Obstacles to Production II-- Plastic Liner Procurement IV
Plastic Impregnated Duck Cloth:
The Office of The Quartermaster General, in their efforts to attain early production for a plastic version of the M-1 helmet liner, bypassed experimentation and afforded every manner of freedom for liner firms to devise their own manufacturing process. As unexpected results occurred during the molding process, the Chicago Quartermaster Depot scrambled to get production back on track.
Obstacles to Production I-- Plastic Liner Procurement III
Steel Molds:
Under pressure of desperate need, the Office of The Quartermaster General grants autonomy to each liner firm to create their own process for liner making. This decision is a gamble, as it trades establishing standards born from experimentation for an attempt to achieve early production—a decision that, in the end, has the opposite effect.
Failure To Launch -- Plastic Liner Procurement II
Despite warnings, the Office of The Quartermaster General, with assurances from civilian contractors, pushes for immediate production of the new M-1 plastic liner. Complications arising from double-headed management within the Quartermaster Corps and a lack of preparedness within manufacturing firms to deal with problems presented by this new product result in significant production delays.
Liner Procurement Timeline
A Supplement to: The Need For Speed
When we juxtapose the unfolding events of plastic liner procurement with the concurrent events of WWII, the story of the need for speed in liner production becomes even more compelling.
The Need For Speed -- Plastic Liner Procurement I
By 1941, the decision to design and manufacture a truly American helmet was already underway. Liner design was in a state of constant fluctuation as those in charge struggled to find the best solution possible. By the end of the year, the possibility of war had turned into an actual war, prompting the need for speed to manufacturing.
