Jump to content

PTO camouflaged M1 helmet possible 27th infantry Saipan


ArchangelDM
 Share

Recommended Posts

Today I had some time to finally post a helmet I’ve had for a while and one I personally think has the cool factor. 
 

The helmet is an extremely early FB having a stamp of 19C, also there is a 1st pattern Hawley with the name CRAVEN written in pencil. 
 

What’s so cool about this one is the Camouflage that’s been added, it’s got a pacific green base then a sloppy Thick black paint that’s had sand added to it !! Then some brown for good measure, unless that’s actual dirt. 
 

Looking Under a 1000-x magnification we can start to see the different color flecks of sand that’s mixed in with the paint, along with the thick bristles of the brush that’s been used to apply. There is even some bristles still stuck in the paint. 
The helmet features 4-5 stress fractures in the back as was normal for these early helmets when worn a lot, and along the folding steel lip you can see a white build up where the salt sea air has embedded its self in to the metal. 
 

Back to the liner the rayon has turned a brown and the leather is long gone on both the chinstrap and the headband. The silver rayon apparently kept its colour quite well, so I’m guessing the sweat in the humid pacific islands had turned it the color it is. 
 

Below are the Macro shots including several shots of the 27th infantry in Saipan showing this exact camo scheme, the green and black, one photo also showing a nearly exact pattern. Equally this could be a Marine Corps helmet used early on, unless we get a hit on the name we will never know. 
 

If anyone gets any hits on the name Craven or Kraven please let me know 

 

Enjoy 

 

- Dean 

17614285-415A-4A76-BF61-CB3F5153C348.jpeg

2C865097-7D43-4059-9B2B-1D65F6F9A3F4.jpeg

DE010566-9D57-4BEF-8DC5-C7A16B9D1A9D.jpeg

CF234971-AD90-4C1B-9649-33B3122160A9.jpeg

54907CD8-49CB-4FC9-9306-C4B2028E86F0.jpeg

180A9EBC-CD7B-4233-BC57-A765B9B04BB7.jpeg

0485624B-64F0-41C4-B861-92310AD7FA65.jpeg

900F3211-7DEA-41F9-84D1-4A87FCDA9EC4.jpeg

949E77F9-291F-4632-A158-699E5BD0BB4A.jpeg

9E7D321F-4AE6-4BF9-88A8-6B1838CC6C47.jpeg

2DD0624B-D6E2-49D9-AA2B-D1F57C44F7BD.jpeg

2F8E5286-9D7E-4E3F-B010-FB3B17D5E528.jpeg

EE44FBFA-E5BB-47AC-A55D-F70ECA2A92FA.jpeg

709FC131-7F47-4308-B778-D159CB10997B.jpeg

51D64C87-C2E4-409D-AC83-51F10F6D0EC9.jpeg

22E6D990-D01E-42E7-BE34-E0C2CC3144B3.jpeg

1B3AFFA5-7D35-416B-9792-8F6CCA785330.jpeg

7AF242C5-D29C-49A9-9776-FE557404055C.jpeg

BA1C7E01-F199-470C-BD94-DCC34AC35F70.jpeg

910CB036-1212-4CCE-B0D9-69C68F8B919C.jpeg

F1BB7A4F-4685-4EA7-893E-E2F0F92EED03.jpeg

B90B59D2-D5F3-426D-AB6F-4A3F00CC0F88.jpeg

51F826A0-5626-44F2-B869-86969863FF71.jpeg

EC5287C5-63D0-4D7A-8C51-6F77E95D15ED.jpeg

 

 

D2CD1CA1-5A21-4869-9363-9068C50FE1F0.jpeg

17E0D635-FB81-4873-BE64-3937DCECA367.jpeg

3801DD66-DA7F-4600-98BF-C9DB66EDB010.jpeg

69BAB49C-CD78-43A5-B052-0C8E32A93E9E.jpeg

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I like the look on this helmet. Very similar to what the Brits did to their helmets in North Africa. They splashed tan paint on their lids and sprinkled sand on them while the paint was still wet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just now, Bugme said:

I like the look on this helmet. Very similar to what the Brits did to their helmets in North Africa. They splashed tan paint on their lids and sprinkled sand on them while the paint was still wet.


I agree Scott, 

the sand adds great texture to the paint and helps to blend the helmet into its environment. 
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Dean,

 Nice looking helmet!

Here is a thread that mentions the 27ID wearing this style camo helmet. https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/181939-camouflage-helmets/

I posted a camo liner in that thread that would feel at home in your lid. Looks like the same green base and black, minus the sand.

Ken

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Units under the 7th Infantry Division in the PTO also extensively wore this style of black+green camouflage on Leyte, along with other units participating in that battle as well. Great piece

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, 6th.MG.BN said:

Dean,

 Nice looking helmet!

Here is a thread that mentions the 27ID wearing this style camo helmet. https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/181939-camouflage-helmets/

I posted a camo liner in that thread that would feel at home in your lid. Looks like the same green base and black, minus the sand.

Ken

 

1 hour ago, trenchfoot said:

Units under the 7th Infantry Division in the PTO also extensively wore this style of black+green camouflage on Leyte, along with other units participating in that battle as well. Great piece

 

 

 

1 hour ago, Ivydiv said:

Great helmet. Thanks for sharing. Dave


Thanks Dave, Ken and Russ for the kind comments on the helmet.

 

- Dean 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, Dogsbody said:

Great looking helmet! Odd looking nape strap 😊. It looks like it has been made from a piece of a rayon headband with part of the leather still attached.

 

Thanks DB 

 

Just noticed that - let me get some closer shots up of it 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, ArchangelDM said:

Today I had some time to finally post a helmet I’ve had for a while and one I personally think has the cool factor. 
 

The helmet is an extremely early FB having a stamp of 19C, also there is a 1st pattern Hawley with the name CRAVEN written in pencil. 
 

What’s so cool about this one is the Camouflage that’s been added, it’s got a pacific green base then a sloppy Thick black paint that’s had sand added to it !! Then some brown for good measure, unless that’s actual dirt. 
 

Looking Under a 1000-x magnification we can start to see the different color flecks of sand that’s mixed in with the paint, along with the thick bristles of the brush that’s been used to apply. There is even some bristles still stuck in the paint. 
The helmet features 4-5 stress fractures in the back as was normal for these early helmets when worn a lot, and along the folding steel lip you can see a white build up where the salt sea air has embedded its self in to the metal. 
 

Back to the liner the rayon has turned a brown and the leather is long gone on both the chinstrap and the headband. The silver rayon apparently kept its colour quite well, so I’m guessing the sweat in the humid pacific islands had turned it the color it is. 
 

Below are the Macro shots including several shots of the 27th infantry in Saipan showing this exact camo scheme, the green and black, one photo also showing a nearly exact pattern. Equally this could be a Marine Corps helmet used early on, unless we get a hit on the name we will never know. 
 

If anyone gets any hits on the name Craven or Kraven please let me know 

 

Enjoy 

 

- Dean 

17614285-415A-4A76-BF61-CB3F5153C348.jpeg

2C865097-7D43-4059-9B2B-1D65F6F9A3F4.jpeg

DE010566-9D57-4BEF-8DC5-C7A16B9D1A9D.jpeg

CF234971-AD90-4C1B-9649-33B3122160A9.jpeg

54907CD8-49CB-4FC9-9306-C4B2028E86F0.jpeg

180A9EBC-CD7B-4233-BC57-A765B9B04BB7.jpeg

0485624B-64F0-41C4-B861-92310AD7FA65.jpeg

900F3211-7DEA-41F9-84D1-4A87FCDA9EC4.jpeg

949E77F9-291F-4632-A158-699E5BD0BB4A.jpeg

9E7D321F-4AE6-4BF9-88A8-6B1838CC6C47.jpeg

2DD0624B-D6E2-49D9-AA2B-D1F57C44F7BD.jpeg

2F8E5286-9D7E-4E3F-B010-FB3B17D5E528.jpeg

EE44FBFA-E5BB-47AC-A55D-F70ECA2A92FA.jpeg

709FC131-7F47-4308-B778-D159CB10997B.jpeg

51D64C87-C2E4-409D-AC83-51F10F6D0EC9.jpeg

22E6D990-D01E-42E7-BE34-E0C2CC3144B3.jpeg

1B3AFFA5-7D35-416B-9792-8F6CCA785330.jpeg

7AF242C5-D29C-49A9-9776-FE557404055C.jpeg

BA1C7E01-F199-470C-BD94-DCC34AC35F70.jpeg

910CB036-1212-4CCE-B0D9-69C68F8B919C.jpeg

F1BB7A4F-4685-4EA7-893E-E2F0F92EED03.jpeg

B90B59D2-D5F3-426D-AB6F-4A3F00CC0F88.jpeg

51F826A0-5626-44F2-B869-86969863FF71.jpeg

EC5287C5-63D0-4D7A-8C51-6F77E95D15ED.jpeg

 

 

D2CD1CA1-5A21-4869-9363-9068C50FE1F0.jpeg

17E0D635-FB81-4873-BE64-3937DCECA367.jpeg

3801DD66-DA7F-4600-98BF-C9DB66EDB010.jpeg

69BAB49C-CD78-43A5-B052-0C8E32A93E9E.jpeg

 

Now thats a really nice camo M1

😳

Link to comment
Share on other sites

49 minutes ago, Dogsbody said:

Great looking helmet! Odd looking nape strap 😊. It looks like it has been made from a piece of a rayon headband with part of the leather still attached.


here is the nape, both sides had leather on them and the snaps are United Carr so all correct. 
 

Never ever seen this before unless it’s a section of a sweat band that they have used ? Either way it’s cool 

BDFBC2F2-C41D-48E0-9F7F-F210C0ED38CE.jpeg

3A615CE3-47BF-49DD-8C90-20BC4BED0BB7.jpeg

8C7A476F-B546-440A-987A-A5C74234E2DF.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Great piece as always Dean! I envy you a lot on this!

 

Thanks for sharing! 
Tried to look for some unit rosters? 
 

Maybe you get as lucky as I did! 
 

Yours

Hannes

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Very very cool Dean. In my mind “Camo” is a German helmet thing and I admittedly have always carried that prejudice despite  being aware of and knowing all

about Camo’d M1 helmets. The US troops defintely didn’t Camo their helmets En Masse though IMO as the Germans did. Which makes reading and seeing ones like this even more special. For the simple Fact there are fewer (real) ones. Great seasoned collector approach to your analysis of the helmet as always (and as you are) and what a great lid. I always learn something from your posts. Oh and your mental database and reference  of period pics whatever the topic may be is impressive. Must have a nice library. Another great corner of our hobby. Well done 

 

Z

Link to comment
Share on other sites

CavalryCombatant

Wow, that is an awesome helmet, dean! 
 

I absolutely love the look of the Hawley with it, tops off an already incredible lid very nicely.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, Paddyd00 said:

Very very cool Dean. In my mind “Camo” is a German helmet thing and I admittedly have always carried that prejudice despite  being aware of and knowing all

about Camo’d M1 helmets. The US troops defintely didn’t Camo their helmets En Masse though IMO as the Germans did. Which makes reading and seeing ones like this even more special. For the simple Fact there are fewer (real) ones. Great seasoned collector approach to your analysis of the helmet as always (and as you are) and what a great lid. I always learn something from your posts. Oh and your mental database and reference  of period pics whatever the topic may be is impressive. Must have a nice library. Another great corner of our hobby. Well done 

 

Z


Z those are extremely kind words brother and I’m very humbled by them 

As always your posts and character when writing them shine though, as does your ability to collect gorgeous USN helmets and photograph them with stunning backdrops. 
 

- Dean 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

16 hours ago, CavalryCombatant said:

Wow, that is an awesome helmet, dean! 
 

I absolutely love the look of the Hawley with it, tops off an already incredible lid very nicely.

 

12 hours ago, fight said:

She's a Beaut


Thankyou CC and Fight ! 
 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, mikie said:

It's always great to see 27th Infantry Division items. Dad served in the 27th from 1940 through the end of the war.   

Mikie

 

19 hours ago, whitecap said:

Love it


Thanks Mikie and Whitecap, 

looking forward hopefully to showing more very soon. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 5 months later...
ArchangelDM

Here is a pic of a named 27th I used to own on the right with the one I currently do, paint schemes and colors are the same, I’m guessing these 2 helmets served together at one stage. 
The one on the right was fully named and researched 

5C4F2397-6A9F-4353-A5AE-CA68741EA833.jpeg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...