Quandry re. WW1 M16 helmet

[saddler]

Just bought a WW1 M16 shell

I WAS (am) going to restore it for WW2 Finnish use ~ BUT ~ there's some very faded WW2 red paint/lettering on the rear:
HELL ??? "a reversed SWASTIKA" ???? GOEBBELS ???? GOERING

(the ???? are the bits that are currently illegible...)


A mate is using some photo editing software to see what the faintest letters are.


Do I go ahead and restore it, or leave it as is & keep my fingers crossed that I get lucky & find another M16 in the correct size?

[grenadier Biermann]

Get yourself another helmet shell there's a plenty for sale on E-bay or I-offer etc.

[Halle]

Get yourself another helmet shell there's a plenty for sale on E-bay or I-offer etc.

I've been after one for ages , a shell size big enough for a 60 liner ( 67/68 ? ) ... I regularly trawl ebay and ebay.de , and so far ....... Nuffink

[grenadier Biermann]

Get yourself another helmet shell there's a plenty for sale on E-bay or I-offer etc.

I've been after one for ages , a shell size big enough for a 60 liner ( 67/68 ? ) ... I regularly trawl ebay and ebay.de , and so far ....... Nuffink

O.K. I understand I will check for you another servers around the Europe How much do you want spend on it ? Cheers Biermann

[Oberleutnant Ulrich]

Get yourself another helmet shell there's a plenty for sale on E-bay or I-offer etc.

I've been after one for ages , a shell size big enough for a 60 liner ( 67/68 ? ) ... I regularly trawl ebay and ebay.de , and so far ....... Nuffink

Once you find one though...it's gonna go for €600 at least, a 64 shell go for min €300...and that's with damage.

[Halle]

Grenadier Biermann - thank you for your offer - well , I'll pay what they're worth , of course ...

Herr Leutnant , I know you are right , but ..... The Windjacke ? One has to be patient ...

Horrido !

[saddler]

Get yourself another helmet shell there's a plenty for sale on E-bay or I-offer etc.

I've been after one for ages , a shell size big enough for a 60 liner ( 67/68 ? ) ... I regularly trawl ebay and ebay.de , and so far ....... Nuffink

Once you find one though...it's gonna go for €600 at least, a 64 shell go for min €300...and that's with damage.

The cost of a replacement is the problem, as the M16 shell I have is an Si 66 - which I did not know until I received it - and exactly the shell size I require!

Having given it much thought, as the WW2 lettering is so indistinct and partly covered by some older white paint it will be close to impossible to restore it as a WW2 curio - as removing the white paint will take off the red paint underneath it.

May have to just look at a full restoration of the 66 shell instead...as that's why I bought the shell...
Pity. IF shells were more common/cheaper I'd have probably made a different decision...

[Oberleutnant Ulrich]

The shells are actually fairly common, just way over priced as it's a fad item during these goods times where so many people have the money and time for so many different hobbies...but could you maybe post a picture?

Stabs Halle, you're just one lucky SOB and you know it

[pepperpot]

and because WW1 started 100 years ago and the interest in collecting anything WW1 (across the internet).
graham

[saddler]

Well....a bit of time has passed
BUT
Saturday 4th June....crack/damage to front crown of helmet welded up.

It now looks like a WW1 M16 helmet shell again.
I just need to dress off the weld, decide on which RAL colour paint to buy, sand/prep the shell....then paint it.

I did have a nice repro chinstrap picked out from a US vendor but they've stopped listing them.
The shell has one original brass ring/clip still present, so I may use this as a template then make up/buy a pair of adjustment buckles.

Not sure on liner options yet.
May keep it WW1 type (3 pad design/leather band), may use an M31.
The aim is for a correct WW2 Finnish looking helmet, so may add a Finnish pattern liner.

At the same time I had this welded I also had a few minor weld repairs done to a Swedish M37 shell & Hungarian M38 shell.
The M37 will get a set of new cannibalised pads from a Swedish M26 helmet....the Hungarian M38 will possibly get an M31 liner.
They're both also in need of new paint.