WW2JAKE Posted April 9, 2015 Share #1 Posted April 9, 2015 I have been asked by a few members in a PM to send them a "guide" to post WW2 lot numbers and how to identify the maker of a post war helmet by the number so i guess it isnt easy to find so i'm posting this to make it easier to find for future reference to all... im going to run through WW2 - Vietnam to mostly show the difference between them all with as many pictures as I can of different variations. this will not include relatively unknown markings from ww2 such as Parish/Reading or unknown variations of known makers Please note not all pictures are mine and are being used as examples of different variations. Schlueter MFG- Produced helmets from January 1943- October 1945 Lot number is recognized as having 2 to 3 numbers followed by a letter over a large "S" WW2 Mccord Radiator- Produced helmets from June 1941- September 1945 Lot number is recognized as having 1 to 4 numbers followed by a letter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted April 9, 2015 Post WW2 Mccord- Mid 1950's (exact years of manufacture unknown.) lot number recognized as having an M followed by 3 to 4 numbers then a 2nd letterIngersoll- 1966- 1968lot number recognized in 4 variations 1-98761 9876I-9876I 9876 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted April 9, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted April 9, 2015 Parish Division of the Dana Corporation- October 1968- August 1969Recognized as 4 SMALL numbersRJ Stampings- Produced in Canada 1970- 1976Recognized as 4 LARGE numbers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted April 9, 2015 Share #5 Posted April 9, 2015 Don't forget the Parish and Reading Helmets before Dana corp bought Parish. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/29380-m1-helmet-manufacturers/ http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/223500-readingparish-m1-helmet/?hl=parish 1945 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted April 9, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted April 9, 2015 Don't forget the Parish and Reading Helmets before Dana corp bought Parish. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/29380-m1-helmet-manufacturers/ http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/223500-readingparish-m1-helmet/?hl=parish 1945 from post one... "im going to run through WW2 - Vietnam to mostly show the difference between them all with as many pictures as I can of different variations. this will not include relatively unknown markings from ww2 such as Parish/Reading or unknown variations of known makers" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted April 9, 2015 Share #7 Posted April 9, 2015 Sorry, missed that. mod please delete my posts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted April 10, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted April 10, 2015 also if you have a helmet lot number you want to show feel free to post a picture and manufacturer to help get as familiar as possible with each kind Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted April 10, 2015 Share #9 Posted April 10, 2015 Alright, here is a lot number I want to know about. Lot number O Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grant G. Posted April 10, 2015 Share #10 Posted April 10, 2015 Alright, here is a lot number I want to know about. Lot number O I think we are going to need to see a much better photo before we make any guesses. What type of helmet is it? Front seam? Rear seam? Swivel? Fixed? What kind of texture? Do you have an overall photo showing the shape of the helmet as well as the welds at the seam? Also, are you positive that the lot number is a sole 'O'? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted April 20, 2015 Author Share #11 Posted April 20, 2015 Post WW2 Mccord- Mid 1950's (exact years of manufacture unknown.) lot number recognized as having an M followed by 3 to 4 numbers then a 2nd letter I just noticed this typo it should say 2 to 4 numbers then a 2nd letter Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted April 20, 2015 Share #12 Posted April 20, 2015 I think we are going to need to see a much better photo before we make any guesses. What type of helmet is it? Front seam? Rear seam? Swivel? Fixed? What kind of texture? Do you have an overall photo showing the shape of the helmet as well as the welds at the seam? Also, are you positive that the lot number is a sole 'O'? Thanks! Front seam, Swivel bail, but used up till the 80s, cork finish, duct tape residue, I'll post some pictures this afternoon. I looked at the number with a loop, a magnifying glass and even tried with a microscope and couldn't see any definite stampings. I saw some scratches that look like numbers but nothing near as deep as the 0. I tried taking better pictures but I can't get it to show up with a my good camera, only my Iphone would show it. I'll try outside with the good camera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawkhenry Posted May 3, 2015 Share #13 Posted May 3, 2015 Here is one I picked up today. Swivel bail, front seam, steel edging, dark green cork finish helmet. Marks are difficult to see, but looks like 06A. http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/02/bd4b4c4a5f09e5f544deecb489bbe0f2.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/02/9a441cd2a0443fea0416ee2b0ef4c12a.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/02/cad5ca967c6452996e92b8a3c7f86bfa.jpg What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share #14 Posted May 3, 2015 Here is one I picked up today. Swivel bail, front seam, steel edging, dark green cork finish helmet. Marks are difficult to see, but looks like 06A. http://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/02/bd4b4c4a5f09e5f544deecb489bbe0f2.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/02/9a441cd2a0443fea0416ee2b0ef4c12a.jpghttp://images.tapatalk-cdn.com/15/05/02/cad5ca967c6452996e92b8a3c7f86bfa.jpg What do you think? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share #15 Posted May 3, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share #16 Posted May 3, 2015 Here is one I picked up today. Swivel bail, front seam, steel edging, dark green cork finish helmet. Marks are difficult to see, but looks like 06A. What do you think? theres definitely more in front of the "06A" but from what i can see i'd call it a Mccord if i were to guess i'd say from 606, 706, 806, or 906 based on combined factors unless im seeing a non stainless rim (which i think i do) then it would probably be 1006A or 1106A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawkhenry Posted May 3, 2015 Share #17 Posted May 3, 2015 It is definitely a non stainless rim. Might be 1106A, there do appear to be very light "1"s under the paint. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted May 3, 2015 Author Share #18 Posted May 3, 2015 It is definitely a non stainless rim. Might be 1106A, there do appear to be very light "1"s under the paint. if you could get a clearer picture of the lot number and surrounding area that'd be good to get a better idea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jayhawkhenry Posted May 5, 2015 Share #19 Posted May 5, 2015 I have tried several times for a better photo with no luck. I think the paint is obscuring the numbers, that are very faintly visible with a magnifying glass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alberto1361 Posted September 1, 2015 Share #20 Posted September 1, 2015 also if you have a helmet lot number you want to show feel free to post a picture and manufacturer to help get as familiar as possible with each kind Hi, may be U.S.? It's a RS, SB. Where the paint is scratched off you can see a colour like amaranth. Chinstrap was replaced with one made in Austria (oLc). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gitana Posted September 1, 2015 Share #21 Posted September 1, 2015 Don't forget about the Motor Wheel Co. (MW) markings in the mid 1950s. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share #22 Posted September 2, 2015 Hi, may be U.S.? It's a RS, SB. Where the paint is scratched off you can see a colour like amaranth. Chinstrap was replaced with one made in Austria (oLc). almost looks like it isnt a low dome but the stamp looks like a Parish/Dana marking yet ive never seen a mark from them that wasnt 4 numbers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cap Camouflage Pattern I Posted September 2, 2015 Share #23 Posted September 2, 2015 Don't forget about the Motor Wheel Co. (MW) markings in the mid 1950s. I'd like to hear more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WW2JAKE Posted September 2, 2015 Author Share #24 Posted September 2, 2015 I'd like to hear more. ive read before that the MW A mark was a rare 50's Mccord mark ive never heard of Motor Wheel? the stamp looks like this (hard to see) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gitana Posted September 2, 2015 Share #25 Posted September 2, 2015 Motor Wheel Co. produced those helmets with the MW marks sometime between 1951 and 1956. So far no contract is known, so unless one can be found it could be assumed they subcontracted to McCord. But it is a separate company and did produce M-1 helmets. From a description of their process: "A small die is mounted in the No. 2 1/2 press which stamps the Motor Wheel initials and the lot number, and also forms a small indentation at the edge of the blank to be used as a visual locator for the stamped area when the blanks are positioned in the draw die. The blanks are placed in the draw die so that the indent mark on the blank is aligned visually with a gage pin located at the front of the pad. The blank is placed in the die with the stamped side down so that on the drawn shell the characters will appear on the inside of the helmet at a point on the crown just above the center of the visor. " Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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