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M3 flak helmet, white ear pads


Sjef
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Yesterday I picket up a very nice M3 flak helmet with a beautiful worn look.

Everything seems to be original to the helmet, but I am not sure about the pads in the ear flaps. They are not the usual brown colour but light grey/white.

 

Does this mean they are modern replacements, or just a variation?

 

post-9199-0-86507400-1358877170.jpg

 

Thanks for your help!

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Glad you secured it Jeroen! Personally, I think those pads are replacements as every one I've ever seen has been of dark brown felt. They are often missing so it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that a previous owner added them.

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Glad you secured it Jeroen! Personally, I think those pads are replacements as every one I've ever seen has been of dark brown felt. They are often missing so it's not beyond the bounds of possibility that a previous owner added them.

 

Thanks, Ian. With your ever solid advice in the background!

It is my gut feeling too that they are replacements. But one wonders why a collector would go through the trouble of replacing them as they are not visible when the helmet is displayed. And than IF you decide to take the effort to replace them anyway, why do it witch a colour that is way off??

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Jeroen...as they are white they'll probably be easy to colour with some diluted acrylic paint of a suitable dark brown shade...they'll look the part then!

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Jeroen...as they are white they'll probably be easy to colour with some diluted acrylic paint of a suitable dark brown shade...they'll look the part then!

 

That's a good idea, Ian.

Either paint or brown shoe polish maybe.

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Replacements. They actually look like modern synthetic weave from here.

 

They do not light up under black light, but this may also be because they have not been treated with a whitener. I will see if I can perform a burn test one of these days.

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  • 5 months later...

I purchased a flak helmet and it was missing both pads...I wanted something that looked like a period replacement and remembered I had the pieces of an old flight jacket in the basement...I cut the pads from jacket fragments and glued the leather side against the metal with the lamb's hide facing the interior...almost looks like a "rigger" field repair...Was really glad I saved all those old leather fragments. If you'd like to "rig" yours like that, I still have some jacket material left and will be glad to help you out with some, GRATIS.

Ed

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