Heer Normandy Camo helmet M42

[Adrian Stevenson]

Hi Irv, I have often wondered the same thing? I can only put it down to impatience. Quick rub over add a scratch or two and flog it. These guys are only after a quick profit.


I have repainted several helmets for friends who are re-enactors and I have aged them a bit to show field use, (not 60 years of age) just like I described and you mentioned. It is not as easy as it sounds. To achive a realistic finish I think would take time.

Cheers, Ade.

[ROBB]

Thats right bring up old bad memories ,heres mine (i still think its good) for comparison ,this one came from France from an old collection yada yada ,Rob

[ROBB]

More.

[ROBB]

More.

last one

[ROBB]

Sorry about the close ups I deleted the rest ,Rob

[britpc]

The one thing about fakers is that they are artists. To fake something, what ever it is, takes skill, time, knowledge and to be able to copy the item you are faking. To fake a camo helmet I would need a reference book with some detailed pictures or the real thing in front of me. That being the case why doesn't it have the ware?? If I copy a knife with a 7 inch blade, I wouldn't make it with a 5 inch blade!?! Fakers by definition copy something that is real to pass it off as the real thing they are copying. The business about time. Time isn't a problem to a faker. It isn't a production line. You find a nice helmet and spend some considerable time faking it to pass onto a collector. They had better have done a good job or it would get picked up straight away.

Irv

[britpc]

Thanks Robb. Have you still got the helmet?
Irv

Sorry about the close ups I deleted the rest ,Rob

[ROBB]

Yes still got it ,come round and have a look if you like ,Rob

[william r match]

Irv,


The liner raised my initial concern Irv. Notice how the eyelits are stretched & oval in shape portraying an impression of stretching, however the fold at the stitch line sits proud on both sides. One would expect this to be well flattened, especially with the stretched appearance of the liner holes.

Similarly, the leather although varying in shades of colour which normally denotes good useage, shows no sign of abbrasion to the leather at the edge or at any other area. Again this is another contradiction of wear.

As Willi has initially alluded to, I suspect the liner & camo paint are very much alike. IMO.

Billy

[britpc]

Robb and anyone else, this was the one Ty was talking about.

http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ad.php?t=50793

Irv

[britpc]

Robb,

I have just read that thread
I think it looks OK, but what do I know!! I just think that because of the way these fakers are working, and getting better all the time, that we dissmiss the "Out of the norm" to quickly. If I was faking camo helmets I would be faking the most common and sell them to the States! But this isn't where you find the ones like the one you have and this one. I'd love to come over and see your camo, drop me a PM and lets get together.
Irv

[britpc]

I'm not trying to put any of your comments down, I'm just playing 'Devils advocate' which is what this forum is all about. We discuss these things and all learn

I have spoken to my friend and he will happily take the helmet back as he has someone else who wants it.
But with camo helmets there is no 'Norm'. Everyone is a little different to the last. Helmets that would not be attractive to a G.I. would have been left in Europe and as such end us in collections in Europe. Why would a G.I. take a German helmet back that had a big red cross painted on it?? It's not the 'Norm' and doesn't look as nice as a SD SS helmet! We must keep our minds open to things that don't fit the mould that we have set in our own minds.

If there is anyone else who like's this helmet please speak up. I think once one has put it down the rest follow. Be careful.
This helmet's camo job may be wrong, or it may be right, who really knows.
Anyone remember this thread?
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...ad.php?t=55397
The pictures have gone but it just shows that a camo helmet can be slated out of hand, and then turn out to be an original with the best provinance you could get!
I would just like to end with saying thanks to everyone who entered this discussion, I do appreciate your help as I am only a beginner.
Irv

[Willi Z.]

I'm sorry, but both helmets shown look bad. Trying to figure out why someone would do something, or why they would not do it all the way, is just no way to collect. They don't look right because it is very hard, if not impossible, to simulate what military use and 60 years of age afterwards look like.

That FJ cammo helmet was not rejected by the experienced camo helmet collectors. Drawing some kind of analogy with those above is just not valid. Many who didn't like it don't have the experience to honestly offer an opinion. Many just offered childish remarks to the helmet.

I'm sorry Irv, but you make it sound like camo helmet collecting is just some big gray area...it isn't. Look at the other camo helmets that have been recently posted. They are one-lookers. They scream "original". The differences are night and day.

I am only trying to help. I can not spend 2 hours writing why they are bad, only further educating those who are making them in the first place. You don't have to take anyone's advice. The logic you are presenting may convince you to talk yourself into liking the helmet, just don't expect others to buy that logic. When a helmet requires many views to convince yourself that all is ok, then you are usually making a mistake. We have all been there before, but the successful collectors first learned to know whose opinion's to trust.

Willi

[Calvin Hall]

Willi makes some good points. Not much else needs to be said.

FWIW, I dont like either of the above posted helmets as being original for the same reasons as stated above. I would like to qualify my opinion - my opinion is bases solely on the photos provided. Lighting, camera variations, monitor settings, etc. all affect what we see on the forums. A good, hands-on inspection my lead me to change my opionion.
Calvin

[britpc]

Willi, Calvin, William, Adrian, Andy and anyone else who has looked in.
Hi Guy's,
Can any of you post pictures of fake helmets with the same colour scheme as mine and Robbs. I need to see a few fake Normandy Camo helmets using the same colours so that I can learn to pick them out from the real ones. This would be of great help if you could take the time to do this for me I would appreciate it.
Thanks
Irv