German Helmet Vault

It must seem like a strange subject title. Usually we do not associate the term “Double decal” with 1940 unless we are talking about Polizei or SS helmets.

For collectors (myself included ) 1940 is the year that double decalled Wehrmacht helmets died.

But I bought last sunday on a fair in Holland a nice double decal Luftwaffe helmet… with a 1940 dated liner band and 40 dated rivets. A fellow collector shared the print out of my lot number list. I knew that this particular number was in there. Number 4780. Maker code Q 66.

I just wanted to see if the steel liner was recorded on other examples for this lot number but also on lot numbers surrounding this one.  … It was… and also on Double decal Luftwaffe helmets.

I will first show the helmet and continue below.

What I usually do when I add a new helmet to my collection is look for helmets with a similar lot number or with lot numbers close by.

The best source for finding helmets corresponding to numbers in my Lot numbers list is the German Helmet Walhalla forum. Just put the lot number in the search box.

It gave me this nice camouflage helmet to compare with. Same 4780 number, steel liner band.

Photos courtesy of Anders L

The other one I found came as a little bit of a surprise because it’s one I used to own but had forgotten about ! Lot number 4768 is another 1940 dated DD Luftwaffe.

If you look at Quist lot numbers from low to high , you expect the logic to be low = early , high is late. But if you look at the Quist M35 lot numbers the liner band dates jump around and it is hard to see a logic in them.

Here’s just a small sample that shows how chaotic Quist is.

M35	2922	Q 66	DD Polizei	alu liner
M35	3053	Q 62	DD Heer	alu liner
M35	3058	Q 64	DD Heer	alu reinforced liner 1939
M35	3061	Q 62	SD Heer – reissue	alu reinforced liner
M35	3168	Q 64	DD SS	alu reinforced liner
M35	3168	Q 64	DD LW	alu liner 1937
M35	3173	Q 64	DD Heer	alu reinforced liner 1939
M35	3173	Q 64	DD SS	alu reinforced liner
M35	3175	Q 62	DD LW	alu reinforced liner
M35	3200	Q 64	DD LW	alu liner 1937
M35	3212	Q 64	SD Heer	alu liner
M35	3226	Q 64	DD LW	alu reinforced liner
M35	3233	Q 64	DD Heer	alu reinforced liner 1939
M35	3233	Q 64	SD SS	alu reinforced liner
M35	3233	Q 64	DD SS	alu reinforced liner
M35	3301	Q 66	SD Heer	alu liner 1937
M35	3478	Q 62	DD Polizei – reissue	alu reinforced liner
M35	3478	Q 62	DD Polizei – reissue	alu reinforced liner 1939
M35	3478	Q 62	DD Polizei – reissue	steel liner 1940

When we look further down we come across an interesting batch of lot numbers , number 21441. The first one is also in my collection and it has the same brand of 1940 dated rivets. Yes it is a factory single decal reissue but look at the others , they are DD’s.

M35	21441	Q 68	SD LW – reissue	alu reinforced liner 1939
M35	21441	Q 68	DD LW	alu reinforced liner 1939
M35	21441	Q 68	DD LW	alu reinforced liner 1939
M35	21441	Q 68	DD LW	alu reinforced liner
M35	21441	Q 68	DD LW	alu reinforced liner
M35	21441	Q 68	DD LW	steel liner 1940
M35	21446	Q 68	DD LW	steel liner 1940

Here’s my SD reissue example :

And here another helmet of lot 21441 as a DD Luftwaffe.  Note the round cornered D rings which indicates a 1940 dated liner band.

Photos courtesy of C. Roelens.

You can find more detailed photos of this helmet on the German Helmet Walhalla forum if you click here.

It’s clear from the examples provided (and there are many more) that Quist in 1940 was still assembling Double decal Luftwaffe helmets. So far I have not observed a similar practice with the other factories.

It will I hope make us look with a more open mind when we come across a 1940 steel (or aluminium) liner band in an M35 DD Luftwaffe by Quist.

Have a great sunday , your comments are appreciated.

Happy hunting,

Frank