Enigma Posted May 12, 2007 Share Posted May 12, 2007 I was wondering what kind of US helmets you use in the UK?? Originals? Replica's like postwar Dutch ones? What finish, cork (WW2) or sand (postwar). Are helmets readily available, expensive, good quality?? Swivel, fixed or D-Bales?Correct hardware/fasteners? And liners? WW2 or post war? For Airborne, with A-yokes riveted under the webbing? female press thingy installed? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 Enigma, I've got a post war dutch army helmet at home. Can you turn it into a WWII one for me? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted May 14, 2007 Share Posted May 14, 2007 Simple... There's a fair few original pots over here but there's Dutch ones PW US ones pretty much the same as everywhere else. & If you're lucky an original front seam from a car boot for £3 *ahem* :whistle: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted May 14, 2007 Author Share Posted May 14, 2007 Enigma, I've got a post war dutch army helmet at home. Can you turn it into a WWII one for me? Hi Joris I've got 15 marked helmets in store. 6 new in the making at the moment and a batch of unaltered in stock waiting to be corked and marked. Also some D-Bale and Fixed bale in production... What did you have in mind??? Bodge, indeed...I was lucky to get a stripped but otherwise good condition Fixed bale a while back for free!! A neighbour had it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Not sure yet, have ordered a standard infantry uniform with Haversack kit to be able to display something else then a Paratrooper too but no clue what unit I want to be... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted May 15, 2007 Author Share Posted May 15, 2007 Not sure yet, have ordered a standard infantry uniform with Haversack kit to be able to display something else then a Paratrooper too but no clue what unit I want to be... You could at first get yourself a corked but unmarked helmet till you decide. Got a unmarked made for myself so I can use it for every division, next to the div marked ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted May 15, 2007 Share Posted May 15, 2007 Sounds like a good idea! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted May 25, 2007 Author Share Posted May 25, 2007 Come on guys. No one uses US helmets?? Tell me what you use, original, sand or cork finish etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodge Deep Posted May 25, 2007 Share Posted May 25, 2007 un textured or corked would be fine i'da thought for a more 'generic' impression Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 (edited) Here a example of a helmet I made for myself.D-Bale made from a Dutch post war shell. No aging 135th Airborne Div... 502th PIR 507th PIR. (it turns out these markings are 504.) Edited June 16, 2014 by Enigma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joris Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 Can't wait to pick it up, I've got a week off starting monday so I should be able to drive over. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snapper Posted April 22, 2008 Share Posted April 22, 2008 These look beautiful. Skill! MB Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted April 22, 2008 Author Share Posted April 22, 2008 Thanks guys! Post war shell, Infantry helmet. I wanted to make a 4 panel medic helmet on a WW2 front Seam, swivel bale but because of my accident I am not able to use my right hand properly at the moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted May 24, 2008 Author Share Posted May 24, 2008 Here a original front seam restored as a 4 panel medic helmet. No straps yet, can´t decide wheter to make a infantry or airborne helmet. The photo doesn´t show the aging well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted June 2, 2008 Share Posted June 2, 2008 You're doing a good job with these mate - they look like works of art!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Are you bringing any to W&P this year??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 2, 2008 Author Share Posted June 2, 2008 (edited) You're doing a good job with these mate - they look like works of art!! :thumbsup: :thumbsup: Are you bringing any to W&P this year??? Thanks mate. I do want to bring a few, not sure what price to put on them though. Edited March 17, 2015 by Enigma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 10, 2008 Author Share Posted June 10, 2008 D-Bale, Pathfinder Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArtistsRifles Posted June 10, 2008 Share Posted June 10, 2008 Thanks mate.I do want to bring a few, not sure what price to put on them though. Bring 'em over - take a nose around the trade stools when they open and work a price out that you and the customers will be happy with after doing so!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lauren Child Posted June 11, 2008 Share Posted June 11, 2008 Probably a newbie question, but what is corking, and why was it done? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 12, 2008 Author Share Posted June 12, 2008 Probably a newbie question, but what is corking, and why was it done? The paint has little cork particles in it. The idea is to diminish reflections by the course appearance. However cork gets flattened with use and the matting effect gets lost. Post war they used very fine sand. In the end a cloth camocover was used, this works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashley Posted June 13, 2008 Share Posted June 13, 2008 quote=Enigma;81479] Thanks mate, not sure what price to put on them though. Hi Enigma, did you have any last year at the show ? what expiriance can you draw from then ? Maybe a tour of the U.S. re-enacting camps / vehicle owners armed with a couple of helmets and lots of photo`s of the different insignia available. Will have a chat with a friend of mine see what he comes up with. Ashley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 16, 2008 Author Share Posted June 16, 2008 (edited) It seems you Brits want WW2 shells, not post war ones. My artwork was good, the cork texture not so good in retrospect. In the meantime I improved the texture. I am going to strip some of my old helmets to make better ones. I did manage to scrounge some original swivel bale, front seam WW2 shells. Also restored a original Fixed bale. For comparison a few photo's. First is a original Schlueter's cork, the 2nd my fine cork structure. I also use a bit larger corkparticles, original WW2 shells come in various cork particle sizes. This is a Front seam WW2 shell. Edited March 17, 2015 by Enigma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 19, 2008 Author Share Posted June 19, 2008 (edited) D-Bale (hence the large size marking). Edited June 16, 2014 by Enigma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 (edited) Here another 501 PIR helmet. But, with a difference... This one is a swivel bale with a marking like used during Market Garden (smaller). The same markings but smaller than the D-Day helmets Next a 504 PIR helmet (swivel bale). Edited October 11, 2008 by Enigma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Enigma Posted June 29, 2008 Author Share Posted June 29, 2008 (edited) Disregard the corking on this helmet, its a older generation...my latest generation have way better corkstructure. I show this one to display the artwork. (Handpainted, no sticker!). (Actually, I've been busy stripping some of my older generation helmets to make better ones). Edited June 29, 2008 by Enigma Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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