Vlaamse Wacht helmet...

[junior]

Hi all,
I would like to show you guys my newest purchase, two times nothing was the price on a show in Antwerp... This helmet is a Dutch helmet, M28, re-issued by the Vlaamse Wacht (Flemish Guards). They painted these helmets black and applied a decal on it. The decal is fake according one person... I do believe that. But I compared it with a fake Vlaamse Wacht helmet and the painting was much different, in my eyes original... So, what do you think about the helmet?

Thanks in advance,
Junior.




Note that the liner is 100% original and correct to these kind of helmets!

[derspiess63]

C'mon fellahs.......post a comment or three on Junior's new lid !
I don't know about the decal Junior, but what about (C A R E F U L L Y !)removing that black paint and bringing back the helmet to its pristine conditions?
Just a thought
Manny

[junior]

Hi Manny,

I'm not going to scratch the paint as it's original IMO... (the VW painted those helmets black...) Any more comments are greatly appreciated!

Thanks,
Junior


P.S.: thanks Manny for warming the other ones up giving comments.

[Peter_Suciu]

Interesting helmet. Was there ever the Lion shield on the helmet?

[junior]

There was a Lion shield on it when the Dutchmen used it! But because the snipers took that as a nice target they had to remove it. The Vlaamse Wacht never placed a Flmish Lion on their helmets when they re-issued them.

Regards,
Junior

Interesting helmet. Was there ever the Lion shield on the helmet?

[junior]

Here is a picture of the helmet in wear by the Vlaamse Wacht.

Junior

[espenlaub]

I've sold a couple of years the same helmet, it was with original decal. Today is hard to get?

[junior]

They are indeed hard to get nowadays. Do you have a picture of that helmet you sold some years ago? I would love to see it!

Regards,
Junior.

I've sold a couple of years the same helmet, it was with original decal. Today is hard to get?

[espenlaub]

I'll look, probably I will find it!

[Peter Moelans]

For the green ones count: the smaller the decal, the better (since the big ones are most of the time fake).

There are just a few possibilities:
- Or you have - except the decal - an original black VW helmet
- Or you have - except the decal - an original Dutch black helmet (they were painted black for the 'Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten' and the 'Luchtbescherming' and so on and so on)
- Or you have - except paint & decal - an original Dutch green (army) helmet with the plate removed
- Or you have - except paint & decal - an original green VW helmet


Simple as can be

[Peter_Suciu]

There was a Lion shield on it when the Dutchmen used it! But because the snipers took that as a nice target they had to remove it.

Hi Junior--Interesting info about the helmet but I want to try and debunk this theory about the badges.

I've heard that the lion shield on the Dutch helmet (or the King Carol II crest on the Romanian version of the helmets) were removed because it attracted snipers, but I find that dubious at best. In the case of the Dutch I find this especially unlikely as the Dutch surrendered after a couple of weeks and I doubt that many of their soldiers fell prey to snipers. In the case of the Romanians (who would have encountered many more snipers on the Russian Front) the helmet plates were more likely removed because King Carol II went into exile and was replaced by King Michael.

Further, the French and Danish helmets had plates (the French in two wars) and I've never heard their plates as being targets for snipers. I just find the size of the lion, which is about two inches across by three inches high as being far too small a target at any distance. Snipers aim for mass, and besides the lion/Carol crest happens to be on the sloped side of the helmet, which would give it the best possible ballistic protection.

The lions more likely were removed by Fascist elements of Holland as the House of Orange fled to England. That seems like the more logical reason to remove these...especially if the black-subdudded lion crest is replaced by a bright decal.

[junior]

Simple? I go for the first possibility. I e-mailed Luc and he said to post it on the forum... so guys, what's your opinion?
Regards,
Junior

@Peter: thanks for the additional information!

For the green ones count: the smaller the decal, the better (since the big ones are most of the time fake).

There are just a few possibilities:
- Or you have - except the decal - an original black VW helmet
- Or you have - except the decal - an original Dutch black helmet (they were painted black for the 'Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten' and the 'Luchtbescherming' and so on and so on)
- Or you have - except paint & decal - an original Dutch green (army) helmet with the plate removed
- Or you have - except paint & decal - an original green VW helmet


Simple as can be

[junior]

Hi all,
Peter, I'm 100% sure that this is one with original paint, the BS-helmets (Binnenlandse Strijdkrachten etc.) were completly painted black, they took the liner out. Now take a look at my helmet, it is painted black till the "beginning" of the liner...

Junior

[GuidoSiebers]

About the Sniper story, all rubbish! their is only 1 report about this and this was only done by a few soldiers.

[Peter_Suciu]

About the Sniper story, all rubbish! their is only 1 report about this and this was only done by a few soldiers.

Those badges aren't exactly to remove either. I'd also think that a big spot of bare metal would make just as much a target as a badge!