US helmets (re-enactment)

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?

Enigma, I've got a post war dutch army helmet at home. Can you turn it into a WWII one for me?

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:

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.

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...

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.

Sounds like a good idea!

Come on guys.

No one uses US helmets??

Tell me what you use, original, sand or cork finish etc...

un textured or corked would be fine i'da thought for a more 'generic' impression

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.)

Can't wait to pick it up, I've got a week off starting monday so I should be able to drive over.

These look beautiful. Skill!

MB

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.

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.

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???

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.

D-Bale, Pathfinder

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!!

Probably a newbie question, but what is corking, and why was it done?

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=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

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.

D-Bale (hence the large size marking).

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).

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).