Posted 10 years ago
kozowy1967
(25 items)
This 1944 dated BMB IMHO is one of the nicest HSATS I had ever seen come up for sale in the marketplace and so had to add it to my collection it retains all most all of its original dark brown paint and textured finish.
The liner was manufactured by BMB and is in a nice large size of 7 3/4 the crown pad is still present with the faint out line of chalk around it the sorbo rubber is still quite pliable and supple and the harness is spot on all and all a very nice helmet that has seen very little use.
The net caught my immediate attention in particular the scrim which is very vibrant in color this caused me to pause it wasn't that I could find any direct fault with it was the over all condition that had me in ah.
I have done some further research and have talked to a fellow collectors here in Canada and the UK concerning the scrim the consensus is so far that the scrim can not definitively be pegged down to war time applied this particular type of multi colored burlap scrim made its debut late in the war and was used on the larger camouflage nets on mobile equipment and gun emplacements to name a few this type of scrim was also used post war for some years till the war time supplies were depleted
The net it self is good and was mid to late war produced the scrim has been tied down and woven through this net for many years
There is a very good possibility that this net and scrim was late war applied as the condition and wear are consistent with the wear on the helmet and has left a ghost image from were it has been resting so it can stay in place right wear it is as I am quite happy with it and feel it has been on this helmet for many years and it displays rather nice.
There has been a picture drawn on the crown pad and It would appear to be a drawing of a cottage or house on a cliff face with a small sail boat in the distance and gulls on the horizon.
Perhaps it was drawn from boredom a soldier thinking about home or perhaps a child that has found a new medium to doodle on we may never really know.
Regards Mark
Very nice & the condition is not often found.
Thanks Pete and Blunderbuss2 there is a nice ghost impression left on the shell from were the net has been resting against it for eons.
Regards Mark
hi mark ,this really is a timewarp example,you are a very lucky man to find one in such condition ,thanks for showing ,james
Thanks for commenting James it is good to see you here on collectors weekly .
This is by far one of my favorite helmets in.my collection I have a lot more to post time permitting .
There are a few others names you will recognize here as well .
Regards Mark
Obviously you never put one on and wore it into combat. Be careful what you post because some of us did wear them and/or fought beside those who did and we appreciate respect. A fun collection to you haunts others
Hi fhrjr2 first off sir I would like to thank you for your service to your country but as to your comment about not showing appreciation and being disrespectful I am sorry you feel this way as I have re-read this particular post now numerous times and as far as I can see there has been nothing of a nature that I would in any way or form consider disrespectful.
I am first most a historian and a researcher and I am only the caretaker of the items that grace my collection and trying my hardest to do my small part too preserve a piece of history and have always taken care to never make light of the items and or people that may have used them.
So I challenge you sir to keep an eye on the items that I intend to share with the collecting community here and perhaps you may look at me with different eyes in the future this is meant with the utmost respect as at time things can be taken out of context while engaged in conversation on this electric medium we call the internet.
Kindest Regards Mark K