Militaria. Sõja ajaloo portaal. WW2 history forum and topsites

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We are two Dutch brothers, who recently started with metal detecting. Already found some interesting stuff. We are going to need your help with finding out, what it is.

M35 DD Kriegsmarine - ET64 - Lot# 4084

I pulled this one out this weekend. I don’t recall if I have posted it before but double decal navy helmets aren’t that common so I am posting it today (again?). It is one from the first ET run, an ET64 with lot #4084, complete with an unreinforced aluminum banded liner and strap. It was definitely in the field - there are circular stains on the leather from when it was rested on the soldier’s gas mask canister. The Adler has taken a few unfortunate hits but the tri color is nearly 100%! There are numbers and what I think is a name written (in pencil?) on the apron. The paint has what some charitably describe as patina - I call it rust. Not mint, but a real “been there” piece. Hope you like it. Jim G.

Click to enlarge the picture

Harvard trainer spade grip

Something I acquired several weeks ago as a project to undertake while in lockdown. The spade grip was a rough cast alloy grip in much need of cleaning up before going any further with it. Casting seams needed grinding out and the hole for the firing button needed enlarging slightly. The actual control column is in ‘as found’ condition when removed from the trainer, and the brass firing button is a high-end reproduction. Pictures of the grip were taken after filing and polishing.

After finishing the preliminary clean-up I polished out the scratches, and then I set about installing the two air lines which were actually lengths of car brake pipe. A bracket was then fashioned to clamp the pipes to the upright portion of the grip.The Harvard spade grip differs from that used by RAF fighters, there being no provision for a brake lever, so that was one job less to do. I then installed the firing button and painted the grip and allowed it to dry before distressing the paintwork… on reflection I might have gone over the top with this. The next job was the grip covering. I tried whipping the grip with cord and then painted it black, but somehow it didn’t look right. After some experimenting on a piece of tube I decided to cover the alloy in black Milliput resin putty, and then wrap string around it haphazardly. After removing the string I repeated the process, removed the string… and then went over the whole lot with a soft brush and water to remove any unwanted marks from strands of string. After everything had dried I went over the brass ‘fire’ button with gun blue cream to dull it down a bit, and the dried putty was sanded down with fine wet & dry. The end result isn’t perfect, but it doesn’t look too bad. All that remains to be done is to reattach the grip to the control column.
Cheers,
Steve

Click to enlarge the picture

Need help! Supposed Danish resistance M42

Hello Forum,

I´ve come across this, certainly odd looking helmet, which the seller claims to be an Danish Resistance helmet.

Its an ET 66, with the Lotnr. 4574, so its in the ND range, probably produced arround 1944. The liner seems original to me, with the chinstrap probably original aswell, although i dont really have knowledge about these.

The grey paint i can see, looks original to me, although its hard to determine. The inside shows a bit of rust, but it lools unmolested at first glance.

Then we have the top layer, a darker red and a big, white cross above, both looks like it was applied with a brush, the paint has come of in quite a few places, and seems to have a age to it, but i´m too fresh in the hobby and to unexperienced to definitly make any judgement about that.

I have done a bit of research, and i´ve found quite a few german helmets captured by the danish resistance, but none of the was painted in this manner, all had danish flags in the decal area, and only was was additionally painted red. I have found one similar paintwork, but that was on an original Danish helmet, with a far stronger and thicker layer of paint, but in the same fashion.

So i ask you, what do you think about it? Just a modern mockup, or a real piece of history? Any opinions and help would be greatly appreciated, as always!