Aces High Bulletin Board

General Forums => The O' Club => Topic started by: nopoop on April 19, 2023, 02:42:43 PM

Title: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 19, 2023, 02:42:43 PM
My favorite TV show when I was a kid was COMBAT !! with Vic Morrow. Played army every day.  LOVED that show. From that I had a love of the German helmet and purchased my first helmet. A M40 single decal repainted with a brush. Rode hard in the war and it shows it. I still have it.

(https://i.imgur.com/aseIXMr.jpg)

As time went on including my pay check I started collecting in earnest. Helmet collecting is a mine field. With the amount of fakes on the market, if you don't know what you are looking at you WILL get screwed. Ended up a moderator on a collecting board. Learned tons. So much to know, decals, paint etc. Top shelf helmets aren't owned. They are on loan. They move on to another collector.

I was fortunate enough to have these two helmets for a time. M40 SS and a M42 SS. One went to Europe and the other to the east coast.

(https://i.imgur.com/Wse4qn3.jpg)

So, my first helmet cost me $400. To understand the mine field out there, I sold the two SS helmets for $15,000.

So how much is this one worth? Found in a barn in Germany. M42 SS snow camo. Liner was gone but no shell damage. I still have it.

(https://i.imgur.com/HZPfpPm.jpg)

It's a fake.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 19, 2023, 03:08:11 PM
Sorry,my wife is out of town. You're stuck with me  :huh

Still have the double decal Herr but the Normandy Camo has moved on...

(https://i.imgur.com/pUInuEe.jpg)
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Eagler on April 19, 2023, 03:16:38 PM
Nice!

No army helmets here but have a couple of german pilot LKpW101 helmets one loaded like this one and one missing the mic hardware
https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/helmet-flying-type-lkpw101-luftwaffe/nasm_A19760918000

I have an allied flying helmet too

Eagler
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 19, 2023, 03:33:55 PM
NICE Eagler !! I have a US pilot rig. Have a friend that gave it to me
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 19, 2023, 03:42:48 PM
Last one I promise. M35 Police that has also moved on.

(https://i.imgur.com/ThYIMhG.jpg)
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Busher on April 19, 2023, 05:45:53 PM
Wow, you and Harlan Crow got the collection locked up :rolleyes:
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: turt21 on April 19, 2023, 05:54:12 PM
Last one I promise. M35 Police that has also moved on.

(https://i.imgur.com/ThYIMhG.jpg)

Keep posting these are fascinating. I understood the manufacturing process was quite involved
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Devil 505 on April 19, 2023, 06:40:13 PM
Awesome stuff.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 19, 2023, 07:34:41 PM
Where it is facinating is there was four companies that manufactured helmets. Quist, NS, ET and SE which changed to HKP in 1943. The maker and size is stamped inside the rear edge. Decals were company specific except Poacher. So take another look at the two SS decals.

They are different. If I remember correctly the M40 is an ET, the M42 is a NS. Really have to study them to see the differences. And there is quite a few differences.

It's the same with all decaled helmets. With Heer helmets the is even more decal makers. So in any helmet evaluation it starts with the decal. You compile photos of known authentic decals on anything you collect and look for differences. Some fakes are real good. Most are no brainers.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Shuffler on April 20, 2023, 07:26:53 AM
So you are saying the ones I am making with the SS emblem off a 1969 Chevelle are not going to pass muster?  :confused:
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Eagler on April 20, 2023, 07:50:08 AM
How do you post a picture again using the link to an uploaded image in the films and screenshot forum?

(https://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=404990;attach=36362)

What is the attach= value supposed to be?
Eagler
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 20, 2023, 10:06:08 AM
(https://i.imgur.com/7DBEmqJ.jpg)
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 20, 2023, 10:47:46 AM
https://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums

Largest forum on the net. They have forums for ANYTHING collectable WWII German. It's huge. Requires user name and password only.
Lol, do a search for nopoop. The majority of my posts from 15 years ago are still there  :x
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 20, 2023, 11:13:06 AM
This collection was built in the 60's. When you could buy a hemet for 25 or 30 dollars. The helmets in this collection are ALL top shelf. Amazing collection that couldn't be built today.

(https://i.imgur.com/kxRLTaV.jpg)
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 20, 2023, 11:52:36 AM
Last one. I know longer have a grey art board nor the fog in the backyard. Its sunny every day here  :aok

A Heer Officer hat. A pith helmet with goggles from the Afrika Corp. A single decal M16 transitional helmet. And a mint single decal M40 that was never worn. A shelf sitter.

(https://i.imgur.com/YVCC7Bf.jpg)
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Nefarious on April 20, 2023, 01:30:24 PM
nice collection and pics.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Shuffler on April 21, 2023, 12:11:42 PM
Impressive to say the least.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 21, 2023, 05:15:56 PM
Forgot one !!

M42 unissued Luftwaffa

(https://i.imgur.com/SQCRRNf.jpg)


(https://i.imgur.com/RoP91Kl.jpg)
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Eagler on April 21, 2023, 05:31:26 PM
That's a very nice one
 :cheers:

Eagler
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Busher on April 21, 2023, 09:01:32 PM
Wonders why your collection is strictly biased to the Nazi side of the world's worst conflict. :headscratch:
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: The Fugitive on April 21, 2023, 09:19:13 PM
Wonders why your collection is strictly biased to the Nazi side of the world's worst conflict. :headscratch:

While I dont collect anything I just think the German helmets look cooler. Most allied helmets might as will look like a cook pot turned upside down!
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Bizman on April 22, 2023, 01:13:01 AM
Wonders why your collection is strictly biased to the Nazi side of the world's worst conflict. :headscratch:
When you start collecting something, you'll soon find out that you don't have space and money to collect everything under a category which is why you should specialize to a sub-category.

In this case: Helmets>Military helmets>WW2 mil. helmets>Axis helmets>German WW2 helmets. That could be restricted further if needed like Luftwaffe only, one manufacturer only, one decal maker only...

As Fugi said, they also have that certain look. Not to mention that studying the history of the loser/enemy can widen one's perspective as history is written and re-written by the winners and the enemy will remain demonized for decades.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Shuffler on April 22, 2023, 11:10:26 AM
When you start collecting something, you'll soon find out that you don't have space and money to collect everything under a category which is why you should specialize to a sub-category.

In this case: Helmets>Military helmets>WW2 mil. helmets>Axis helmets>German WW2 helmets. That could be restricted further if needed like Luftwaffe only, one manufacturer only, one decal maker only...

As Fugi said, they also have that certain look. Not to mention that studying the history of the loser/enemy can widen one's perspective as history is written and re-written by the winners and the enemy will remain demonized for decades.

Definitely this.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 22, 2023, 01:57:03 PM
What Bizman said. Believe it or not I have a collection of dirt  :x

I have sand from the Piramids, sand from Utah beach, Gettesburg, Shilo, the catacombs in Paris, Custers last stand. A India temple. A small piece of the Roman Colosseum.  All in little vials.

I am a collector of history. I had friends that went to these places and brought this home for me.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 22, 2023, 02:27:40 PM
German metals and insignias:
Left to right, top to bottom

Infantry assault badge
Iron cross first class with case
Tunic ribbin and Heer cap thingy
Second row:
Black wound badge
Heer collar tabs
Bottom row:
Heer breast eagle
Next one I don't remember
Center, a collar tab with a story
Next one I don't remember
And an Iron cross second class

(https://i.imgur.com/aOqoaQn.jpg)


Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Mongoose on April 22, 2023, 02:30:12 PM
 Sometimes it's good to study the bad guys, and how they became the bad guys, so that we don't follow the same path ourselves.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Mongoose on April 22, 2023, 02:31:56 PM
And besides, preserving history just for the sake of her serving history is not a bad idea.
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: Eagler on April 22, 2023, 03:57:10 PM
German metals and insignias:
Left to right, top to bottom

Infantry assault badge
Iron cross first class with case
Tunic ribbin and Heer cap thingy
Second row:
Black wound badge
Heer collar tabs
Bottom row:
Heer breast eagle
Next one I don't remember
Center, a collar tab with a story
Next one I don't remember
And an Iron cross second class

Nice collection!

I have an original cap thingy I put on a repo cap withba repo eagle I picked up at sun and fun one year

Couple of luftwaffe patches/breast eagle and an iron cross

Eagler
Title: Re: German helmet collecting
Post by: nopoop on April 22, 2023, 03:57:51 PM
(https://i.imgur.com/g9RLueH.jpg)

The story of the collar tab starts in 1967 when I was a sophomore in high school. German stuff was neat and a kid offered me these three items for twenty five bucks. I wanted them for the breast eagle for my cut off jean vest. How cool is that ? Put it on my vest and another kid saw it and wanted that eagle BAD !! So I sold it to him for fifty bucks.

So I had the collar tab which I knew nothing about and the Nordlan ribbon thing that I thought it was a ribbon that went around a hat on a boat named Nordlan. put them away and thirty years went by.

Got into helmets and one day tried to find what they were on the net. Turns out the  Nordlan thing was a cuff title for the Nordlan division of the SS. Being mint it was worth around thousand dollars  :x  I looked everywhere for it. I never found it.

So all that was left was the collar tab I had never seen anywhere.  Turns out that in 1944 the Germans were short of combat experienced soldiers. So they pulled all combat experienced SS soldiers who were guards at the camps into fighting once again. The replacement guards wore this tab on their collar. Mine appears unissued.

These tabs were all made at Dachau.

I would never sell it. I will not burn or destroy it. I have owned it for 56 years. It "is" and it will remain as such.