Recent content by Robert

Now that's strange indeed, as you point out the only correct way to display the diamonds is from top-left to bottom-right, with the diamond at the top-left corner being white. Maybe a contract work done outside of Bavaria with improvised tools (and lacking proper specifications)? Only in...

That was a good idea, when looking at the rim from the inside you can see that the shell is made of two or three layers. BTW just now I saw that they did a remarkably sloppy job of sewing - look at the wave on the first image right below the eagle. > I haven't said Merry Christmas for a while...

I'm the third from left :D We are located close by the foothills of the Alps, 40km south of Munich. The town's name is Schaftlach, or Scaftloh in medieval times which meant "forest at the marshland". The town was probably founded in the 8th century but there are no records from that time. In...

It is difficult to describe a sound, it is a high pitch, somehow "thin" or "hollow". The feeling is matte or dull, not smooth. The visors on that linked helmet on ebay are shiny, they are probably like the synthetic material I have seen on a few helmets (in fact I have one made that way), the...

Hi all, this sorry helmet won't win prizes for it's condition but I have wondered about the material. I have handled several ersatz helmets made of synthetic materials but none exact like this. At the rear visor you can see that it is extremely fragile there, it seems that it is more the lacquer...

Hi all, after being away for some time I am dropping by again with a few pictures of a beat up M15 (in the helmet section) and of an event in my home town. This year we celebrated our 1000th anniversary with a three day medieval market and a historic parade depicting the various ages. I took...

Particularly I liked Ernst Weckerlings story! The short episode at the end of his interview is the only period source I know of that tells something about the handling of removable M15 spikes in practice. He says the spikes were collected in bags before the battle, so it wasn't the soldiers...

Could this be Landgendarmerie? I think they used dragoon style helmets.

I guess it's from a signaling unit. The technology gap between the German "Blinker" and the fully integrated French equipment is compelling :D

Good point about the sweat band, it would usually indeed be oilskin. Often it is difficult to tell (http://www.pickelhaubes.com/bb/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=3847).

I had one of these some time ago, it was very aged and the iron parts were rusted. Definitely it was identical in every aspect. The spike and plate were brass but it was darkened and I think this is also the case in the pictured helmet. The internals were the same, just a sweat band and no sign...

It's just a humorous poem, sort of: Who knows work and does not cop out is crazy. Great picture! There are several extra brass spikes and parts at front, so maybe they exchanged these parts for M15 style? The helmets at the rear look bogged down, dented and missing the front brim.

Naw, thats for holding the the Paradebusch. :D

Nice! I guess it could pass as green when no suitable cloth was available.

Amazing! There is an original Raupe on German Ebay, allthough the condition does not match your helmet. 251203408768 http://www.ebay.de/itm/Helm-Raupenhelm-Pickelhaube-Ersatzteil-Original-/251203408768?pt=Militaria&hash=item3a7ce3d380 Anyway the offer provides some pictures of the structure...