SS pith helmets

[Bill Grist]

13

[Bill Grist]

14

[Edelweiss]

Thanks Cees & Bill, nice pics !

About the shields, if my memory is good about what was said in the past, they were of two kinds : the earlier models were made of brass, and the later ones of zinc alloy ; Bill's helmet wears zinc ones.

These, which are die cast, show three main interesting and specific characteristics :
- The runes' design, not always comparable to the ones on most shields we see here and there.
- Their material : the zinc alloy generally shows oxydation (verdigris), on the contrary of the common aluminium fakes that are around ; moreover, this alloy has a very particular reaction with the finish of the shield.
- The prongs : on Bill's they are flat, not rounded. But on the set shared by DaveJ a long time ago, they are of the rounded type ; I believe they are originals and obviously of the zinc variant, but as Dave didn't add more precisions in his posts, it would be interesting to hear him about them.

Dave's pics are still available on the forum, so I guess it is OK with him if I post them again here to bring some info on the topic ; else, please let me know Dave, and I will remove them.

[Edelweiss]

The reverses ; theses are both marked "JFS 42". According to Dave, he has "handled a half dozen sets of pith helmet shields" that were real. I wonder if some of them are still available in his collection, in order to have them posted here...

[Edelweiss]

In a previous thread, John Hodgin knew someone who had "an authentic SS sunhelmet which came directly from the US vet" ; John promised to post it, but since 06-23-2003, we've been waiting for it...

I sincerely hope we're now about to see it !

Meanwhile, I will post one which - IMO - has some very reasonable chances to be real, and to wear these shields since day one. It's an italian reissue. The shieds are - still IMO - real ones, even if the runes shield shows some differences in the shape with Bill's and with Dave's ; they both seem to be made of die cast zinc alloy, with flat prongs on the reverse. Another difference with Bill's and the photographical reference above : the shields are here placed in the classical SS configuration on the helmet, i.e. the SS shield on the right side.

[Edelweiss]

2.

[Edelweiss]

The other side :

[Edelweiss]

4.

[Edelweiss]

And the flat prongs of both shields, tightly bent on the helmet (which is not an indication of anything, on the contrary of the wear and dust under those showed in post #11) :

[Bill Grist]

13

[DaveJ]

I will try to get better photos of my shields and see if I can get some photos of my friends set. He has a JFS 43 pair. The ones that I have examined are all the rotten looking zink alloy and have been marked JFS 42 or JFS 43.

Dave

[Dennis S]

Ss Pith Helmet

Hi, I Just noticed this thread . Thats ditto for me all originals I have ever handled were marked JFS 42 and JFS 43. Zinc with round pins. Regards Dennis

[Raffaello Carola]

Hi,
the tropical helmet is italian... with the SS insignia very interesting....
regards
Quex

[Bob Coleman]

Although I have neither handled or owned am original SS pith helmet, I have no doubts that they existed and were worn. About 20 years, while conducting a motel buy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I bought a number of items from am ex US Army captain, who was also a 45th Division veteran. Among the items he kept in an old cigar box was a set of these zinc pith helmet insignia, which had been removed from a helmet. They are the only set I have ever encountered and believe them to be mega rare. I have no doubt that many Italian sun helmets were "drafted" along with German made helmets. Both helmets shown appear correct to me.

Bob

[Edelweiss]

Thanks Bob for your opinion, we share the same feelings.

Here's the first one I saw that "smelled good" (as we say here) IMO ; it's pictured in "Les coiffures militaires du troisième Reich" by Richard de Filippi (1980). From this pic, you'll be able to see interesting points I tried to underline earlier in the thread.