506th fixed bail shell -- legit?

[Andrew]

I have visited Le Holdy over the years, but do not know the owners personally, so I cannot gauge their trustworthiness. I don't think they are risking their reputation by selling this piece, because it probably isn't possible to ever prove whether it is real or not. So if a badly corroded 506th helmet is worth betting 500 Euros to a buyer, that is pretty much all there is to it. It would not be the first relic helmet to be sold in such a shop for sure.

 

Personally, I would rarely, if ever, buy any militaria from dealers in Normandy because the prices are inflated by tourists and there is a lot of junk in those shops. The exception would be some pieces I have found at village yard sales for very fair prices.

[Lawdog]

This is, without a doubt, an M1 FB Schluetter shell. The bales could have been replaced in depot repair as the helmet was re-issued, say, for Market Garden, so I wouldn't rely too much on the shape of the bales. The smaller insignia of the 506th higher up on the side of the shell and tic mark at 12 o'clock for HQ Bn are the proper shape and size for WW2 (Something fakers almost NEVER get right!) In my experience, it's extremely unlikely that a faker would go to all the trouble to fake such a horribly conditioned relic, but I suppose anything is possible. Everything I know about helmets tells me this is genuine. But I've been wrong before...allegedly

[David D]

Thinking from the perspective, you have a very good point. If they got the tic marks right etc. why not do it on a nice shell etc. for more money. Instead of a shell in such bad condition not many people would want, rather a nicer one. But then again who knows.

[Andrew]

Thinking from the perspective, you have a very good point. If they got the tic marks right etc. why not do it on a nice shell etc. for more money. Instead of a shell in such bad condition not many people would want, rather a nicer one. But then again who knows.

This is a fair question. I don't have strong feelings either way, but if this helmet has been embellished, it would be one way to turn a relatively worthless relic shell into 500 Euros, rather than tamper with an already valuable shell in very good condition. I do agree with Lawdog that there would be a lot of time and trouble involved in doing so.

[Screamingeagles101]

I still believe the markings are original. However, I don't believe this was once a schlueter. If the bales were repaired for market garden, wouldn't they have just added swivel bales?

[Lawdog]

I still believe the markings are original. However, I don't believe this was once a schlueter. If the bales were repaired for market garden, wouldn't they have just added swivel bales?

It all depends on existing stocks at the time. SB's were still not really common in the ETO until late 1944/early 1945. It's really impossible to say what they "would have done." Anything is possible. I've seen depot repairs on original lids with crudely welded heavy gauge steel wire under a giant brass blob. There was no rhyme or reason as to how repairs were conducted as long as the helmet was functional in combat.

[Andrew]

I have a copy of the army manual for shoe and clothing repair during this time-frame. I wonder if such a document existed for helmets.

[Lawdog]

Good question. Ive never seen or heard of one. My guess would be that in the field, you went with what worked.

 

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[doyler]

Good question. Ive never seen or heard of one. My guess would be that in the field, you went with what worked.

 

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Agreed

We have also seen the loops from mess pans used too for repairs.Couple are shown on the forum as I recall.

[Reforger]

Just saw this topic. The helmet actually looks good.

[dmar836]

This post is over 4 yrs old. First time I read it too. 

So if the replacement bails are justified if as a repair for Market Garden why would the helmet be dug and “found in Normandy” near Utah. 

Can’t have it both ways IMO. 

 

[MattS]

I just read through this old post and have a question. If this was "found in Normandy" where it laid buried since 1944, and it belonged to a member of the famed 506th that dropped in on D-Day, shouldn't it be a M2? 

[huntssurplus]

4 hours ago, MattS said:

I just read through this old post and have a question. If this was "found in Normandy" where it laid buried since 1944, and it belonged to a member of the famed 506th that dropped in on D-Day, shouldn't it be a M2? 

 

I believe the helmet is a fixed loop shell which were also used in Normandy. I think they used a combination of M2's and standard fixed loops in Normandy. 

 

Hunt

[MattS]

23 minutes ago, huntssurplus said:

 

I believe the helmet is a fixed loop shell which were also used in Normandy. I think they used a combination of M2's and standard fixed loops in Normandy. 

 

Hunt

 

Thanks, I wasn't aware that the 506th marked their non-paratrooper M1 helmets the same way as the M2s. 

[huntssurplus]

7 minutes ago, MattS said:

 

Thanks, I wasn't aware that the 506th marked their non-paratrooper M1 helmets the same way as the M2s. 

 

I think the main problem was that they didn't produce enough M2 shells for the amount of paratroopers they had. I'm pretty sure at least a few paratroopers probably ended up with a fixed loop shell. 

Hunt