3)I think that if you used bolts, you would have to be dam sure you were putting it in the correct position and it fit like a glove, because if you later realised you needed to change it, you would need a new chinstrap.
I'm not sure what you mean about loops, maybe that is later version airborne helmets?
In the picture I posted above you can clearly see the leather chinstrap held in place with a nut through one of the eyelets.

























Green canvas is post war/belgian





"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
3)I think that if you used bolts, you would have to be dam sure you were putting it in the correct position and it fit like a glove, because if you later realised you needed to change it, you would need a new chinstrap.
I'm not sure what you mean about loops, maybe that is later version airborne helmets?
In the picture I posted above you can clearly see the leather chinstrap held in place with a nut through one of the eyelets.
Sorry mate, I couldnt see the eyelets on my pc. As far as loops, yeah mine is very late war.
Gadge, Apparently, green canvass/webbing straps were about at the time of Op:Varsity, but I cant remember where I heard that.











Yeah I know dude.
So Green Canvass is Suez, and webbing with KG3 colour is late war. Not having seen a canvass strap, whats the difference?





All war helmet web straps are unblancoed sand colour.





"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
All war helmet web straps are unblancoed sand colour.
Not all of them
Have seen some that have the khaki material on the sprung sides with the main strap itself being green US style HBT material
No sprung sides on the airborne helmets dude, thats the infantry one.
Sorry,didnt read the post properly-thought it was about Mk2 helmets
RE Airborne chinstraps-all theBritish Airborne helmets i have ever had(all 4!!!!)WW2,1956 and 1972 dated have all had TAN chinstraps-only green ones ive ever seen are on post war Belgian Airborne helmets and of course the Kevlar modern type
Had a feeling that was what you had done.
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I have seen a 1944 airborne helmet with blancoed chin strap, think that was done post war mind.
My 1st Airborne helmets were Belgian ones when they were quite easy to get hold of and not silly money(as EVERYTHING Airborne is
).
Chinstrap is more or less exactly the same as Brit ones but a green colour and the webbing is slightly narrower.Painted it with some matt emulsion(the chinstrap)and it looked pretty close to the Brit Khaki colour.
South staffords badge has a smal bi of fine sackcloth behind it
Does that bit of hessian cover the back of the crown as well?
Cheers
CHThree

























no just the open bits of the knot





"I think we are in rats' alley - Where the dead men lost their bones."
Good, that's what I've done. ![]()

























Sorry guys, Forgot to check out this thread.
Right then, Look away if you are easily upset by "Valdalising" Old Kit.
Tools Required are pretty simple, an electric Drill with a bit, Soldering Iron and a pair of strong wire cutters.
Materials are basically aproximatly 6" of the thick(about 2mm) wire found in 3 phase Cable, and some solder.
Find the Back of the Helmet, and drill two holes just above the rolled rim, just a little wider apart than the thickness of the chinstrap.
Next feed the bare wire through both holes from the back, leave enough space for the chinstrap to move freely and solder the two ends together, trimming off any exess.
Now all you have to do is hide the 1/2" or so of shiny wire at the back of the helmen, I did this pretty well I think, First I fixed it in place on the outside using epoxy resin. Once this has set, I cover and smooth it with Miliput. Again, leave till its set again, then paint the whole helmet, including the wire. Finally, I then put a net helmet net and Hessian skrim on the helmet, and made sure the alteration was covered.
This is'nt a perfect solution, but It did me for quite a few years, until I manadged to find a reletivly cheep Post war helmet. Nobody will notice it isnt a genuine para helmet, because of the skrim, unless they are handling it.
Syd,
What sort of drill bit did you use on the RAC helmet? It's manganese steel, and the titanium nitride drill bits I have just don't do it.
Cheers CHThree

























My small-pack is an original '39 dated [thought also bears a smaller broad arrow mark with "37" below it] item still holding well with it's original blanco, and when I acquired it, it was filthy. So when I gave it a good warm wash, a stencilled war department logo appeared. Instead of it being a crows-foot/broad-arrow, it's a non-regular hexagon; more like a diamond with flattened-off top and bottom points:
When dry it's very hard to make out the stencil due to severe fading and blanco coverage, but it's rather clear still when wet. The stencilled mark itself is located in the centre of the main/top flap. Anyone seen a marking similar? Anyone know what it means or symbolises?
A Proud Member Of 'Team Spleen!' who play mainly at Gunman Airsoft, Tuddenham, Suffolk.





















