Luftwaffe flak helmet?

[-Peters-]

I just bought this shell off Søren on this forum. I bought it as a over painted shell so it wasn't sold to me as a flak helmet, but having had a closer look i found the paint to be cracked and very old, so i was wondering if this could be a flak helmet? The paint is brushed on and the original Luftwaffe color is still inside and under the black paint outside.

The grey-looking spot on picture number two is not really there, it's a reflection from the heavy light i used.

[Helmetluvva]

I've got one looks just the same as yours. Mine's an SE66 but same black overpaint. So I think yes you have a flak helmet. Nice.

[tom wy]

this might very well be but maybe also repainted early post war? who knows...

[-Peters-]

Thanks for your opinions guys Anyone else got something to say?

[CWP]

Many black-painted helmet shells are from ex-Czech stocks and were overpainted shortly after the war. This black paint is now decades old. Without some kind of provenance I would consider any black-painted shell to be a post-war Czech repaint. The helmets I have seen that were identified to Luftwaffe Flak units were the standard Luftwaffe blue color.

[tom wy]

Many black-painted helmet shells are from ex-Czech stocks and were overpainted shortly after the war. This black paint is now decades old. Without some kind of provenance I would consider any black-painted shell to be a post-war Czech repaint. The helmets I have seen that were identified to Luftwaffe Flak units were the standard Luftwaffe blue color.

i second that! get out the acetone imo!!

[-Peters-]

Not the try and prove anything, but i have cleaned a ton of helmets including many Czech firehelmets, but they all had a smooth layer of paint and this one has a thick layer and it's brushed on. I have one vote for and two against so it isn't very conclusive and i would just hate myself if i had removed a flak cover

[ROBB]

Looks to me to have age and wear consistent to it being a WW2 Flak helmet . And I dont think there would be anything to gain by stripping it . Rob

[-Peters-]

Thanks your opinion Robb

If no one else has a say on the matter, i will put it on the helmet e-stand as a flak helmet.

[gadaru_kanaru]

I lean towards it being a wartime black paint job as well because as you stated it has a thick brushed on coat of paint instead of the smooth paint characteristic of the Czech postwar jobs.