet and they don't have the rolled rim, so it's easy to tell them apart.

Best,
John

[Peter_Suciu]

Other West German Para Helmets

Maybe the helmet that I bought isn't a GSG-9 helmet. I'll have to get some photos of it. The rim is certainly rolled under. It is lighter than the WWII paras and does lack the stamps but the rim is most certainly rolled.

[John Hodgin]

The ones I have seen have a 'U' shaped piece of metal crimped over the rim edge.

[Willi Z.]

Hi Guys,

GSG9 helmets are higher looking, and as John stated, have a "U" shaped peiece of metal added to the rim. These helmet shells were turned into the first repros......and many encountered today have the outside portion of the "U" shaped piece ground away. Repro FJ helmets are now being made from 3 different sources in the US now. These shells are made in China. While the shape is correct, the metal is not correct...........AND these are being made for the re-enactor market and are not intended to fool collectors. The leather and straps are ok, but again, they are not being aged in an effort to fool collectors. These helmets are priced at around $300. Peter, if you come to the Battle of the Bulge held at Ft Indiantown Gap at the end of the month, you will see all the major vendors of re-enactment gear/uniforms/helmets present. They occupy a good solid 6 pr 7 buildings. A good way to see what is being made today. Plus, the best FJ units in the country show up, and most of us occupy WWII vintage barracks.

The repro helmet market is very different than these Czech repros, that are intended to fool collectors. They are being constantly improved, and I just got a tip from someone "in the know" about a new series coming out. Apparently a very crooked German dealer (there was a thread somewhere on this site where some were praising this guy) has made an arrangement to buy Czech shells and manufacture about 500 liners and straps. Apparently, these liners and straps will be improvements of those presently in these helmets. I suspect that they will not be as easy to spot as the old ones from photos alone. Hands on will be required. This is always a bad side effect of educating collectors.....those who make the stuff learn from what we say is wrong.

Willi

[Peter_Suciu]

Hey Willi--
I'll PM you later today. I do think I'll head out to the re-enactment. I'm actually pitching some of my outlets on a story on it. I think it would make a great story. And I'll see you at the Union show before then.

Any thoughts on those Austrian para chinstraps? I had one Austrian para helmet a few years back but I don't have any photos of it today.

[Willi Z.]

Do the Austrian straps look like this? I have owned both a GSG9 (got it from them when I used to train with them in Germany in the late '80s) and one of the '80s vintage repros that used a repainted GSG9 shell. The pictured straps match neither, so I was never sure where they came from.

Unlikely that they would have used WWII vintage straps. The earliest postwar FJ helmets used a slightly improved strap arrangement. WWII straps, despite what our favorite ebay goofball says, were not just laying around in piles waiting to be discovered or reused.

Willi

[Peter_Suciu]

Hard to say for sure Willi, but those do look quite a bit like the Austrian para straps that were on that helmet I had. I wish I could track down one of those Austrian lids these days just to examine the parts including the straps.

I've often wondered if our "friend" was making his straps -- which is a theory -- or if they were some other post-war surplus.