Here is my latest find, an M-40 reissue with some dunkelgelb or ordinance tan peeking through in places. It has a brushed on fieldgray rough coat and signs of a removed decal. It is a Q64 and is marked with a serial number of IN146.
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Here is a liner pic. It is in good shape with one torn tongue end that is still hanging on. Nice original drawstring and chinstrap also. -
Here is where the decal used to be and the areas of lighter paint under the fieldgray.Comment
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Brian,
Nice helmet. These used to be scoffed at and shunned by collectors because they didn't display any insignia. Not any longer...these are great true combat helmets.Comment
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It looks to me like the decal might actually be overpaintedComment
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Andy, you could well be right there. Brian can you check it again?
RichComment
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I think it is the angle of the pic that makes it look that way, but it dips down where the decal was. When I bought the helmet, I also thought it was an overpainted decal.Originally posted by Richard Gordon
The indented area is a little larger than a normal decal, which makes me think there may have been a camo layer on this, with the somewhat thick camo paint applied around the decal.
Someone spilled black paint on the back at one time, and must have cleaned it off later. Where the black paint was you can see the three layers of paint. The top layer is the rough brushed on fieldgray, followed by the dunkelgelb, then the original factory shiny fieldgray.
I'll post some closeups so you can see what I described.Comment
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Here is where the line of black paint was and how it exposed the different layers of paint.Comment
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The spilled black paint is still on the inside, and had pooled in the top of the helmet. Some of it soaked into the end of the drawstring, but luckily most was confined to the dome and did not damage the liner.Comment
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Nice lid I saw that one on eBay too
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Brian,
A solid looking citizen, good find.
BillyComment
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Brian,
if the decal was painted around with the tan/dunkelgelb camo paint and than repainted again with green it is only normal that there is a "dip" were the decal normaly is. It does look like the decal is still there as there is no evidence of scratching and the dip is rather deep, which is what one gets with decals that have been painted around.Comment
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Hey Ben,
I see what you mean about the decal. There are no scrape marks, so it is most likely still under there. (I won't go digging to see.)
I'd love to know where this helmet has been and what all it has seen.Comment
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