MKIV Helmet question.

[NCA]

Recently picked up a nice unissued mkiv helmet.Now the liner is 1945 dated...the markings on the shell are very faint and difficult to read as the liner wont come out (ltd fastner stuck fast!)as much as I can see it reads: BMB -----
F 5--3 MKIV

The shell is a nice bronze/brown colour with silica added outside.My question is, is it a 45 dated shell?I've compared the shell stamp to my other 50's dated mkiv's and the BMB stampings are smaller on all of them.I'll get some pics up if you like but its a pretty unremarkable thing!

[tinlid]

Always hard to tell if it's a 45 dated shell due to the heavy textured paint, they were made from early 45 until Jan46. Then again sometime in the early 50's production started again.
The original wartime paint should be textured dark brown.

[NCA]

Thanks.Just had closer look with a torch and a good clean..i can just about make out ---5 after the BMB...must be 1945 then also the liner is 7 3/4!Big head.

Theres definitely a size difference in the wartime and 50's BMB stamps.