Hey Gody,

Great link! I think I might pick up a shell from him for $50 and paint it. Just seams like fun to do some 1/1 scale modeling!

Although I would love to have an original SS M-40 helmet on my shelf it will have to wait until I can shell the doe out, and will be happy to paint one and see how close I can get to an original look.

Hi Red,

I don't have any FJ helmets as the lines of the helmet do not appeal to me. In fact, just today I was offered one of the finest single-decal FJ's on the planet and turned it down because they just aren't very interesting looking. The shape of the 'classic' TR combat helmet is to me quite compelling.

A real Waffen SS helmet cover is a rare item and have been faked by the thousands. The clips are the fastest way to determine authenticity. There are NO variations in WSS helmet cover clips though the rockers are made from steel or aluminum so any deviation from expected design is a sure sign of forgery. The covers are so frequently faked because they are easy to make and are worth so much. A real one will go for as much as $5K for a 'minty' 1st-pattern. Here are a pair of links. You'll have to register in order to see images but it's free and will determine if you've got the real deal or not.
http://daggers.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=042090573&f=2583025185&m=5433039737&r=6133061837#6133061837 & http://daggers.infopop.net/2/OpenTopic?a=tpc&s=042090573&f=2583025185&m=665108971&r=113105081#113105081

Good luck,
Cody

Hey Cody!

Do you have anymore of these gems to show us? Would love to see them if you do!

OK. Here's a Police M-42dd winter-camo. Really rare Police camo which I simply became bored with and sold two weeks ago for $1,800(which was a very reasonable price for the thing). (:-) Bird was wiped clean of paint/whitewash while still wet but the party shield was left painted-over. Great helmet.

Cody

Great helmet.

It is interesting to see how they applied the white wash, seams like they just swooshed some paint on it.

How do you show/store all your helmets? It must be quite the impressive sight!

Anders,

Here's a link to the 'gathering' as it was a couple months ago - of course, the Police winter-camo is now gone. https://armorama.kitmaker.net/forums/33434&page=1

Cody

Here is a recently acquired Luftwaffe M-40sd tri-color, or, in collector parlance, 'Normandy' camo. He is likely painted with whatever vehicle paint was available.

Cody

Sweeeet Cody!

Here is another Luftwaffe M-40sd tri-color camo - he's gone now. 8^(

Cody

Army M-16sd. These were generally issued to troops who were not in the front lines. Painted over the original WW I smooth-finish green is quite a rough-finish light green both inside and out. Maker-marked G62, the helmet is unusual in that the shell is the ‘high visor’ variant of the M-16, granting, at least to my eyes, a particularly attractive profile similar to a typical combat helmet. Complete and untouched with chinstrap and 1940-dated steel liner having lots of webs and greeblies inside the helmet. Kool.

Cody

Been chasing this one for a couple years and finally landed the thing.

WSS M-35dd reissue. Q64. Has been painted a total of four times including a black parade/Allgemeine finish followed by the two coats of grey/green w/Huber Jordan(not Pocher) decals. Named to an SS-TV guy who was a camp guard at Dachau. Helmet was liberated by Col. Paul Roy who supervised inmate rehabilitation at the camp until the end of 1945. This helmet comes with a July 22, 1945 press release by the Voice of America in the form of a 4-page hand-typed interview with Col. Roy, plus many original photos of the camp, 'aftermath' and retributions. Very chilling stuff. Be glad you live in America.

This helmet is prominently featured in Kelly Hicks' new helmet book "SS-Steel".

Kool.

Cody

Another 'new' addition. Luftwaffe M-42sd. ET62. He's not perfect but more importantly he's terrifically good-looking.

Cody

Army M-40sd. SE62. A couple friends were at the MAX Show, cell-phoned from the floor and described the thing. They know what my taste is and persuaded me to buy the thing sight unseen. They have good taste.

Cody

You have some amazing helmets guys. All of oyur helemts are beautiful and I am currently trying to find my father's or uncle's helemts. I am not sure who has them now, but I am sure that someone in my family has them.

WRONG! Waffen SS took off the Red decal with the swastika. It was a perfect sniper target and it got many soldiers killed. There for the did leave the SS sticker on but scratched off the red swastika.

WSS helmets did not have the party shield applied after March 1940 but the WSS did not typically remove the party shield from their helmets most likely from a sense of esprit and WSS helmets frequently had covers. Certainly some WSS helmets had the party shield removed but in the 30+ years I have been involved with TR combat helmets I have yet to encounter ONE SINGLE WSSdd with the party shield removed. An associate has turned up two but they are the exception to what is typically encountered.

Cody

Well I can tell you right now. After the meeting I had with a 10th SS veteran today. They did take scratch the shield sticker off. His name is Gerhard Franzky. Not all SS wore helmet covers and often. Times where they were at guard, say of hitler they wouldnt have the helmet cover one to show that he was SS. I have talked to many SS veterans and they all tell me to scratch the shield sticker off my helmet.( I am a reenactor) Any other questions you have to ask to Gerhard he'll be glad to answer.

Harrison,

You are more than welcome to scratch the party decal off your 'reenactor' helmet, but, I have to ask, how many real WSSdd helmets have you encountered in the last 30 years? Of the dozens of WSSdd combat helmets I have encountered not a single one has had the party shield removed. Empirical evidence and not anecdote supports my opinion.

In addition, your initial post was confrontational(if not reprimanding) in tone suggesting you entered the thread from a position of 'insulted' authority. I have contributed helmets and information to four books on Third Reich steel helmets because the various authors considered my knowledge worth putting into print. How many Third Reich steel helmet reference books have you contributed to?

Again, if you had not approched the thread with a 'tude' we might even be friends at some point.

Thanks,
Cody Grayland

Im sorry if I might have sounded rude. I have met 3 SS veterans. I asked them all the same questions and I got the same answers. They all took their sheild sticker off. Even though they had helmet covers. It was ordered to take them off. Also I do have many refrence books on SS helmets and SS camo, etc. Too many I cant count. Once again I am sorry if I was acting rude. I am sure we are both right in a way.

Hi Harrison,

Apology accepted.

I must defer to personal experience and you will notice that I originally stated the WSS USUALLY did not remove the shield. As you say, we are both right to a degree.

Cheers,
Cody

Maybe we can both help each other out. I am currently looking for a German helmet. Preferably m35 wich has a 58 liner 66 shell. If you have one for sale I can maybe buy it off you? It really depends on the price. I dont need a real expensive helmet because like you said, Most people have a helmet cover. So if you do have that size and you are willing to sell/trade please PM me. Thank you.

This, the last day of 2004, was a good helmet day after all. What a swell way to close out the old and ring in the new.

Q64, 99% paint/98.5% bird, this guy is, overall, about a 1% upgrade on my existing example which had perhaps a .5% superior decal. This helmet was quite clearly worn very little; it's actually kinda' hard to tell if it was worn at all as the leather in the 1940-dated liner is the same color throughout and the leather also smells(?) unissued/unworn. Dust build-up between the linerband and shell, rivets undiddled-with, unused RBN#'d chinstrap. Great piece.

Factory 'Q'-made Heer combat helmets had a unique bird in that the talons extend over the edge of the swastika. In collector parlance this bird is referred to as a 'bigfoot'.

Happy New Year,
Cody

Cody you have one really cool collection there mate is there any helmet you dont have?

Just acquired this HR M-40sd tri-color camo. Got it from a bud here in Oregon who has had the thing forever and finally sold it to me.

SE64, reissued with a reinforced aluminum linerband, painted coarse schiffergrau both in and out which is typical for many(if not most) wartime reissues.

Cody

Pure AWESOME!