DAK tropenhelm

[Ernst60]

Hi all:
What do you think about this DAK Tropenhelm? The liner and chinstrap look OK to me, but the pristine beauty of the helmet itself and especially of the leather lining around the brim makes me...nervous.

[Ernst60]

detailed pics

pics of the inside

[Mark Gibson]

Looks like it could be an unissued Luftwaffe (brown trim) with Heer chinstrap (olive green). Looks original from the pics. Any markings?
I would be inclined to think that this is a later example judging by the felt under the brim.

Mark

[-Ray-]

A strange one iv'e never seen before. Looks like a cross of a canvas exterior and felt interior.

-Ray-

[Mark Gibson]

A strange one iv'e never seen before. Looks like a cross of a canvas exterior and felt interior.

-Ray-

Something that I haven't seen before either Ray but am not surprised having seen a mix of tan and olive/green material sometimes on the same tropical caps. The use of felt is what made me think that this is a later manufacture.

Mark

[Tim O'Keefe]

Looks like one of the stock unissued LW helmets found in CZ years ago. With a Herr chinstrap added. The inner liner is odd, being felt (2nd pattern), not cloth (1st pattern) ? It likely is a later 1st pattern as Mark mentions. Liner has damage when compared to the outer helmet itself. Maybe poor storage, or the liner could be replaced and it has been repaired sometime.....

Would like to see the maker & date stamp underneath the sweatband if possible ? It looks like it may be made by the maker "diamond R" from '42 ?

[90th Light]

Wow, that is interesting.

A cross-over model between the two. First model on the outside, second model on the inside.

Note how it has second model felt on the inside of the brim rather than the linen or twill seen on the first model.

Its a hybrid for sure,

Chris

[Ernst60]

marks on inside

some marks on the inside of the sweat band

[Ernst60]

SS use.????

Hi all:
would the Waffen SS ever have used such a hybrid Tropenhelm in Corisca, Italy, and other Southern areas? (or did they specifically us Wehrmacht stock??)

[Tim O'Keefe]

Thanks for the added photos. Never seen those markings before. No date or size stamp ? interesting....

This looks like one of the many surplus stock unissued LW sunhelmets that were found in CZ years ago. With a Herr chinstrap added post war.

[90th Light]

some marks on the inside of the sweat band

Interesting,

I have seen that triple number series marking on West German headgear or Third Reich headgear made post war in the 1950's, 60's & 70's.

So is this tropical helmet a post war put together ???

Chris

[Bond]

an unusual variation as I like everyone else here have not seen such as this before.

[Tim O'Keefe]

Interesting,

I have seen that triple number series marking on West German headgear or Third Reich headgear made post war in the 1950's, 60's & 70's.

So is this tropical helmet a post war put together ???

Chris

Thanks Chris, not a LW helemet afterall.

This confirms what i suspected all along....put together. My first impression was that is is a 1st pattern exterior with an added 2nd pattern interior. The damage & repair to the interior does not match the exterior. It would not be that difficult to swap out domes etc.

First time we've seen one, but it won't be the last i'm sure....

[stonemint]

Interesting,

I have seen that triple number series marking on West German headgear or Third Reich headgear made post war in the 1950's, 60's & 70's.

So is this tropical helmet a post war put together ???

Chris

\

Good memory, Chris--it is common to find the triple serial #s on postwar BRD, Austrian and fake TR caps, but I have never seen them on a period TR cap to this day. IMO, this is a Frankenstein Tropenhelm--a first for me.