British Composite helmet history - do we know it?

[Greg Pickersgill]

It was an ebay purchase. To be honest I probably played a tad too much (25)

Wow. That's dirt cheap. OK, pretty normal or even a touch high for a routine later-production NP helmet, but fot this...cheap. (Yes, I know that it is essentially the label and a crown stamp we're looking at/paying for here, but that's what collecting/information gathering is all about, yeah?) I'm not even going to say how much my first Glascoed cost me because it was a- a lot and b - a very annoying deal with a particularly irritating American, and I'd prefer not to think about it. (Crap, I just have...)

I'd really like to know more about what was happening in these Royal Army Ordnance Factories/Royal Ordnance Factories that got them involved with small-scale helmet production. From the dates it seems like at least two or three years *before* the plants were privatised, and even then they seem to have been taken over by BAE rather than National Plastics, main producer of the Mk6. I haven't seen a link that shows NP was a division of BAE - anyone know any better?

[Composite]

I always assumed that at the start there were a number of small volume contracts and a number of suppliers....but as things progressed NP monopolised production...have we looked at the dates of all the “peripheral” makers like Glas, RBR etc????

[Bendy]

I personally don't have a clue, I'm getting all my info off of here!
I have been known to pay a lot for something in interested in and wonder if I'm responsible in inflating prices.
I won't tell you how much I played for my USMC lightweight , or the Italian FA08 etc......

I definitely won't tell the missus!

[Greg Pickersgill]

It's observable that most of the smaller-scale Mk6 suppliers (Permali, NEI, Triton-Oliver, the ROAD/ROF sources etc) were active in the early days (the early to mid 1980s) and then it's pretty much NP all the way (errors and omissions in this assertion excepted) *except* for RBR who are a surprise late entrant in 1994. I have seen just two or three RBR Mk6 and they;re all 1994-dated. What was the reason for this contract? I bet Mr Cotton knows.

I'm quoting below part of some notes (posted on Composite Helmet, Ballistic helmets, Military helmets UNITED KINGDOM, UK HELMETS, BRITISH helmet, Kevlar helmet ) by collector Richard Aixill -


"Development upon new types of a ballistic Helmet, of varying designs, are suggested to have been conducted during in the late 1970’s - for a recognisable MK VI design was later listed for user trials to begin during 1981 (note.2). An extended later trial, of 1000 units, probably accounts for the MK VI examples dated 1983/4 manufactured by NEI Electronics LTD (note.5) .

The MK VI design having been accepted for service, issue commenced with a pre-production run of 6,000 (this included issue to elements of 5 Airborne Brigade) (note. 5). This was then followed by the wider general issue, most likely commencing in mid to late 1985 (note. 5). I myself was issued my first MK VI in March 1986 whilst on attachment in Northern Ireland (issue to troops stationed in the province began sometime immediately prior). New equipment at this time was usually first issued to BAOR and NI troops then UK based Infantry followed by other units. Full scale issue continued over the next couple of years.

The main production run of MK VI helmets was completed by NP (National Plastics). National Plastics were at this time part of the Courtaulds Group. The company subsequently changed its name to NP Aerospace and latterly Morgan Advanced Materials. The manufacturing facility has remained throughout at Foleshill Road Coventry."

[Tinhat]

I confess to not knowing much about composite helmets, but settled down to read this thread, mainly because it’s a thread on British helmets that has more posts than the average fake German helmet so there had to be something in it.

Here is my ‘contribution’

Issue dates, I was in the TA back in 1987 in an Infantry role, were still using the much loved Turtle and one of the platoon managed to get a Mk6, - there is always one- it was ‘acquired’ by a friend in the Scots Guards. He was wearing it on a joint exercise with regulars, and told to remove it, from that point he could only wear it on Company exercises. There was definitely a phased introduction and a hierarchy in who got them. There were not fully issued to us until 1989 however those that went on the exercises in Germany were lent them, so they looked more modern next to our allied forces.

I know a little bit more about the manufacturing, I visited in National Plastics, I’m guessing around 1987, they had a pile of reject marked Mk6s and being a collector I asked if I could have one and I was under no circumstances could I get one, after I pointed out they are all rejects I was told, “It’s MOD, they all have serial numbers that link back to the batch number, so many helmets can made from a batch and they all have to be accounted for, the rejects are collected and disposed of by the MOD” the molding process itself was closed off.

With respect to the early manufacturers, I think it’s important to understand that the process early on was new and probably had a lot of issues with it. I doesn’t surprise me that the MOD would have trialed a number of suppliers at smaller volumes and tested them and approving some for use others not, then it’s about who is going to give the quality at the best cost, that wouldn’t be quick process. The circular stamp shown on the other thread (I borrowed the photo for continuity) is an insert into the mold and can be removed and replaced. The mold is owned by the MOD and each supplier would have a unique insert for traceability, that way the same mold can circulate through a few vendors for trials or until the contract is finished. Car companies for example do the same thing with bumpers until they settle on supplier.



Greg for your rivets, I would say as a nothing to lose option, email NP Aerospace, explain to them what you are looking for, send a photo of the pin and a National Plastics label, if they have any leftover I bet they would give you them. info@npaerospace.com

Steve.

[Greg Pickersgill]

Greg for your rivets, I would say as a nothing to lose option, email NP Aerospace, explain to them what you are looking for, send a photo of the pin and a National Plastics label, if they have any leftover I bet they would give you them. info@npaerospace.com

Steve.

Steve, that's a genuinely interesting and informative post. Thakk you very much! Regarding the fabulous rivet, I did in fact email NP some years ago and after a brief exchange with one of the public affairs people (which included a lot of wheedling on my part) he broke down and sent me a dozen rivets just to shut me up.

I actually thought NP had vanished completely into Morgan (who had then in turn vanished themselves) but checking up on it right now I find that the Morgan URL is redirecting to an NO Aeorspace site. Which, interestingly, is not showing *any* of the known NP helmet types any more. I don't know right now where the NP establishment is physically, but Morgan was definately at the old Foleshill Road address. Ah, I've just found a 'History' page on the NP website which unequivocally asserts that NP became Morgan and then in 2018 back to NP. Problem solved.

So yeah, may well be worth contacting them, as probably from their point of view all those old spares are just so much junk. However I am not optimistic. Junk they may be, but there are probably Rules about supplying any damned fool who wants them. Mind you serving soldiers have boasted more than once that they could get handfuls of these from Q for the price of a pint. Funnily enough there was never any follow-through on that. Odd.

Late edit - the NP page is at Homepage | NP Aerospace | Composites and Defence Systems and on further investigation I have found they still feature a version of the AC900 series as well as two others I hadnt heard of before - LASA Ballistic Helmets | NP Aerospace | Composites and Defence Systems

[Composite]

We need to divide the Mk6 dates......smooth and textured.........when did they start refurbing smooth Mk6s?

[brickie501]

I'll just paste my post from the Mk6 thread here as a starting point

I've just picked up a tatty 'smooth' Mk6. I've missed it if its already been established somewhere, but do these help narrow down the switchover between the types of Mk6?

As my 1986 example is definitely 'smooth' & my 1988/89 is 'rough', that suggests the crossover was 1987 or 1988. It seems odd that the 'year' of my later one is 1988/89, especially as other examples (as well as other Brit composite types) seem to show just one year. So, are the last 'smooth' ones dated 1988, with 1988/89 signifying the shift part way (late?) in that year?

Here are my two side-by-side (with label details inset):
Attachment 1352354

[Composite]

OK, so that's a great starting point....so I think the question becomes:-

Has anyone got a SMOOTH Mk6 helmet dated (production NOT refurb) 1987 or after....or a textured Mk6 (refurb'd) dated 1987 or before?

I've just looked..I have a smoothie date '87. And a refurb'd one dated '88/'89

...I have an additional question...does anyone know why the glue which was SUPPOSED to keep the labels in place was sooooooo poor?! :-)

No need to post pics UNLESS you've got a post '87 smoothie or a pre-'87 refurb.....and just the label...we know what the bloody helmet looks like!

AND NO 6As!!!

[reneblacky]

glue due to all of the of them made on Monday or Friday