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M1 helmet lot numbers ww2-vietnam


WW2JAKE
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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"

post-125364-0-01212300-1428566316.jpg

 

WW2 Mccord Radiator- Produced helmets from June 1941- September 1945

Lot number is recognized as having 1 to 4 numbers followed by a letter

 

post-123-0-68980900-1428568712.jpg

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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
post-125364-0-82462700-1428567155.jpg

Ingersoll- 1966- 1968
lot number recognized in 4 variations
1-9876
1 9876
I-9876
I 9876

post-125364-0-86785700-1428567554.jpgpost-125364-0-05344800-1428567557.jpg

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Parish Division of the Dana Corporation- October 1968- August 1969
Recognized as 4 SMALL numbers
post-125364-0-60630200-1428567768.jpg


RJ Stampings- Produced in Canada 1970- 1976
Recognized as 4 LARGE numbers
post-125364-0-75862300-1428567823.jpg

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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"

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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

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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!

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  • 2 weeks later...

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

 

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Cap Camouflage Pattern I

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.

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  • 2 weeks later...
jayhawkhenry

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?

 

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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?

post-125364-0-94169300-1430623013.jpgpost-125364-0-03374800-1430623016.jpg

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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

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jayhawkhenry

It is definitely a non stainless rim. Might be 1106A, there do appear to be very light "1"s under the paint.

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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

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jayhawkhenry

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.

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  • 3 months later...

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).

post-9918-0-99943400-1441122247.jpg

post-9918-0-63373500-1441122261.jpg

post-9918-0-64289800-1441122286.jpg

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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

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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)

 

post-125364-0-05672000-1441162918.jpg

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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. "

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