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WW2 91st ID painted M1 helmets?


Burning Hazard
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Burning Hazard

Has anyone ever come across a 91st ID painted M1 helmet from WW2?

 

In all my life I have seen only one original M1 that was painted with the iconic green 91st ID pine tree on the front; it was a relic helmet that was photographed just after it was pulled from the ground somewhere in Italy.

I have been unable to locate that picture because the website that hosted it went down years ago...

 

Anyone seen any other originals?

 

Regards

 

Pat

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Burning Hazard

Thanks for the replies guys, that also a pretty sweet picture of a 91st ID helmet in wear; I don't think I've seen a photo like that.

 

I suppose 91st helmet's are not as "hot" as D-Day or Airborne helmets in the collecting world and original surviving samples seem extremely scarce, hope to see an original some day when it resurfaces.

 

Pat

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I have a 91st marked fixed bail with the matching liner that I picked up recently at the TN Militaria Collectors Show last April. Will post some pictures tomorrow morning.

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USMC-RECON0321

I have a 91st marked fixed bail with the matching liner that I picked up recently at the TN Militaria Collectors Show last April. Will post some pictures tomorrow morning.

 

I look forward to seeing that set. Yes please post.

 

Troy

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USMC-RECON0321

I don't have a WWII "M1 Helmet", but a can share my early WWII 91st Unit marked "Kelly Helmet" from my collection. I used to have some period pictures of the 91st all in marked Kelly helmets, but I can't find them now.

 

post-33000-0-81683100-1439605624.jpg post-33000-0-27460300-1439605649.jpg

 

post-33000-0-24637700-1439605662.jpg

 

 

 

 

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I don't have a WWII "M1 Helmet", but a can share my early WWII 91st Unit marked "Kelly Helmet" from my collection. I used to have some period pictures of the 91st all in marked Kelly helmets, but I can't find them now.

 

DSCN6224aa.jpg DSCN6230aa.jpg

 

DSCN6231aa.jpg

 

 

 

 

Troy,

 

It looks like the texture was "cut out" on the surface before it was painted.

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USMC-RECON0321

Troy,

 

It looks like the texture was "cut out" on the surface before it was painted.

 

Yes, I think it's actually called "incised" Markings.

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USMC-RECON0321

Wow, great helmet set. The insignia on the shell looks like it was sprayed on while the one on the liner looks like hand painted on. Also looks like the insignia on the liner was painted on twice, with another one underneath.

 

Have you been able to ID you guy?

 

Great "one looker" set.

 

Troy

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Burning Hazard

Bryan, that helmet looks spectacular! :love: Thanks for sharing!

 

I gotta say, these WW2 91st ID painted M1 helmets are up there with the airborne M1's in terms of rarity; plenty of painted M1917's but the M1's seem very elusive.

 

Pat

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USMC-RECON0321

Bryan, that helmet looks spectacular! :love: Thanks for sharing!

 

I gotta say, these WW2 91st ID painted M1 helmets are up there with the airborne M1's in terms of rarity; plenty of painted M1917's but the M1's seem very elusive.

 

Pat

 

Yes and interesting they dropped the "91" being painted in the pine tree of the M1's?

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Wow, great helmet set. The insignia on the shell looks like it was sprayed on while the one on the liner looks like hand painted on. Also looks like the insignia on the liner was painted on twice, with another one underneath.

 

Have you been able to ID you guy?

 

Great "one looker" set.

 

Troy

 

Thanks Troy,

 

Yes the liner insignia was definitely painted on twice. Also the liner appears to have been repainted and underneath is a layer of white paint.

 

I haven't been able to find anything on the soldier however to be honest I haven't had a chance to do much digging.

 

Bryan

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Burning Hazard

 

Yes and interesting they dropped the "91" being painted in the pine tree of the M1's?

 

It does look like the 91 was dropped after WW1; both M1's I've seen did not have the 91 painted on them. Also, neither shell had a white outline of the pine tree painted on as well, only the liners seem to have (probably to avoid being seen in the field).

 

Pat

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