It's an ET64 M40 with a crack on top. There appear to be two layers of paint - tan and green. The liner, the rivets, and the chinstrap are intact. This makes me wonder what caused the crack, but two of my friends pointed out that this might have been caused by a fall from a high place when the helmet was not worn. But the cracking on the shell is not entirely uncommon ... especially on the ET shell. Anyway, any real camo SS is rare and this nice verdant color must have blended into the summer green ... maybe in Normandy?

Shu

another right angle.

left

crack

crack..

crack...

inside

decal

decal..

decal...

paint ... hope you'll enjoy it!

Shu

Hi Shu,

Kool helmet even to the verdant collector.

I have a Q M-35 demonstrating cracking as well and have wondered if the cracking is a result of inherent stresses within the shell imparted during the stamping process.

Cody

Thank you Cody for your insight. You might be right as there's no visible damage from outside. Would appreciate more info.

Shu

Nice helmet. the crack will probably never be figured out, but none the less very interesting!

Beautiful SS helmet with tremendous combat character, way to go Shu!

Robert

Very Nice helmet Shu~!
You just don't see many Camo SS around at all.

I would think maybe an artillery or grenade concussion could crack a helmet like that, but I am not a metallurgist or an ordinance guy. It just seems to me like that crack was done of the field of battle. I also seen quite a few WWI German m16/18 helmets with that kind of cracking to them as well.

Very nice helmet, Shu. I would agree with Jerry that the crack was probably caused by concussion.

Cheers,

Shu,

What a great example!

Can you imagine the headache though!

Bill

Great helmet Shu.

Actually that helmet was damaged when Grenadiers from the 3rd SS-Panzer Grenadier Division "Totenkopf" assaulted the Russian 2nd line of defenses just outside Kursk in July 1943...

Er, sorry... that's just me day dreaming.

Great helmet. Regarding the green colour, is that what I have occasionally heard called "French Green". I think it was a paint used in rural areas, but I may be wrong.

Cheers,
-Mike

I think helmet shells with that sort of cracking were sometimes used to hammer in grave markers. The liner condition doesn't suggest that on this one, though.

quote:

Originally posted by darryl:
Very nice helmet, Shu. I would agree with Jerry that the crack was probably caused by concussion.

Cheers,

Can you imagine then what the concussion did to the poor soldier wearing the helmet...

Nice lid Shu!

Cool helmet Shu.
Those SS camo helmets are rare....

Great helmet ,perhaps it came of the owners head and was blown about a bit during some heavy shelling .Rob