Description
This original restored M18 is maker marked ET66 and was made in the waning days of the Great War. It has been restored and distressed to look like it might have been worn by a member of the SS-Verfügungstruppe during the invasion and perhaps discovered years later in a forgotten Polish attic.
The helmet was fully stripped of post-war paint then repainted the correct shade of WWI field gray. The helmet was then brush painted with another coat of 1930s field gray paint. Most of the SS-VT helmets were old WWI helmets refurbished by the depots. In this case the old WWI liner was retained, but newer brass split pins were installed and a M35 chinstrap with aluminum hardware was utilized. The chinstrap has all original hardware, the leather is vintage and definitely looks the part. Both decal were applied using period resins. The SS runes in this case being the C.A. Poucher variant which is what the depot used.
The helmet has been heavily distressed to look like it was battle worn and forgotten in an old Polish attic. There is a small hairline crack probably actual war time damage that was worked into the aging. Only a small number SS-VT M18 helmets are known to exist. This would be a great helmet to fill out your collection.
