M35 DAK W Painted Swastika

[clestuff]

I picked this up in Florida recently at a tiny rural flea market. I didn't believe it at first when I saw if from a distance. A close up look and talk with the seller convinced me it is untouched. The white painted swastika has been on the helmet since the war, it was clearly done with a stencil, its perfectly centered and is metric in size. The liner and split pins are untouched and dated 1942. I'll let the pics do the talking before I comment any further.

Thanks in advance,
Cliff

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[Jean-Loup]

A very fine helmet. Too bad about that sawstica though...

JL

[ROBB]

Nice find, a great big swastika! Possibly vet added very cool helmet . Rob

[clestuff]

I'm thinking, dispatch rider? Somebody who wanted to be known as a "friendly" coming at you in the desert? I dont know. Was it kept in a side car? I think it may be period. If its "vet art", where did he get the metric stencil and the "German" paint? Looks just like the thick type paint that was used on the original German Red Cross helmet I had awhile back...

[panzer1432]

Nice find, a great big swastika! Possibly vet added very cool helmet . Rob

Exactly correct...Sometimes the vet just got bored with the helmet and jazzed it up. Post war added.

[clestuff]

Exactly correct...Sometimes the vet just got bored with the helmet and jazzed it up. Post war added.

There is no way you could know that but I do understand why you may think so...

[WalterB]

There is no way you could know that but I do understand why you may think so...

Conversely, there is no way you could know that it was period done by a German. In fact, when we are talking about possibilities, and what is most likely, it is that it was Allied-vet art added. When was it added? Judging from the aged look of it, possibly during the war (as a souvenir piece from captured stock), or shortly after the war. Another thing that supports the notion that it was NOT German added (besides being ridiculous to add something like that to an otherwise camouflaged helmet), is that the swastika doesn't exhibit any chips or wear. The rest of the helmet does. This supports the idea that it was added after the helmet was "retired from actual service".

[Steve Turner]

I think it is almost certainly vet added, however, it is still a nice vet art helmet. I'd be happy to find that browsing the local flea market.

Regards,
-Steve

[Dom]

I'm thinking, dispatch rider? Somebody who wanted to be known as a "friendly" coming at you in the desert? I dont know. Was it kept in a side car? I think it may be period. If its "vet art", where did he get the metric stencil and the "German" paint? Looks just like the thick type paint that was used on the original German Red Cross helmet I had awhile back...

Its absolutely typical of a vet done piece and was most definitely not done for use in service. As usual when someone tells you something you don't like because it means you can't sell something for top dollar you refuse to believe what you are being told and resort to making stuff up. If you don't want to know don't ask. But then you wouldn't get the free advert for the item and this time please don't pm me with a long whiny message about how you need to feed your family I really don't care.

See below
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=998265


http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...d.php?t=993165


Dom