I'm looking for a correct style/colour screen accurate helmet band since the one(s) I use are all Vietnam era spec and seem to be too narrow.

The helmet bands were issue items but post Vietnam, the only way to find them really is looking, I went on ebay and looked up M1 helmets and when I found one with the band on that hadn't sold I messaged the guy and offered him a fiver just for the band, it worked lol, I am off to the war and peace show next week, I will look there and see if I can find any, if I do I will grab them and pass them on at cost. There are at least 2 on ebay at the moment on very overpriced helmets that won't sell, its worth a message, they can only say no! lol

_________________
Pt. Graham "gunny" Green
A07/TQ2.0.12129E1
UKCM 501st Regt. 1st Batt. The Bucketheads

Thanks Gunny! What's the actual 'spec' - Is there a specific shade and width?

_________________
A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

Thanks, that is quite helpful! Here's hoping the War & Peace show will bring something up.

Does anyone have a decent closeup of one to enable an informed judgent on width and colour, please?

_________________
A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

Only screencaps from the BluRay, none too clear regarding colour sans lighting and size, I'm afraid...

Def tan/khaki. Just hair wider than modern ones.





BUT...if it makes anyone feel better, Apone and Ski didn't have helmet bands. It is totally screen accurate to run your helmet naked if don't feel right about running a modern band and can't find a vintage one.


Personally, I run this band ("khaki" option) and cut the glowing 'cat eyes' off it. It isn't as wide, but I think it looks the part and the price was right.
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Protective-Cat- ... 257b99a9cd

"Get the goddam' door!"

So are the correct bands 'Vietnam' or 'Post Vietnam War'?

Thanks for the guidance guys...

Cheers...

_________________
A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

Looks like the kind I found/use, mine's weathered a bit:

A chap I was speaking to today reckons the canon type used in the film are actually khaki DUTCH helmet bands... And the American 'Nam type were thin and green...?

_________________
A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

We do get a llot of Dutch surplus over here

_________________
AKA: Simon

Yes I'm assuming they used whatever they found?

_________________
A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

deffo not Vietnam scrim bands, it could be dutch but their uniform was green back then so doubt if they would use a tan band, it could also have been a custom made item which would have been quite easy, most of the rest of the kit was after all

_________________
Pt. Graham "gunny" Green
A07/TQ2.0.12129E1
UKCM 501st Regt. 1st Batt. The Bucketheads

Indeed, Gunny...

_________________
A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

Dutch surplus would be great, seeing it's my next door country neighbour. Gotta ask some Dutch fellas I know, maybe they can point us in the right direction!

Can't help but wonder if they might not just be "regular" bands that have simply gotten worn and stretched out over years of use. Elastic seems to expand a bit when it gets worn out...

_________________
"He is as clumsy as he is stupid."

Possible, sure. But mostly it will loosen only in the direction of the fibres that stretch, i.e. the length of the "circle", not the width of the material. They seem too uniform wide to my eye, I think they were stock width and we need to source them ASAP.

I'll ask some more 'experts' but I think they must be something like Dutch surplus... We'll find them. There's probably a ton of them somewhere. If they aren't Vietnam US issue ones they won't be particularly sought after...

I like what Hicks did with his in the film... Tucked his helmet chin strap in the band...

_________________
A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

I think this thread may need to be moved to the ready line. It sort of left the 'WTB' level and is in full blown investigation mode!

I must admit, I have never seen one of these things in all my searches of US "vietnam era" helmet bands. I bought a "Vietnam era" helmet band online only to discover the dimensions were very similar to modern ones. It felt more robust and better quality, but was near the same overall in look. I have my dad's old helmet band from the early 80s and it is nothing like the ones in the film either. It makes sense now to think it was a foreign bit of kit.

I now have high hopes for the international helmet band market! Good luck in the search and hope you nail it down!

Agreed, I've moved the thread from the PX section and have trimmed it a little (just the "me too" threads).

Harry

_________________

http://www.facebook.com/TheHHACA - @TheHHACA

Thanks Harry...

I have some Vietnam boffins looking into this... And some kit gurus lined up to trawl stalls at War & Peace... Hopefully we may find an answer...

One thing is certain; an 'accepted' form of Vietnam band was a thin OD green elastic or, often for USCM, a cut up inner tube...

I'm not an expert in this stuff... But we just need to fathom out the band thickness and country of origin for the screen used type. It could be US... Or something else...

It's possible they were made for the film, but I think unlikely as there'd be literally tons of this stuff hanging around in surplus stores in the UK and the U.S. to pick up for the cast...

_________________
A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."

Good idea, thanks! I still wanna buy one, though.

I'm already doing research on Dutch surplus stuff.

Knicker elastic.... Betcha

_________________
AKA: Simon

Interestingly...

Take a look at this eBay listing.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/US-Steel-Helm ... 58c8febcc2

It has a tan band on it, and it's pretty wide.

Ultimately, it could just be a simple case of getting some tan cotton webbing and making one up??

_________________
You don't have to be pitilessly sadistic to work here.... But it helps.
http://www.chefs-creations.co.uk/shop/index.php/colonial-marine

http://www.kgbairsoft.com/wordpress

That one looks right, Chef, which comes back around to a comment made on this thread earlier by someone saying the covers were Anerican but post Vietnam which would tie in with this helmet and cover...

_________________
A02/TQ2.0.52141E1

"Errr... Roger that's a 2-1-6..."