Upon completing some research on the development, manufacturing, and procurement of the plastic version of the M-1 helmet liner, I found the motivation of the involved parties to achieve success to be truly inspiring. Leaders from the Army and the plastics industry collaborated, released patents, exchanged insights on setbacks and achievements, and generously provided technical support to their pre-war competitors. Together they overcame obstacles unforeseen and self-inflicted to achieve the creation of a new product capable of consistent large-scale manufacture within approximately ten months’ time.
During a conversation at Cohan’s Pub regarding a blog I was putting together titled “The Need for Speed,” I pointed out that if you compare the timeline of liner activities to the unfolding timeline of the war, the need for speed to manufacture really intensifies. It was suggested that a visual comparison of liner activity and the corresponding war activity would be the thing to do.
In this spirit, I have created this timeline, which includes significant dates related to the progress of the new liner, which juxtaposes them with some key moments from the unfolding of the war. I hope you find the following chart to be enlightening and informative.
