Flamethrower Picklehaube ?

[Chris Boonzaier]

is there any, any, any evidence that the FW officers wore a Guard Pionier Picklehaube with a skull?

I have seen a few on dealers sites, but have otherwise never read a mention that this was done...

I am going with lively fantasy here?

Any other thoughts?

[Robin Lumsden]

Reminds me of these oddities ...................

................ supposedly Minenwerfer.

Despite two of them having black skulls, I am not convinced.

Edited December 13, 2014 by Robin Lumsden

[Chip]

There is an old article by Dr.Klietmann that describes and shows such an officer's helmet from the collection of the Zeughaus in Berlin. I think it was in an issue of the German magazine "Die Tradition".

Chip

P.S. That last cap in Robin's photos above is one in my collection. It came out of the woodwork with the skull on it. The unit mark in the cap is "St.B.XIV".

[Chris Boonzaier]

When one reads about how difficult the Kaiser was with other badges.... and the small amount that were approved, mainly just for the duration of the war.... I must admit I am veeery spectical, to the point of disbelief, that the FW wore a skull on their Pickalhaube... You can pin a badge on a cloth hat, or collar... but the Spiked helmet is strongly rooted in Tradition, pomp and ceremony... a whole dirrent league of uniform item to mess with... That there are helmets floating around with skulls on, there is no doubt, but I would be curious to know how and when the skully made it onto them...

I have never ever seen any period references to the Minenwerfer having any skull connection?