british gs mk6

[seandm]

Hi James. I could be wrong here and I have not read all posts so forgive me if this has already been said but I thought scrim and sniper tape was a recent thing done in iraq and afghan not during the 1st gulf war. I have seen our troops wearing woodland dpm with the likes of issue scrim and US choc chip scrim over it in theater up until just a few years ago. I would bet despite the army's apparent strict and frankly barmy regulations on helmet scrim and with mtp being introduced over last few years there is still guys with that config now. Its a cracking MK6. I am weirdly fond of them myself I have a few although they are horrid things to wear! The liners in the MK6A and MK7 are vastly improved with little actual modification to the original design. Regards. Sean.

[seandm]

Here we go! Correct me if I am wrong but here we have two soldiers wearing the latest MK7 and both with woodland DPM and scrim. Also I meant to say in previous post James I almost certainly think your MK6 has seen action in some form or other in Iraq, Afghan. Regards. Sean.

[James C]

Look's great complete with chinstrap James, and being a used item it matches the overall look .

thanks opex ,i was hoping the strap would be in keeping with the condition of the helmet ,mission accomplished

[James C]

James you need to tape up the loose ends of the chinstrap!!! 1 of my pet hates is loose ends blowing in the wind. Makes the soldier look like a crow "new bloke"...I attached a photo of a MK6 in desert style hope you don't mind? Cheers Terry. Attachment 568765 Note the loose ends tucked away...

terry i do not mind in the slightest ,superb photo by the way you cant get a more real referance picture than this ,i will tape up those loose ends ,thanks again james

[James C]

Here we go! Correct me if I am wrong but here we have two soldiers wearing the latest MK7 and both with woodland DPM and scrim. Also I meant to say in previous post James I almost certainly think your MK6 has seen action in some form or other in Iraq, Afghan. Regards. Sean.

many thanks sean ,your thoughts are most welcome ,i dont really know the exact year of use of this one ,so your most probably right as a later persian gulf or afghan lid ,the visor mounts would suggest maybe use by a vehicle sentry ,i can only speculate ,thanks for your input ,james

[James C]

How would one of these early lids be identified apart from the obvious camo paint scheme?just in case I spot one James.........Jake.

jake ive just found this picture that might interest you ,its from a book ive had since a child ,just noticed the cammo early composite ,maybe early pasgt the photograph is dated late 1970's and definately US enjoy james

[brickie501]

Here we go! Correct me if I am wrong but here we have two soldiers wearing the latest MK7 and both with woodland DPM and scrim. Also I meant to say in previous post James I almost certainly think your MK6 has seen action in some form or other in Iraq, Afghan. Regards. Sean.

This second pic clearly shows 2 Para 'DZ Flash' (blue square) so almost certainly Herrick 13 in 2010-11 especially considering amount of MTP and other items carried.

At that point there were real difficulties getting hold of MTP covers that fitted the Mk7 helmets. Having said that, Paras have long gone in for the 'netting look' and the odd one still had handmade US 'chocolate chip' covers under a net!

[Greg Pickersgill]

Does anyone know anything about the mid-to-late period manufacture of the GSMK6 by RBR? I came across (on Ebay of course!) an irrestistible 1994 model Mk6 with, surprisingly to me anyway, a RBR label. I'm not at all sure I have ever heard of anyone other than NP (National Plastics, once part of Courtaulds(?) then part of British Aerospace, now Morgan Advanced Materials) making any but the earliest Mk6 production runs, so I will be pleased to hear if someone can offer more information.

The label is shown below - lifted for speed from the Ebay listing. The obscured part most certainly details it as a HELMET COMBAT GS MK6 and the NSN is as normal. On inspection the helmet is, as might be expected in these more standardised days, identical to an NP product barring the label, which does indeed have the house-style appearance of an RBR label rather than an NP one.

Did RBR make a lot of these, or what? And why? I would have imagined NP had plenty of capacity for production; was the plant out of action at a critical time? Was there a strategic decision to share production? Or just a one off experimental run?

[Lidman]

This is a great thread, and has evolved into a very educational one at that James.
You have picked up a very nice example, and I am looking forward to seeing it fully kitted out with the visor.
Also, thanks to all who have contributed their knowledge, and photos as well, as I have learnt a lot.

Brad.

[James C]

many thanks brad ,i agree it has been an informative thread