The M-1 Conquistador

Big Red here with a question from "Richard Marin"...

So, TAKE FIVE!

Richard asks,

“Big Red, I found this weird helmet at the swap meet this weekend. It kinda looks like a M-1 but has a funky brim around it. Is it an experimental? Do you have any idea what this thing is?”

Good to hear from you Richard,

Occasionally, relics of the M-1 helmet’s manufacturing process end up in the hands of collectors. The most common example found is that of the initial draw operation. Upon initial inspection, most M-1 collectors aren't sure what this helmet is but quickly discover that a M-1 helmet liner fits inside and make the connection to the M-1 helmet.

The M-1 helmet preserved after the initial 7-inch draw operation but before the trimming operation still has “hold down” around its perimeter which looks like a brim. In discussion, collectors reference this helmet as looking like a “Spanish Morion” or “Conquistadors’ Helmet”.

So, where in the manufacturing process is this helmet from? Well………..

The steel maker rolled out helmet steel, cut the sheets into 16 ½-inch discs, coated them with oil and banded them into bundles of 400 for delivery to the fabricator for processing. Discs were assigned a “lot and lift” number upon receipt at the fabricator and were sent to a small punch press where their assigned number was embossed in each sheet with a fine-line stamp. If selected discs from the lot passed the initial steel quality inspection, they were delivered to large presses that shaped the flat discs into a 7-inch deep pot before moving to a trimming operation.

These helmets are examples of the 7-inch initial draw operation from one of the helmet fabricators. If you want to know which fabricator made this relic, you can do so by locating the lot and lift number on the interior of the pot.

and Richard,

Big Red Says!

FIVE'S OVER  -  MOVE OUT!