Repro German Paratrooper helmet

[Aragorn243]

So today I was bored because of being iced in and I dug out the decals, took the cover off and put them on. Now I have a lot of experience with this type of decal as I'm an experience model builder. But I haven't done one in years. Did the eagle first and lost the tip of the wing. Got it repositioned but it simply wouldn't stay on. Ended up gluing it on with Elmers. Not the best choice but it worked. The other side went smoothly.

Figured the best way to keep the things on were to spray paint them with clear paint which they even recommend so I got a can and did just that. The damn decals bubbled up with little tiny bubbles. Actually makes them look aged if you can believe it. Can hardly notice on the eagle, the flag side is a bit more pronounced.

[browningautorifle]

Actually makes them look aged

Pics...you know...

[Aragorn243]

No rest for the weary with you guys. It's a learning experience if nothing else.

[browningautorifle]

It does look good too. The decals would take a beating over time anyway so the wingtip doesn't matter. Like you say, hardly see it. Nice.

[Aragorn243]

The wingtip initially broke off in one piece. In the first 10 attempts to position it, it broke into two pieces. After that I had it perfectly positioned three times but each time on the "final" attempt to get the water out from under it, it moved. Finally got it positioned, water free and left it sit to dry for a couple hours picked it up. ran my fingers across it carefully and the damn thing came right off stuck to my finger. The glue was all gone. So I by this time had two pieces stuck to two different fingers and I'm trying to find glue, get the bottle open and on the helmet. First attempt, the middle piece broke into three pieces and one was destroyed. So that tip is slightly shorter than it should be and is missing a small chunk in the middle. But it isn't really that noticeable and with the bubbling, more or less fits in anyway. What I don't quite get is why the bubbles are so tiny and perfectly formed. I would have thought the entire thing would have lifted and curled, etc. It's just odd. I could scuff the entire thing up some in some dirt or sand but I'm reluctant to do that. Maybe after I see some examples where it's been done.

[Gil Boyd]

We have a genuine German Para Helmet in the museum from the Battle for Crete valued at £40,000 with full provenance FYI

[GeeRam]

We have a genuine German Para Helmet in the museum from the Battle for Crete valued at £40,000 with full provenance FYI

When I was involved with 1st AB Recce Living History Group 25 odd years ago, a couple of the guys (incl one of the leading members who was ex-Para Regt) also did Fallschirmjager as well, and they had a WW2 Fallschrimjager veteran, that used to help them with getting stuff right and correct. He'd been in Crete and fought at Monte Cassino before being taken POW and sent to a POW camp in UK. He never went back to Germany and stayed in the UK and married an English girl. Clearly a tough man, even when he was in his late 70's, but was always humbling to see him having a laugh and a beer with ex-1st AB Recce vets as members of the airborne brotherhood.

[Flying10uk]

spray paint them with clear paint

I found that an oil based clear varnish worked ok without bubbles or blistering when applied with a small, fine modeller's paint brush. The sort of varnish that you may use when decorating your home.

The problem with using a spray lacquer out of a can is the solvents that may be contained in the lacquer to enable it to be sprayed which can affect existing surfaces/finishes, in this case decals.

The finished result looks good and, as I found out, it's not as easy as it looks when trying to do it yourself, as seeing someone else doing it on Youtube.

[Gil Boyd]

Geeram,
You must have come to Duxford on occasion with Mark and company?

[GeeRam]

Geeram,
You must have come to Duxford on occasion with Mark and company?

No.
ABF Museum was still at Aldershot when I was involved with 1st AB Recce.......last event I did with the group will be 20 years ago this coming summer...!!!