WW1 Austrian Helmet Colour

[Rogatywka]

I'm restoring an M17 Stahlhelm as an Austrian helmet and want to paint it Isonzo Brown.

 I've Googled Isonzo Brown helmet pics and everyone looks a different colour from desert sand through to milk chocolate brown !

Please could I have some advice on which modern shade is closest to the true colour ? Is there a RAL reference number for it ?

[peregrinvs]

Like Feldgrau or Khaki, there would not have been one single exact correct shade of Isonzo Brown. Rather there would have been a range of very similar colours that varied slightly from batch to batch.

 

Personally I would spend some time looking at as many images of original paint as you can find and building up in your mind what a typical colour would be. Then look at some modern paint charts and pick what you think is the nearest. 
 

I had a quick go and thought RAL 8008 Olive Brown might be a possibility. Also look at model paint ranges such as Humbrol and Revell.

Edited 30 April , 2020 by peregrinvs

[Rogatywka]

Thank you. RAL 8008 seemed a possible candidate to me as well.

[Michael Haselgrove]

Rogatywka,

Sounds like you have an interesting project.  Peregrinvs is, of course, correct that the original shade of colour varied slightly from batch to batch.  However, having looked at the photos on the internet I can see your problem.  Of course, the shade of paint may vary today because of storage conditions in the last 100 years but I think many of the helmets shown on the internet have seen service since the Great War or have been re-painted much more recently.

In case it helps I attach several photos showing original paint finishes.  The first is a German M16/17 shell supplied to Austria and fitted/painted by them.  The second is an Italian helmet captured and re-fitted/painted by the Austrians and the last is a standard, factory finish.

I hope this helps and good luck with the project.

Michael.   

[Rogatywka]

Thank you both for your advice.

 I'm going for RAL 8008 Olive Brown to see how it looks.

During the present Kung Flu unpleasantness, the only place I could buy an aerosol can was French eBay. So I've got a frustrating wait while it's delivered.

In the meantime, I have ordered an Austrian liner and split rivets from Collect-Helmets in the Czech Republic.

I will post some pics of the helmet after painting to show how it looks.

[Rogatywka]

The helmet is now finished.

As it was from a batch of film prop helmets and I it bought on German eBay for 40 EUR , I don't think it looks too bad now.

When I got it, it had been overpainted Feldgrau on top of Flecktarn Brown. It had a weird liner constructed from 4 WW1 German-type leather liner pockets glued onto a German M31 rim. The best bit was that it had an Austrian chinstrap and chinstrap lugs and I've never seen a repro like that before - they all seem to be German M16/17 or M18 "lookalikes". It also has a spurious GBN66 marking on the inside skirt (do the Chinese repros have that ?). Altogether, something of an oddball.

My professional model builder son wants to age it but I'm not sure.

I know it's a replica but I don't think I'll be able to afford a real one now without my wife divorcing me.

The last time I bought an M16 was in 1969 when I was still at school and I paid £20 for it !

Back then I had 3 M16s, including a camo one, all with liners and chinstraps, original paint and good sizes (2 64s and a 66). All gone long ago due to spending too much on beer at university , marriage, mortgage, family, etc. (sigh) !

 

Edited 1 June , 2020 by Rogatywka