Probably the only "German" helmet allowed here - British copy stahlhelm used in OSS training film

[GeneralCheese]

This is my favorite find in a long long time.  It showed up online as a post-WWII Finnish helmet, but I remembered seeing a thread on another forum saying what this really is and jumped on it immediately.  For those who don't know, sometime around January 1943 a small batch (sources say 100, but likely a bit higher) of German-style helmets was manufactured in Britain, for use by the First Canadian Army.  The First Canadian Army had a small unit of soldiers who pretended to be German - for training exercises.  This unit was filmed by the OSS for a film titled "Meet The Enemy (German)", where this type of copy helmet makes several appearances.  You can watch the film on youtube here: 

 

 

As for the helmet, it is a pretty accurate stahlhelm shape, but with drilled, unbushed vents, and a gray/brown paint.  The liner is a modified British oilcloth liner, unfortunately not in the best condition.  The rivets are pretty accurate to their German originals, and the chinstrap buckle is similar but a smaller width.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[sgtdorango]

Ooooo i love these, only seen one or two over the years....very rare birdie couldnt have been many made👍🏻.....mike

[GeneralCheese]

7 minutes ago, sgtdorango said:

Ooooo i love these, only seen one or two over the years....very rare birdie couldnt have been many made👍🏻.....mike

Definitely not too many.  I think I counted 5 or 6 online total.  We know at least 100 were made.

[ffuries]

Wow, the things you learn. I never knew this at all.......Now I know!

[bigschuss]

Awesome.  Never knew this.  

 

Question about the film.  That's a US government production and those are GI's, correct?  I don't see the Canadian connection.  

[MattS]

3 hours ago, bigschuss said:

Awesome.  Never knew this.  

 

Question about the film.  That's a US government production and those are GI's, correct?  I don't see the Canadian connection.  

 

The helmet was made in the UK using a British/Canadian liner for Canadian OPFOR (by today's terms) troops. 

[manayunkman]

Awesome WWII training film.

 

I really enjoyed it.

 

I had a collection of training and propaganda films made by the Signal Corps that came from Colonel Robert Robb WW2 9th Infantry Div. G-2.
 

One was about the hitting power of the M1 rifle, 30.Cal machine gun and the 50. Cal. MG.

 

They had wood log dummies dressed as Germans with WW1 steel pots.