Late war helmets

[M45]

Wolf, the EF M42 could be blue gray or even a mixture of blue-gray with Slate gray. I have seen very late helmets from Quist and EF with blue-gray paint, maybe done as a means to use up leftover blue-gray paint stocks due to late war paint shortages.

64cm is a very common shell size, one of my favorites along with 66cm.

 

[M45]

M44 luftschutz gladiator brush painted

M44 LUFTSCHUTZ GLADIATOR BRUSH PAINTED

An apparent factory brush applied LS blue paint to a Thale produced shell. Unpainted split rivets. Cork spacers are round and not the typical flat rectangular type.

 

[Hambone]

Brian, I'm going to put this on its own thread too. Nice helmet.

 

[M45]

Soldier art helmet

Soldier art helmet with locations listed in France and Germany. NOV 3, 1944 - May 9, 1945.

 

[M45]

So called 'WAR EFFORT' helmet, GLADIATOR KNOCK-OFF

So called 'WAR EFFORT' helmet, GLADIATOR KNOCK-OFF

A turned steel bowl with stepped top was welded to the front and rear visors leftover from the gladiator 3-piece project. Black oilcloth liner sized 59cm with drilled ventilation holes.
Note weld bead at base.

 

[M45]

M34 civic late war

M34 civic late war. Air vents were improperly punched possibly due to worn out equipment. Despite the surface rust, the color appears to be black. Late war canvas style liner with police top pad.
Round cork spacers often associated with post war production.

 

[M45]

M44 civic gladiator late war

M44 civic gladiator late war. Late liner with round cork spacers and a very faint maker's mark, probably Thale's RL 239/25.

 

[Hambone]

Brian, what of this " M.45 "?

 

[M45]

M45-b

Hambone;

this one matches an M45 hkp64 5678 ventless that I have. It is consistent as to paint shade/texture, 3-bracket liner band, low-grade media, simple weave drawstring, and ink stamp. As this ventless helmet has the M44 liner system, it is referred to as M45-B. I suspect that these were found in unissued condition and have since 'grown' components such as chinstraps, decals, and wire.

As such, I like everything I see except the wire.

brian

 

[Hambone]

Brian, that would be a shame if it got jacked up like that. Here it is:

http://www.oakleafmilitaria.com/german_helmets.html

 

[jhv 41]

Things you can make out of an M45

This is a shame to watch.

I need to check my stove drawer, maybe I have an M45 I've been using for years to make pasta.




http://www.youtube.com/embed/Ayj6Fy9-K4k

 

[History]

I did manage to find a very interesting photo of a purported M45 (I'll try to find it), but I mentioned to Kelly Hicks that I wanted to have the ventless authenticated. He directed me to send the helmet to Ken N., who printed up a COA ($80). When I posted the COA on WAF, Ken conceded the ventless and thus the rest of WAF.

You got jacked bad,, Farb only charged me $70 to authenticate a byf44 russian capture.

 

[mrfarb]

You got jacked bad,, Farb only charged me $70 to authenticate a byf44 russian capture.

I knew that was too cheap.

 

[M45]

Ventless M42 (M45) period photo

Ventless M42 (M45) period photo

This photo is found in the book 'IN A RAGING INFERNO - COMBAT UNITS OF THE HITLER YOUTH 1944-45' by Hans Holztrager, p. 59.

The photo caption reads: 'Flakhelfer are shown how to use a Panzerfaust by an experienced infantryman. Berlin, 30 March 1945. (Bundesarchiv 183/728/885)'

That M42 looks like a ventless helmet to me.

 

[M45]

Flat Rim Gladiator

Flat Rim Gladiator. Shipped from Austria.

 

[Hambone]

Ventless M42 (M45) period photo

This photo is found in the book 'IN A RAGING INFERNO - COMBAT UNITS OF THE HITLER YOUTH 1944-45' by Hans Holztrager, p. 59.

The photo caption reads: 'Flakhelfer are shown how to use a Panzerfaust by an experienced infantryman. Berlin, 30 March 1945. (Bundesarchiv 183/728/885)'

That M42 looks like a ventless helmet to me.

I remember the scrambling by the wafmods and their sycophants over this debate when this pic showed up.

That's the first time I've ever known that a flat rim gladiator existed, thanks for posting it.

 

[M45]

Werk-luftschutz helmet

WERK-LUFTSCHUTZ HELMET

Used for clearing away rubble and such from bombing raids, I would imagine.

 

[M45]

I got Banned from WRF!

I've been banned from my third helmet forum, Warrelics Forum (WRF). I believe it is based somewhere in Europe.

The two photos are of the same post, one before and one after as can be seen in the left sidebars.
The gist of the "problem" is that I opened a 'Late War Helmets' thread and posted some of my helmets (like the ones in this thread). There was a nice discussion going with interested members until one of the 'bigwigs' started in with the confrontational BS like demanding 'proof' and such. Eventually, he began accusing me of 'attacking' other members. This is the post where I confronted him. I first got 1 demerit (out of a possible 5), but later they just decided to ban me entirely.

 

[Hambone]

It's regrettable it went down that way. I will say that I like DougB and think he's a stand up guy. That's my opinion. I hope y'all can work it out.

 

[M45]

I do not foresee that occurring. What you see here is just the surface of whats been happening. What is down below originated on the Valhalla forum that he and another guy now own. (GHW)

I do think there was bitterness over my publishing a lot number book when they realized I had used info from their site. Also, I think they had always intended to publish their own book someday and were angry when I did. After my banning there, they locked up their lot number list (and indeed their entire site) so no one but members can access it.

Secondly, I came out (don't get me wrong) in the lot number book critical of the Champagne SS decal. This controversial SS decal has in the past been more or less supported at the Valhalla site and by big name SS helmet collectors/researchers. Using the book, I think a lot of collectors are beginning to see how Champagne SS decals appear on nearly every make and model of WWII German helmet, similar to the way the Ed Strache Heer decal appears (a Heer decal widely believed to have been postwar applied).

This discovery may send shock waves throughout the SS helmet collecting community.

So, IMO it all boils down to: Someone else wrote the lot number book instead of them, and someone else 'discovered' that the Champagne SS decal has major issues instead of them.