7 replies to this topic

[gebris353]

Hi gentlemen! I've just come up with this helmet and although I love painted ones, Vietnam era is not my thing sooooo here it is. Would the 25 marking refer to the 25th Rangers Group? Don't have better pics but I'm pretty sure you can tell more from them that what I can. :thumbsup:

Thanks in advance!













Best regards,
Fab.- :think:

[Sabrejet]

Hi. Do you actually have provenance for this helmet? The reason I ask is that these ARVN Ranger helmets with their striking artwork are among the most "reproduced" M1s out there! Even today, if you visit Saigon, there are street-markets selling "originals"! They also appear on eBay regularly, always described as "original" but few, if any, are. I'm not suggesting that yours isn't the real McCoy but they do pop up on the forum quite often and so this question is always posed. As for the significance of the "25", your theory is a logical one. There are a number of advanced VN war collectors on the forum who will be better placed than I to answer your question...they'll gradually log-on as the day progresses! :thumbsup:

[ArchangelDM]

Like Ian said many of these have passed through here, and to be honest yours looks too new and perfect for a 40 year old helmet. There is a chap on eBay who does these helmets, all be it very well but at the end of the day they are fakes.
IMHO this looks to be a modern reproduction

DC

[Bugme]

I've only handled two legitimate ARVN Rangers in my career and I'm sorry to say, I don't think this is the third one. As mentioned these are among some of the most faked helmets from the 'nam era. This is probably because so few helmets were actually painted, most had covers without any insignia of any kind. Thus, if your a 'nam era collector, you want to have one of these treasures and the "artifakers" know this. As stated, your pictures are bad but, I don't think better pictures would change my thoughts on this one. Sorry to be such a downer.

Edited by Bugme, 27 April 2012 - 05:20 AM.

[gebris353]

Thanks for the replies fellas! There were mainly two things that called my attention in this helmet: first was the cracked back which seemed to include the paint at least in the left crack of the picture so good sign, but second, the white background on the 25 seems aged, of course an in hand inspection would be much more easy than pics but that wasn't a possibility. I really appreciate all your comments, saved me some good money for a real one.

I better stay into WWII helmets haha!! :packin heat:

... By the way, today I got these ones too from the owner, as funny as it sounds, from what tries to be a Viet Cong one on a Soviet helmet. Being looking for the saying at least and found it's the famous phrase "Dung si diet my" (valiant soldier destroy Americans). Well, guess that this one tells a lot about the ARVN one don't you think... :emba0005:











Fab.- :thumbsup:

[gwb123]

We have a number of threads on here on ARVN Ranger Helmets. Use the SEARCH tab at the top of the frame, and they will pull up for you.

The best suggestion I can give is to compare the details of the real examples with yours. Things like shape of the teeth, eyes, overall shape of the star, etc.

For as many reproductions that are out there, they just can't seem to fully duplicate the wartime designs.

As for the "VC" helmet, this is typical of the overdone souvenir junk that comes out of Vietnam today. I may be wrong, but I don't believe the Communists were prone to painting slogans on their helmets... that is, when the wore helmets. Helmets were not part of their normal kit. And that star design on the front is just over the top.

If they'd of gone with just a simple gold star, or a small design about the size of a quarter, it would have been a lot more convincing.

[BOLO]

another problem that VC helmet is a Russian model Ssh68 , I doubt many of the later model Ssh68 made it to Vietnam before 1975 , they would have gave the NVA old stock like the Ssh40

the helmet say 1969, it's definitely a post Vietnam War helmet

[gebris353]

Thanks for the comments! I did searched the whole forum and tried to compared them but in spite of some differences and coincidences, I can say I'm not a specialist on them as many of you are so I asked for your opinions. The VC helmet really gave away the ARVN wanna be, that's why I posted it, too bad I didn't have it before posting! :wink2: