UBB.threads Forums Uniform & Accessories Helmet Forum m42 Afrika Korp I hope

Hi All.
This is my first of what I hope will be many posts.
I purchased this m42 a while back now, and I just wondered if someone could authenticate it for me. It has a makers mark and a number both stamped to the inner back rim and they are NS64 and then underneath what looks like D405 or D495 it's hard to tell.
I know the chin strap and I would say liner are repro's but I'm not sure of the helmet.
And if it is right would it be Africa Corps.
Cheers Kevin.

Hello,
These are copies of current manufacture that is found everywhere
The decal has no relief. The painting is by no means comparable to what it was vintage.
AND as if by magic the decal has been saved from scratches

Well so far I've seen four German helmets in the past twelve months all of which have turned out to be repros.
Could someone tell be what to look for when trying to purchase a genuine item, there must be some basic rules of thumb to help decide what is genuine and what is not.
I would really like to start collecting German Helmets in fact I'm off to a Military Fair tomorrow but it just seems to be a mine field when it comes to knowing what's right and what's not.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks Kev.

A simple question from someone who knows little about helmets:

Is that a real shell with bad paint, decals, innards, etc or is the shell bad too ?

Dave

Scratches look very deliberate and not in any sort of configuration that might be from tossing helmet around in battle conditions. Eagle decal is clearly fake. I am new too, but these are my first clues to fakeness. Just doesn't even have the been there done that look.

Harry

Try looking around you at all the old things things that are older than 70 years , examine the patina , the rust , the NATURAL wear and tear the smell of mustiness . This is just BRAND NEW . Visit museums get some books out of the library look at The Collectors Guild website . Dont drop $1500 ( the starting price of a real DAK helmet) on something you know little about . Friendly advice . Rob

I'm sorry but I don't think it's that easy. I have an M16 & M18 here in front of me that match all your criteria, the patina the wear and tear the age, rust and smell, but their both repros. I had one returned to me two months ago from Belgium, which they had to put under Ultra Violet Light to check the paint before they released it was a repro.

There is way too much going on with this helmet. The colour is more like a Mediterranean theatre or even post-war Norwegian (could be my computter monitor). The liner is bad. The scratches are obviously added. If one had better close-up photos we could determine more. It is probably a real shell that has been "upgraded" i.e. faked. Rob is right about patina, mustiness & etc. - but these can be faked as well and frequently are. My advice is to purchase only from reliable sellers who will stand behind their merchandise with a guarantee of originality. Buy some good books. Read do on line research and if possible hold some original examples in your hands.
There is no substitute for hands on learning. If you have any specific questions or if I may otherwise assist you, please feel free to send me a private email.
Cheers,
-Mike

here is my Trop m-42,which I own,,