HELP - LT M1 Helmet Paint Job

[stealthytyler]

I just picked this helmet up and looking for opinions. It appears to me that this helmet has a war period overpaint that is covering up some interesting paint. First off, it looks like there is quite a bit of yellow paint below the OD that can be seen in chips and cracks. I am not sure if the entire helmet was yellow or certain areas. It also appears that there are some random painted lines around the helmet that can be clearly seen from the front and sides and top. There is also something on the back of the helmet as well. On one of the lines, it looks like some sort of wood chip or grass/brush coming through the paint. Could this be some sort of camo paint scheme?  Or am I just seeing thick brush strokes from the OD overpaint? I marked some of the areas in yellow in photoshop to help you see where the markings are. Also to note, it is a front seam, fixed loop shell with the short chinstrap missing. The liner that came with it was glued to the inside of the shell. It took some time to pop it out. The heat stamp is covered up with glue residue. The liner is a Westinghouse with green painted A-washers. I looked all over the place to find the soldiers name. I only found the initials D.W. in pencil on the inside of the shell. Thanks for looking.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

D.W. initials written in pencil on inside of shell.

 

 

[CWG]

This has the potential to be a very killer lid! It truly already is a nice solid Lieutenants M1. I don’t know much about paint removal on M1s. There are some very knowledgeable members that are pros at it. However I will say that their definitely is a different paint scheme under the green. It looks interesting as well, looks like a camo of some sorts all though I don’t know why yellow out of all things. You will most likely find other markings under the paint as well. There is some paint brush markings that are more distinctive than others like you pointed out. This will be a slow project and having patience is key to not mess up what is under the green. If you do it correctly you will be rewarded with something way cooler than the original drab. I would suggest putting low adhesive painters tape on the lieutenant bar, just to protect it from the removal of the rest of the paint. As for the initials you probably will stay on first base as unless there is something under the OD you won’t be able to find anything conclusive. The over paint on the helmet could also be original as field repaints happened. It’s up to you but I don’t think you would be disappointed by carefully removing the green drab and seeing what lyes below. You will want to start off slow and small just to get an idea of what’s underneath than you if you want too you can go all in. Forum Member Johnathan Blanton has made many great tutorials on this. Here’s his latest video, this will help you with a visual aid. (He also has 4 other videos) Combine that with other members wise tactics on removing the paint and you will be set. Hope this helps in some way. I’m excited to see it done! Take care and hope everything works out! 
 

 

[ArchangelDM]

Tyler I can’t wait to see what’s under that paint if you choose to remove it ! 

 

This has great potential 
 

- Dean 

[ArchangelDM]

Also i reckon you will find his name under there as well 

[Nickman983]

I was watching this one as well, I think there's something more there than just brush strokes from an overpaint but I can't tell what. It may be a camo pattern but it's hard to say for sure.

[Burning Hazard]

Very nice helmet! My guess is that the yellow paint strokes underneath are gas detection paint; likely hastily painted.

 

As tempting as it may look, I'd leave this one as is and not strip it.

 

Pat

[Nickman983]

I'd agree with Pat, without being certain that there is actually a camo pattern underneath the overpaint I would leave the helmet as is. The brush strokes are thick enough that you can see what is there without having to remove the over paint. You could try to take a small chip of the yellow paint and try to activate it to verify whether or not it's vesicant paint. I believe I read somewhere on the forum that if you take a small piece of the yellow and apply acetone it will cause it to turn red if it is indeed gas detection paint.

[stealthytyler]

Thank guys. I am not sure I am willing to attempt a paint removal on this helmet. It may uncover more but if done wrong, could ruin the entire helmet. The seller said the liner was fused to the shell so I was hoping that it would have an ID on the inside of the shell or other insignia on the liner but after I managed to pop it out, the only thing I see are the initials D.W. on the inside of the shell. 

[stealthytyler]

Does anyone recognize this sort of camo scheme (if it is even camo)? Curious if there is a way to narrow it down to a specific unit then look up the roster and match the D.W. initials to an officer? 

[stealthytyler]

I don't have acetone but I did test Goof Off on a tiny bit of the yellow paint. Nothing happened. I read somewhere on this forum that Goof Off might activate vesicant paint. Also, while looking on the forum, I found a helmet with similar paint scheme:

 

 

[dmar836]

As we saw on a recent medic helmet, topcoat removal looks promising but by the time the underlying paint is exposed as the new primary scheme, there is significant smearing and abrasion of whatever the underlying paint is. IMO it can then look damaged or too fresh and makes it difficult to judge. I would approach cautiously as applying just enough solvent and mechanical scrubbing as to remove the topcoat but not so much as to soften or get into the underlying paint is a super narrow window.  It appears you might already be into the yellow where it is exposed. Certainly any patina or surface wear on the yellow will be removed or compromised.

Just an opinion though. Very interesting for sure!

Dave

[manayunkman]

It’s a beautiful helmet as is.

 

If you want to raise what is underneath you take a risk.

 

Any paint on the inside of the shell?

[stealthytyler]

Ok, UPDATE... I BELIEVE THIS IS VESICANT GAS DETECTING PAINT. My first test was putting goof off on a q-tip and gently touching an exposed yellow paint section on the helmet. It did nothing. I took it a step further and carefully chipped off some yellow paint and dropped Goof Off directly onto the paint as it sat directly in the solution. It instantly started turning redish brown. The red color started bleeding off into the pool of Goof Off. Ok, now that said, what unit could this helmet have been used in? It is clearly an Army helmet to my eyes. Could it be from an airborne unit? All I have are the initials D.W. on the inside of the shell. 

 

PHOTOS FROM EXPERIMENT:

 

[stealthytyler]

 

Here is the inside of the shell and the liner. The liner was glued to the inside of the shell. It took a while to pop it out. 

 

Is there evidence of paratroopers glueing their liners to the shell to prevent shifting during jumps? Thats the only thing that I can think of that makes sense...and pair that with the gas detection camo under the re-paint. Make sense? 

 

The outside of the liner and the inside of the shell must have been glued together from almost day 1 as there are no wear marks from rubbing. The rust is coming through the glue so it has been on there for a very very long time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[huntssurplus]

Awesome helmet. I would leave the outer paint, it is definitely wartime, I have multiple helmets with a similar overpaint. 

As for the glued in liner definitely plausible, glue looks vintage to say the least. But, it doesn't necessarily look like a paratrooper liner. What is the manufacturer? I know some units of the 82nd Airborne used the gas detection paint. And I think Chemical Mortar units did too, right?

Hunt

[stealthytyler]

The liner is a Westinghouse 

[stealthytyler]

I just found a last name. I had to get my flashlight at the perfect angle to reflect the lead. It says D.W. _YKINS... possibly LYKINS?

 

[American Graffiti]

EYKINS?

AG

[dmar836]

I have only seen pics but thought it was regular infantry in the field. 
This doesn’t jump out as airborne but maybe the name will help. 

[stealthytyler]

Yeah, hard to see the first letter. At first I thought it was a "C" but I think its an "L". I did find a Lt. D.W. Lykins who was a B-24 Pilot with the 8th AF in England in 1944/45. But that gas detecting "camo" paint does not make sense to me. 

[MattS]

It's neither a M2 or M1C shell and the liner isn't airborne either. Not sure why they were glued together and Lykins is a common surname around my area. 

[stealthytyler]

this is what my eye sees. I will note that I do not see the middle line from the "E"...added it in this illustration to show that it is possible under that rust 

 

[stealthytyler]

8 minutes ago, MattS said:

It's neither a M2 or M1C shell and the liner isn't airborne either. Not sure why they were glued together and Lykins is a common surname around my area. 

 

The seller got it from an Idaho garage sale. The garage sale lady said her late husband probably got it at a local auction some time ago. Thats all the history I have on it. 

[stealthytyler]

I did some color correction to help the letters pop a bit more.

 

[CWG]

stealthytyler I think the initial is an E. I can see in the photo the beginning of the second dash. I'll mark it for you. Let me know if you can see this as well in person.