Just An Observation

[cgutierrez]

I have two M1Cs.  One pictured below has a heat lot number of 881 and another with a heat lot number of 884.  Both have front seam, stainless steel rims.  I discovered this a.m. another M1C on the Paratrooper France website a similar M1C with a heat lot number of 882.  Seems odd to me at all three start with the numbers 88 and just wondering if McCord could have set aside a portion of M1s starting with heat lot number 88 for paratrooper use.

[elh1311]

Ah man, when I get more time I'll find it but there's a thread discussing this. I also have a sub-1000 heat stamp, stainless rim M1C. 

 

Now correct me if I'm wrong, I'm going on memory here, but after the War Department issued the contract for the M1C, McCord used what was available to begin filling the order. The production was mid/late 1944. I'm sure I'm over simplifying this. 

 

Also, I have seen a sub-1000 heat stamp M1C with OD3 chinstraps. Just the one, they were factory sewn but that seemed to confirm what I wrote above. 

[aef1917]

What became the M1-C was first tested in roughly August 1944 and M1-C production didn't start until January 1945.

[Pepper]

Hi cgutierrez,

 

Lots would not have been set aside, just pulled from existing lot and lifts that had not as yet received chin straps.

 

The Hinged chin strap loop was the standard for ground troops which, after testing, was approved for Parachutist use without any alterations having to be made to the helmet body. Upon receiving a request for the Parachutist version of the helmet, McCord would have pulled finished helmet bodies from their stocks and would have sewn the Parachutist version chin strap in place of the standard Infantry one.

 

McCord would have pulled helmet bodies to meet quantity by lifts (identified by the letter stamped in the brim) from as few lots (identified by the number in the brim) as necessary.

 

In your example given, Lot 882 to 884 makes sense along with additional lots from either prior to 882 or after 884 to complete the order quantity.

 

 

 

 

[cgutierrez]

Thank for all that responded to this subject. 

 

Hello AEF1917 - would these 88+ M1-Cs been part of the August 1944 tests?  It is my understanding that M1 helmets with FS/SS rims disappeared around August 1944.  If they were just "test" models, would they still have been issued?  I obtained this 882 M1-C with a 1951 dated CAPAC paratrooper liner, so maybe not issued until after 1944?

 

Also in response to PEPPER, if these August 1944 M1-Cs were possibly McCord tests, wouldn't McCord have picked a lot number segment - that being, of course, the 88+ series - to test these on.  I admit I have not seen quite enough M1-Cs to make an expert opinion, but all the M1-Cs that I have seen (only 4 counting my own) that are FS/SS rim have all had heat lot numbers starting with 88.

 

Thanks all,

CG

[elh1311]

Another thing to comsider: look at the stitching on the chinstraps to see if they're double stitched or single stitched. Single stitched would indicate an earlier production version. The extra set of stitching acted as a reinforcement because many of the single stitched chinstraps had a tendency to come undone with a hard opening shock. 

 

Pictures are of my helmet and you can see the different types of stitching. Also, the last photo is the heat stamp. All I can make out is a "2" but there might be a "1" in front of it. 

[M1A1-1944]

I just recently picked up this, I think unissued, FS SB M1C.  One of the chin straps looks as if the stitching reinforcement got skipped.  A close up of the lot # shows a fairly well stamped 23, but also a very faint 11 in front of the 23.  At least that’s what I’m seeing. 

 

[elh1311]

Very similar to what I'm looking at with mine.