Thickly applied mystery texture on M1 helmet

[elh1311]

Has anyone seen anything like this? Kind of reminded me of Zimmerit but for helmets when I saw it. Any clue what it could be? 

 

[manayunkman]

Your photos didn’t post correctly 

[elh1311]

3 minutes ago, manayunkman said:

Your photos didn’t post correctly 

I reposted them as jpegs

[The Rooster]

Looks like Bondo  with sand....

 

Ive seen it on other helmets.

[manayunkman]

Vietnam era paratrooper helmet with a heavy sand paste camouflage.

 

Doesn’t seem too practical, how much heavier is the helmet?

 

Interesting tactical symbol that looks like a parachute.

 

Can you make out the name inside ?

[elh1311]

I don't have physical possession of the helmet though I understand the writing on the inside is something B5909. 

The helmet itself looks like a front seam one with a stainless steel rim. The tac mark looks familiar for some reason. 

 

[elh1311]

54 minutes ago, The Rooster said:

Looks like Bondo  with sand....

 

Ive seen it on other helmets.

Do you happen to know what the point of the bondo is? 

[The Rooster]

You know... bondo, the stuff used to fix dents in car bodies.. could be any kind of paste like that.

Ive seen it on some helmets but its not military and its nothing that the military would do.

Its something a re enactor would do to a helmet.

Thats prob why its got it on the helmet. Somebody did it, applied paste and maybe pushed it into sand....

Painted it and Applied the logos to the sides.

Its a ww2 steel shell with Vietnam era chinstraps.

My 2 cents not definitive.

 

[elh1311]

Ah I got you. I thought there was maybe some weird military reason to do it. Nope, true story, bondo is body filler after all. 

 

 

[aef1917]

Here's another helmet with the same insignia.

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234315-sos-2015-late-50s-or-early-60s-heavy-drop-aerial-delivery-ab-helmet/&tab=comments#comment-1865288

[elh1311]

[elh1311]

19 minutes ago, aef1917 said:

Here's another helmet with the same insignia.

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234315-sos-2015-late-50s-or-early-60s-heavy-drop-aerial-delivery-ab-helmet/&tab=comments#comment-1865288

I didn't think much of the markings, was really only curious about whatever material was applied to it. Still interesting for sure. 

[aef1917]

Here's another AB helmet from what appears to be the same era with a similar heavy sand finish.

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/170125-vietnam-era-187th-inf-rakkasan-helmet-un-messed-with/

[elh1311]

45 minutes ago, aef1917 said:

Here's another AB helmet from what appears to be the same era with a similar heavy sand finish.

 

https://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/170125-vietnam-era-187th-inf-rakkasan-helmet-un-messed-with/

Man, that's a good thread! Apparently the heavy coat is called "moss paint" according to the thread. 

 

And here I was thinking it was some reenactor thing. Thanks for finding that. 

[Airborne-Hunter]

The helmet insignia in the original post above is for the quartermaster unit attached to the 11th Airborne in the 1950s.

[manayunkman]

7 hours ago, Airborne-Hunter said:

The helmet insignia in the original post above is for the quartermaster unit attached to the 11th Airborne in the 1950s.

Thanks for that ID.

 

What color are the metal clips holding the chinstrap to the helmet?

[sgtdorango]

Late 50s-Early 60s heavy moss sand texture camo, heavy drop airborne resupply unit, heres a few i have...mike

[fight]

I love the moss paint. I had a 50's AB marked one with it years ago that I still regret letting go of. 

 

- Alec

[Linedoggie]

Vehicle anti skid paint?