Scotch Harry Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 Any ideas please when these entered service or were on general issue and any ideas of makers please? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toner Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 If I remember correctly. 1986 entered service. They were made by NP Aerospace. They are ballistic nylon and were general issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Harry Posted April 26, 2012 Author Share Posted April 26, 2012 Thanks. I always thought NP but was just having a sort through of various bits and found one dated 1984/5 and made by N.E.I ELECTRONICS LTD MOULDINGS TEXOLEX. Its a shame really as on the collecting front these have little interest and are pretty much worthless value wise which is a shame as they were a very important step in evoloution of British Military Helmets. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 '86 is about correct, although trials were underway several years earlier......... The original DPM cover for the MK6 was the type originally introduced for the fibre para helmet around 81-82..........this cover only has horizontal bands for foliage attachment, not the vertical ones added later........needless to say, they are rather scarce nowadays....... Two distinct finishes can be found on GS MK6's.......early production has a smooth-finish shell whereas later production has a much rougher finish........... There were several manufacturers of the shell.......but I can't for the life of me remember who they were now....:-( Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotch Harry Posted April 26, 2012 Author Share Posted April 26, 2012 So mine,being identical to later dated helmets could possibly be a trials helmet due to the date? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
43rdrecce Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 A clean example of the early DPM cover on my Para trials helmet. Cheers Paul 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 So mine,being identical to later dated helmets could possibly be a trials helmet due to the date? Thanks What's the date Harry ? Manufacture often occurred well before issue......84 onwards may well be issue (or not) although any earlier highly likely trials...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 That's a damn fine example ! Am I right in mentioning that the issue helmet covers are made from lightweight "tropical" type DPM material...? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 Thanks. I always thought NP but was just having a sort through of various bits and found one dated 1984/5 and made by N.E.I ELECTRONICS LTD MOULDINGS TEXOLEX. Its a shame really as on the collecting front these have little interest and are pretty much worthless value wise which is a shame as they were a very important step in evoloution of British Military Helmets. In my foggy memory banks, I seem to recall "Thetford Moulded Products".......:-(.....???? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
43rdrecce Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 That's a damn fine example ! Am I right in mentioning that the issue helmet covers are made from lightweight "tropical" type DPM material...? certainly seems to be the case with this one. Close up of the label cheers Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdbikemad Posted April 26, 2012 Share Posted April 26, 2012 And early 80s manufacture indicated by the presence of the manufacturers name on the label........these disappeared at some point between the late-80s and early 90s.....something to do with European contract tendering......!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Exwoofer Posted February 27, 2016 Share Posted February 27, 2016 (edited) The MK6 Helmet was standardised in 1984 and first went on general issue in late 1985 - although obviously it took some time for the issue to be universal. The DPM helmet cover was originally available (during trials) in just one size - for Small, medium and large sized helmets.The trials however, highlighted the requirement for a bigger outsize helmet and a second cover was made for this helmet. At the point the MK6 went on GS issue therefore there were two sizes of DPM helmet cover. One with no size indicated for S,M & L helmets and another marked for outsize helmets marked as such. These covers had the horizontal and vertical elastic banding. Any cover with only horizontal elastic is a trials issue type - as the cross band style was manufactured from 1984 and this was the type used when the MK6 first went on general issue. This data follows some extensive personal research using official sources. Edit made in the light of access to further COSA records. Edited February 25, 2021 by Exwoofer Edit made in the light of access to further COSA records. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Cole Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 I started work at NP Aerospace in 1986 and stayed for 27 years. I remember the GS MkVI well as I had a lot to do with the mould tools and keeping them in good order. The company evolved over the years and changed ownership several times. Originally it was part of Courtaulds Advanced Materials as National Plastics, changing to NP Aerospace later. I retired in 2013 when the company was owned by Morgan advanced materials. A Brigadier came to mark the launch of NP being part of CAM by revealing a brass plaque in the Foyer where it stayed for years. I am not sure when it was taken down but it was recently found by one of my old colleagues, it must have been laying in water because it was in a terrible state. I have cleaned it up and if you know of anyone who may want to purchase it in your group or know of any enthusiast who may want it, please get in touch as any proceeds will be given to the Mary Ann Evans hospice based at George Eliot hospital, I can’t send an image on this mail, but will gladly send image by email if of any interest Regards, TC 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Prof Posted January 17, 2021 Share Posted January 17, 2021 @Tony Cole Hi Tony, I was working just up the road from you at Lockhurst Lane, Courtaulds Research, and had some involvement in the polymer development of the helmet, mainly Quality Control analysis, and a little compounding.. I remember walking up to NP on several occasions for meetings there. I later worked across the road in Foleshill Road at the Beechtree Carbon Fibre laboratories, producing composites and prepreg for Dunlop sports, some aviation and sports car makers, and military applications. The plaque sounds interesting, but I'm living and working in France these days, so perhaps a bit far to send it. Best Regards, Adrian Hardgrave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Helmet Posted April 2, 2022 Share Posted April 2, 2022 Do you still have the plaque Tony? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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