German Helmets: Normandy 44 (Militaria Guides)

In the first volume of this new series by Militaria Magazine, collectors will discover a new aspect of helmet camouflage, focusing on the spontaneous gesture of the front-line soldier, the individuality and sometimes moving aspect of ‘battlefield found’ helmets.

Impressive by their historical dimension, camouflaged helmets, whether the plain result of personal initiative or produced by teams of experienced artists, often reproduce the colors and patterns applied to tanks and guns.

The wide array of more than 150 original German helmets shown here is only a glimpse of their huge variety, but it captures the general trends in WW2 German equipment camouflage. From the crude and elementary mottling with issue or civilian paints to the imaginative and complicated patterns evolved within sedentary units, the veteran soldier also completed his work by adding various texturing elements.

Most of these helmets originate from private collections and were found on the Normandy battlefield. The majority were photographed in natural light, to enhance the actual efficiency of their camouflage finish.

A must-have book for all German militaria and helmet collectors, and camouflage enthusiasts.