New Made Wwi Helmets From Ima

[45Auto]

Inthe March 20, 2004 SHOTGUN NEWS there is an add from IMA (International Military Antiques, of New Jersey). They are now selling new made copies of the M1918 ear cut-out helmet, the M1916, and the rare WWI Turkish contract helmet. Also, they have new copies of the front helmet sheild. Thus, we will be seeing plenty of these "rare" helmets around on eBay and at the shows, all sold as the real thing. What a pain.

If anyone gets one, it would be nice to see them discussed at length to see how the fakes differ from the genuine items.

Best regards,

Greg

[panzerzacker]

Parasites!

[KoCook]

Is this one?? http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...247004482&rd=1

[ROBB]

It doesnt look very good ,Rob

[herrgeezer]

When I was looking at one of these helmets, I contacted Bill Shea for some guidance. He told me all original shells should be marked a size 64 only. This one has no markings.

[Chris Chalupa]

Yes the IMA repro cutouts have been on ebay for some time, mostly sold as repros with camo finishes but there have been some that have been made to look real. I saw an m16 on ebay that must have been a repro screw up as the chinstrap retaining washer that fits on the lug was actually on the outside of the helmet. Wonder how many were run off before that mistake was realized? Word to the wise though, a buddy bought a helmet for display off of ebay, a cheap m40 size 64 and when he got it it was a total repro, size 64, I couldn't believe it. Made in INdia with the liner rivet holes not even level with each other.

[adam]

Rob-It dosn't look very good because of the crap paint job. Give this to the same guy(s) did the one on the M.A. site over here (uk) and you could fool a great number of people. Because that shell is not the usual M18 helmet cut down they seem to have made the flare over the ear cut-out better than most.If the weight was similiar to an original collectors will have difficulty with that one in future. As to size 64s only, Baers 1985 edition states that over 300,000 ear cut outs were produced after August 1918. I find it easy to believe the intial production run of 2500 were all ET64 but it gets harder to believe all final run were produced in one size only.

[Frentebro]

What, NOT an SS!?:->

The liners & straps on these are not close to being right, but that of course can be "corrected".

Good fake M-35s, 40s, & 42s are being produced & these can be found on the dealer sites catering to, ahem, "reenactors".

They have all the markings including on the liner bands (not visible in an assembled helmet).