MK1 * Helmets

[Foggster]

I have a helmet which at first glance seems to be a bog standard MKII helmet . All the dates match ( liner & shell ) , the only thing is , the bale rivets are split , not a stud shape . Could this be a MKI * that has had the shell stamped 1939 ?

[peregrinvs]

No, it’s a MkII helmet made by Rubery Owen & Co in 1939. MkI* helmets weren’t re-stamped. If you scroll down in this old thread, you can see my MkI* helmet that was repurposed as a civil defence helmet in WWII. The WWI shell stampings weren’t altered.

 

[Foggster]

If that's right , not doughting you by the way , why would it have split rivets ?

[peregrinvs]

Some form of later modification, but why I couldn’t tell you. If you Google for pictures of ROCO 1939 marked helmets, the chinstrap attachments are riveted on.

[4thGordons]

Can I piggy back here to ask for opinions.

I am completing a WWII RAF display and have been on the look out for an RAF painted helmet for a while - just got this one.

Looking at it - it appears to me to perhaps be a relined/reused earlier helmet (MkI*?).  I can find no sign of markings on it at all anywhere.

Thoughts please? (apologies for the pictures I'll try and retake some)

Chris

 

Edited 16 September by 4thGordons

[peregrinvs]

That’s a post-WWII Belgian copy of a MkII helmet. The blue colour is probably for their airforce.

This article might be of interest if you wanted to make something for display purposes.

http://www.wadhamsfamilyhistory.co.uk/RAFsteelhelmetrestoration.pdf

Edited 16 September by peregrinvs

[4thGordons]

 

15 minutes ago, peregrinvs said:

That’s a post-WWII Belgian copy of a MkII helmet. The blue colour is probably for their airforce.

This article might be of interest if you wanted to make something for display purposes.

http://www.wadhamsfamilyhistory.co.uk/RAFsteelhelmetrestoration.pdf

Thanks!

[Foggster]

You could always source an original chinstrap and matching dated liner ! I have done that myself for a present for my son in law who was in the R.N.

Edited 16 September by Foggster

[4thGordons]

Thanks -- I have a number of fully original MkII helmets so I am not too concerned about this one. I intend to display it with a set of 1925 Pattern webbing mounted under auxiliary straps for carrying so it will probably do as is for a placeholder.

CHris

[peregrinvs]

For future reference, there’s no great mystery to spotting a MkI* helmet. It is simply a WWI helmet - with the slightly different shell shape and WWI type markings - refitted with the WWII type liner, chinstrap and chinstrap attachments. The liner and chinstrap attachments can have late 1930’s dates, but the shell was otherwise left unaltered.

Unfortunately a lot of MkII helmets get misdescribed as being a MkI* helmet on eBay - either out of ignorance or in an attempt to increase the value of a MkII helmet. The excuse for this is often the presence of a pre/early WWII MkI liner*.

The MKI* seems to be a fairly scarce beast. I think I’ve seen significantly more unaltered WWI MkI helmets for sale.

 

*The late 1930’s MkI liner fitted to the MkI* and early MkII helmets, not the liner fitted to the WWI MkI helmet.