brookswillhelmhausii Posted October 25, 2022 Share #1 Posted October 25, 2022 https://www.reddit.com/r/Militariacollecting/comments/ydbvb4/alright_fellas_second_times_the_charm_what_do_i/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf My family has had this piece for some years now and I’m curious what you guys think of it’s legitimacy. Please let me know! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickman983 Posted October 25, 2022 Share #2 Posted October 25, 2022 To make this topic easier to view here, these are the photos from the reddit thread Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickman983 Posted October 25, 2022 Share #3 Posted October 25, 2022 I'm fairly certain this is a repo The paint on the markings looks like it has an age wash applied to them. The majority of the chips on the helmet seem to be focused on the markings. You'd expect a more consistent wear across the helmet if they were original. The chinstraps on the shell look to be reproduction. The liner is a standard m1 helmet liner that was converted by someone after WWII to look like a WWII paratrooper liner. I believe the A yolks are the wrong color but more importantly the rivets for the a washers have been messed with where the yolks are attached. Given all of this I doubt the shell is an original M2 but pictures of the bails would help verify whether it's an original M2 or if it's a M1 that's been converted to an M2. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P-59A Posted October 25, 2022 Share #4 Posted October 25, 2022 So, I looked at your link. I don't have issues with the obsevations made but to be fair do some of the things they asked. Detailed pics are in order. The D bails, yokes, liner dome stamp, chin strap bar tac etc. The stamp inside the lid would be nice too. These helmet lids ran in numbers that the experts know about. The yokes look like they have the Westinghouse buckles on them...Like I said I'm trying to fair here. Everyone is gonna want to see close ups of this or that so get your pics ready to send. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502PIR Posted October 25, 2022 Share #5 Posted October 25, 2022 Please sen photos of bales and number inside the Shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookswillhelmhausii Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share #6 Posted October 25, 2022 Just now, 502PIR said: Please sen photos of bales and number inside the Shell. How do I get there? I’ll try my best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratasfan Posted October 25, 2022 Share #7 Posted October 25, 2022 1 minute ago, brookswillhelmhausii said: How do I get there? I’ll try my best. You would remove the liner (loosen the chin strap that is hooked over the shell brim, and it should slide out) and then you should be able to see the bales and the stamps inside the shell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookswillhelmhausii Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share #8 Posted October 25, 2022 2 minutes ago, stratasfan said: You would remove the liner (loosen the chin strap that is hooked over the shell brim, and it should slide out) and then you should be able to see the bales and the stamps inside the shell. Just did that. She doesn’t want to come loose at all? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickman983 Posted October 25, 2022 Share #9 Posted October 25, 2022 1 minute ago, brookswillhelmhausii said: Just did that. She doesn’t want to come loose at all? May be a dumb question but did you undo the snaps on the side of the liner? Assuming you did you may just need to work it a bit. Start around the brim but just don't use too much force. Also, while you're taking pictures, grab a picture of the liner manufacturer. The logo should be in the crown. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502PIR Posted October 25, 2022 Share #10 Posted October 25, 2022 We need a picture as it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookswillhelmhausii Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share #11 Posted October 25, 2022 3 minutes ago, 502PIR said: We need a picture as it https://imgur.com/a/VHcMFHm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookswillhelmhausii Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share #12 Posted October 25, 2022 7 minutes ago, Nickman983 said: May be a dumb question but did you undo the snaps on the side of the liner? Assuming you did you may just need to work it a bit. Start around the brim but just don't use too much force. Also, while you're taking pictures, grab a picture of the liner manufacturer. The logo should be in the crown. https://imgur.com/a/VHcMFHm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brookswillhelmhausii Posted October 25, 2022 Author Share #13 Posted October 25, 2022 24 minutes ago, stratasfan said: You would remove the liner (loosen the chin strap that is hooked over the shell brim, and it should slide out) and then you should be able to see the bales and the stamps inside the shell. https://imgur.com/a/VHcMFHm Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickman983 Posted October 25, 2022 Share #14 Posted October 25, 2022 Thanks for the pictures. For ease of viewing on this thread, these are the photos that were uploaded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nickman983 Posted October 25, 2022 Share #15 Posted October 25, 2022 The pictures of the heatstamp and the bails confirm that this is not a M2 helmet. Original airborne M2s would have been early WWII production and had a low heat stamp number. This one has a heat stamp number of 1045F it looks like. This should be a late war swivel bail M1 helmet but someone has removed the swivel bails and added reproduction D bails to make it look like a M2. The feet on the D bails are not the right size/shape for an original. My assumption is that this is either a reenacting piece or possibly a museum representation piece. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stratasfan Posted October 25, 2022 Share #16 Posted October 25, 2022 25 minutes ago, brookswillhelmhausii said: https://imgur.com/a/VHcMFHm 15 minutes ago, brookswillhelmhausii said: https://imgur.com/a/VHcMFHm 25 minutes ago, brookswillhelmhausii said: https://imgur.com/a/VHcMFHm Please post the pictures directly on to the forum, as dead links later make threads unusable. There are many ways to easily put images in a thread/reply: If they are already hosted on another website, it is very easy to simply right-click and "Copy Image" or "Copy Image Link" and then paste it into the reply on this forum . . . it will then be hosted here and appear as an image directly in your post! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elh1311 Posted October 25, 2022 Share #17 Posted October 25, 2022 Repro chinstraps, repro chincup, feet are too long on the bales and the tac mark is too big and overly stylized. That's just from a 30 second glance. Pretty certain the tac mark (spade) denotes 2/506th PIR, of which no known 2/506 PIR tac marked M2 exists. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmar836 Posted October 26, 2022 Share #18 Posted October 26, 2022 Agreed. A repro 506 helmet. Every tell is there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Rooster Posted October 26, 2022 Share #19 Posted October 26, 2022 Another tell for me is the chips in the bars and symbols. They are all similar. Uniform looking in a way. Un Natural. Not occuring randomly. No scratches etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigschuss Posted October 26, 2022 Share #20 Posted October 26, 2022 A pristine netted, captain barred, follow me striped, 506th helmet with no provenance just laying around the family home.....this was dead on arrival I'm afraid. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
502PIR Posted October 26, 2022 Share #21 Posted October 26, 2022 All not Good. Sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BullyMaguire Posted October 26, 2022 Share #22 Posted October 26, 2022 The main question is are you wearing pants? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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