Field Repainted Helmets

Many helmets were repainted at some point in time during the course of their use as a piece of field combat equipment.  This was done either out of necessity or simply at a time when a given helmet was being reissued.  Field repainted helmets generally exhibit interesting layered features such as multiple coats of paint and decals.  Field repainting was generally done in such a way that paint was applied by hand using a paint brush.  When done in this way, the fresh coat of paint can be discerned from the factory applied finish in the sense that small paint brush strokes are often evident in the final finish.  Often times the inside rim as well as the dome of the helmet was also refinished.  Helmets bearing repainted domes generally indicate that the liner in the helmet was removed and replaced at the time of refinishing.  The helmet shown at right was found in the attic of an old home near Novi Sad, Yugoslavia.  This helmet bears testimony to a long service record of both ceremonial and combat use.  Three distinct coats of paint and decals are discernable on the helmet.  The first layer is a standard smooth finished factory field-grey color with a double decal combination bearing the first pattern runic shield and National Socialist Party emblem.  The second coat of paint is a smooth black finish applied to the outside and inside rim with a second set of first pattern decals applied on top of the first.  Finally, the helmet has been reissued for combat use and hand repainted on the outside and inside rim with a thick field-gray paint.  The third set of decals has been applied on top of the second set of decals.  The fact that the third set of decals has crazed is a feature directly associated with the decals having been applied on top of a slightly wet coat of paint.  This helmet clearly shows that many black SS helmets were reissued for field use at some point prior to 1940.

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This Information Track provides historical facts pertaining to Waffen-SS M1935 field repainted helmets.  Individual links related to this subject are outlined below.