"Victory" Painted Hardhat

[siege1863]

You guys can have your steel pots. For me, this is the ultimate helmet--it has "been there!" Every scratch, ding, and bit of grime is testimony of its service. Add to it the incredible paintwork, you would be hard pressed to find a piece more representative of the homefront war effort.

 

This gem was worn by a worker employed by the New England Shipbuilding Corporation of Portland, Maine. The company operated under this name from April 1943 to the end of the war and constructed 236 Liberty Ships. I hope, with further research, to identify the specific area ("D5") where the man/woman worked and his/her name using the employee number ("89709").

 

 

 

[StevenL]

I agree, there's a lot of nice helmets posted on this forum but something like this really stands out. Super unique and certainly not something I'd call common! Thanks for sharing.

[KaosDad]

:twothumbup:

 

Schweet!

[doyler]

Siege,

 

Thats a great homefront item,a real piece of americana.Under appreciated and not often seen.Thanks for posting

 

RD

[Troy13]

Now that's nice. It has alot of character to it.....You just get a sense of American pride looking at it. :thumbsup:

 

Troy

[gtpcamaroz]

Very nice helmet, definitely something you don't see everyday and a fine addition to any collection.

[kphfun]

That is one cool hard hat for sure.. :thumbsup:

[Blake_E]

Very sweet

[sgtdorango]

Wow!...if you are going to collect hard hats, thats the one to have, can we see a shot of the interior?..good luck with your research too!!..and keep us posted..mike :thumbsup:

[siege1863]

The interior...

 

I do not have the helmet in hand, but I am hopeful that when I do get it, there could be a name written on the sweatband.

 

[Brian Keith]

Great helmet! Good luck with the research.

BKW

[Orgone]

As a homefront collector it truly is a great helmet.

 

Can't wait to see the repro's for sale on EBAY! :w00t:

[Bugme]

I don't collect homefront but, I would have no problem displaying one like this in my helmet collection! For the record though... I'll keep my military lids.

[APO472]

First off, awesome helmet and a great snapshot from the home front during WWII.

That being said let me offer up this for those who may be interested. If this were a “painted” 101st, 29th, Big Red One, Navy, ESB, and Ranger or pick your unit, this helmet would be immediately called in question. Since it is not, there are several lessons to be learned off this WWII Vintage, painted, home front helmet.

1. See how the paint is evenly distributed and actually appears to have “settled” into the helmet? The decorative paint looks and has aged as if it has belonged there for 65+ years. The red, the white, the OD and even the blue all have the same level of depth and patina…make sense?

2. Notice on this obscure, painted workers helmet that all the wear is “even”? The front has the same wear as the back. The sides the same as the top. The underneath the same as the top, sides and other painted parts?

Personally, I would suggest “right clicking” this helmet and saving the pics for further reference. While nothing can beat actually seeing the helmet (or any helmet) in hand, this one, since it is not what everyone “wants” can be a great reference and bench mark down the road.

 

My .02

 

Jake Powers

[siege1863]

Still awaiting the arrival of the helmet to see if it might be identified. The other day I came across an advertisement for employment at the shipyard. Note that they were hiring welding trainees as young as sixteen! The ad is dated June 1943.

 

[Brig]

that's awesome

[Sgt. Boghots]

Fantastic find, for all of the above mentioned reasons !!

 

Best regards,

Paul

[ccmax]

Very nice catch, probably unique.

[Bob Hudson]

I've had this one for quite a while and someone had suggested (as often happens with painted helmets of all sorts) that "kids did it," but having been in a kid in the era when M1 helmets were cheap and plentiful, I can't say I ever recall anyone feeling the need, or having the talent, to paint a helmet. I had thiought this one might have been painted up by a stateside worker to honor a family member in the Marines: