tigerfan Posted January 16, 2018 Share #1 Posted January 16, 2018 A local picker called today and found this in the attic on a call this morning. He said he looked for other military items but nothing to be found. I assume the greyish paint is an after thought? Possibly VFW or Am. Legion?. Besides being grey it is untouched. I will let the photos tell the rest. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share #2 Posted January 16, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share #3 Posted January 16, 2018 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anton67 Posted January 16, 2018 Share #4 Posted January 16, 2018 Cool helmet. It is a shame about the grey paint but still a good find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL THE PATCH Posted January 16, 2018 Share #5 Posted January 16, 2018 Wonder what's under that grey paint?, You never know. Nice score Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted January 16, 2018 Share #6 Posted January 16, 2018 Too bad it has that fail of a crome dome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted January 16, 2018 Share #7 Posted January 16, 2018 Very nice para helmet!...reminds me of an Air Police para helmet i have ..very similar with silver paint.....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ray175INF Posted January 16, 2018 Share #8 Posted January 16, 2018 You know I’m wondering if it wasn’t done up like that to distinguish a range officer from classes or units cycling thru field training excercises, very cool pickup Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
USMC-RECON0321 Posted January 16, 2018 Share #9 Posted January 16, 2018 Very nice para helmet!...reminds me of an Air Police para helmet i have ..very similar with silver paint.....mike Mike, I was thinking the same thing when I seen this. Nice score. Not saying you should do it, but that paint looks like it would come off pretty easy and if you do it right it would leave the factory paint alone. Troy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfan Posted January 16, 2018 Author Share #10 Posted January 16, 2018 Mike, I was thinking the same thing when I seen this. Nice score. Not saying you should do it, but that paint looks like it would come off pretty easy and if you do it right it would leave the factory paint alone. Troy I thought about that. I removed "over paint" from an M1 years ago and it turned out good. But then I would hate to ruin something if it was meant to be there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken88 Posted January 17, 2018 Share #11 Posted January 17, 2018 You can easily strip it if you want.you have a wwii m1c that was probably repainted in the 50s or 60s.restoring it would only increase value. 20 minutes and a can of paint remover is all you need. Really nice find especially the liner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sgtdorango Posted January 17, 2018 Share #12 Posted January 17, 2018 Am i seeing a possible tac mark under the paint peeking out where that scuff/scratch is?....mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted January 17, 2018 Share #13 Posted January 17, 2018 I would leave it as found. no kid did that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted January 17, 2018 Share #14 Posted January 17, 2018 I would agree leaving it alone...experience based....I had APH-5 flight helmet painted silver with two plates (forming a disc) attached to the top...also painted silver.. with a black stripe on the plate...I knew it was some sort of AWACS squadron hack helmet for a party or such...but I saw more value in restoration...at the time....if that helmet could talk.. anyway leave as is IMO Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParanormalTrooper Posted January 17, 2018 Share #15 Posted January 17, 2018 I vote leave it. Anyways cool helmet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pzjgr Posted January 17, 2018 Share #16 Posted January 17, 2018 Awesome find! If it were mine, I would find a way to carefully strip the silver paint....without any sort of true provenance, to me, its just some sort of re-paint....could be military, could be VFW/Legion, could be just some dude thought it would look cool silver. Odd that both helmet and shell were painted.... I would want to display it as a paratrooper combat helmet...the silver paint would drive me nuts. I picked up a WWII Westinghouse Para liner I am going to put on the trader....it was repainted, gloss black with decals for the 3rd ID, and the 30th Inf. Regt., and had a black liner chinstrap...but at least when in a shell, you won't see the re-paint.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Costa Posted January 17, 2018 Share #17 Posted January 17, 2018 many original pieces were ruined by playing restoration doctor. no kid did this and ill bet on it. do some homework and you may find the real source of that lid. did anybody do any time on who the owner of the house was??? with a name it might be solved. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GITom1944 Posted January 17, 2018 Share #18 Posted January 17, 2018 Helmets were also repainted for unit color guards and honor guards in the 1950s. I agree with those who say leave it as is. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anton67 Posted January 18, 2018 Share #19 Posted January 18, 2018 I would attempt to strip the grey/silver paint off. Just MHO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BILL THE PATCH Posted January 18, 2018 Share #20 Posted January 18, 2018 It depends on what you want, a 1950's repaint, or a true WW2 lid. Jmho Sent from my XT1031 using Tapatalk Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bugme Posted January 18, 2018 Share #21 Posted January 18, 2018 Let me qualify my answer first, I am a less is best guy. So, with that out of the way let me point out a few things. VFW's were notorious for cutting off A/B yolks yet, the yokes are still on this one. VFW's usually painted only the liners and usually they were done in white, not silver. As for them using these for parade, it is true that they did paint some of them silver when chrome lids were not available but, then this brings me back to the yokes not being cut off and the liner also being done in silver.Mike mentioned A/B Police. I think that this is the likely answer here. Could there be a tac under that paint? Maybe... but you will only know once you strip the paint and then if you have regrets, there is no going back. While I know that a great many here are itching to have you go at this with Goof-Off, I would think long and hard before you make that decision.Take this thought from someone who went this route years ago: Research takes time but provides no regrets. Knee jerk actions will provide you with ample regrets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
huntssurplus Posted January 19, 2018 Share #22 Posted January 19, 2018 In my opinion I say leave it. Whether or not there is something under it unless you are looking to sell it whatever is under the paint is still there, it's not going anywhere. If you leave it as is, you have a nice m1c that is painted silver, and all the paint under the helmet is still there, no need to rush into it and make a decision now, better to hold on to it and if later you are really itching to take off the paint go ahead. Hunt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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