TheSamba.com :: View topic

Wed Jun 05, 2019 1:40 am

Hi guys,

Is there anyone on here who knows a bit about the WW2 era helmets worn by the air-raid wardens in the Wolfsburg factory? I have opportunity to buy one at a fair price, but I admit my knowledge of them is minimal.

A good friend of mine is a serious, knowledgeable WW2 collector with a large hoard of weapons, uniforms & helmets, and even has a wartime half-track and a schwimmenwagen, has sourced the helmet for me through his contacts and vouches for its authenticity as genuine WW2 luftschutz (air-raid) helmet, but doesn't know enough about the position of the cog logo to say whether it's a real Wolfsburg helmet or not. On this one, the cog logo is on the very top of the helmet, whereas most of them I've seen have it on the side. I'll attach all the pics I have at the moment.

I'd appreciate any advice or input from you fellas, if you think you have anything to add! :D

Wed Jun 05, 2019 1:59 am

I am sorry, but this is one of the most iditotic and bad fake I have ever seen. I will hope hat you didn't pay any money for this helmet.

Wed Jun 05, 2019 2:29 am

Thanks Bjorn,
Lol, well that's what I posted on here for I guess! I was very aware of how many fakes there are around, can you tell me what you think is so fake about it? I'm learning, here. As I said before, I haven't bought anything yet
I've done a little searching around the internet since posting here and just a look at google images shows some helmets with the logo on the top, although they do seem to have the cog around the logo as one solid cog, rather than separated into sections like this one. - what else can you tell me about it? :)

Wed Jun 05, 2019 5:12 am

Björn Schewe wrote: I am sorry, but this is one of the most iditotic and bad fake I have ever seen. I will hope hat you didn't pay any money for this helmet.

x2 for this. Someone simply spray painted that logo on. Hilariously terrible.

Wed Jun 05, 2019 5:42 am

Yes, it's definitely stencilled. I'm in touch with a serious collector of WW2 helmets who has 200-300 of the things. He's seen this one in the flesh, & his opinion is as follows:

"Without doubt the logo is stencilled with paint - it is not a water slide decal.
I have seen stencilled cogs, it is quite common that late war material and equipment is improvised - almost everything was in short supply.
The difference in quality between pre/early war, and late war is absolutely astounding.
I imagine this helmet is later war because the felt pads are composite material, and the ‘leather’ strap, looks like some synthetic pseudo material."

Does anyone have any info on how we could tell when the logo was stencilled on? As of now it might've been during the war, or ten years ago! :lol:

Wed Jun 05, 2019 12:04 pm

So if this is so horrible what does a real one look like?

Wed Jun 05, 2019 12:12 pm

That's what I'd like to know too mate! :D
I was hoping there would be a real kdf-wagen nerd on here who would be able to shed a little more light onto the topic. I've seen helmets where the logo is painted neatly on, some with it stencilled, some with it on the side, and some with it on top. It's not as if stencilling wasn't very common in the war either - look at all the vehicles with stencilled on regiments or divisions, etc.
I'm also very aware how many fake versions of these there are, so finding a real one must be quite rare.