M45
Well-known member
There are at least two theories about this. p.23
Examples of helmets (especially ET M35s) have been observed with an extra number or letter stamped on the rear neck guard in the vicinity of the lot number. The extra numbers are often of a different size and font compared to the lot number itself and oddly situated. In some cases (ET M40) Roman numerals were also used. It is speculated that these extra characters are not part of the lot number proper and were not put there in error.
One possible explanation for the extra characters is what L. Baer refers to as "test helmets" (Baer p.443). Before a batch of steel planchets (a smelting) was accepted by the War Ministry, (even before they were stamped into helmet shells) one or two planchets were selected to be formed into helmet shells; a "pre-test" of the smelting.
"From each smelting lot, one planchet out of every 100 will be tested, a minimum of two planchets being selected. These test planchets will be rolled in Thale and then at least four helmets will be drawn out of the sheets. The helmets will be tested by the Eisenhuttenwerk Thale in accordance with Section E of the acceptance regulations below. If the helmets can be readily manufactured from the steel and if the testing results are satisfactory, then the Thale plant will roll the entire smelting. If a smelting proves unsatisfactory, it is to be returned to the steelworks. The costs for manufacturing the test helmets are to be borne by the steelworks." Baer p.443
Helmets with the extra characters could signify that they had originally been these test helmets, the “pre-test” helmet shells produced to verify the integrity of a smelting. The lot numbers of observed ET M35 helmets with the extra characters range from about lot# 2460 to lot# 4996 (1935-1940), which covers the vast majority of ET M35 helmet production. Metric shell sizes of these "extra character" helmets are the five common shell sizes: 60, 62, 64, 66, and 68cm and they were later made into the five common M35 configurations: DD Heer, DD Luft1-2, DD KM, DD W/SS, and DD Field Police. Even Beaded ET M35 helmets are found with extra characters.
Another possibility could be quality control inspector's marks used to verify that the correct lot number had been stamped into each steel planchet of a bundle. Factory workers seeing that control mark on the topmost planchet would know that the entire bundle of steel discs had been properly numbered and inspected and that the planchets could then be distributed to the presses without fear of a mix-up.
M35 ET62 3668 8 DD LUFT1 STRLG 38RAB BS (8 BELOW) (EXTRA ET M35 NUMBERS 0-9)
M35 ET66 4163 S DD LUFT2 RAB BS (S ABOVE) (EXTRA ET M35 LETTERS B-Z)
M35 ET64 3315 4 6 DD HEER 37NRAB/STRAP (4 ABOVE/ 6 BELOW) (MULTIPLE NUMBERS)
M35 ET64 3815 T 8 DD W/SS BS (T ABOVE/ 8 BELOW) (LETTER/NUMBER COMBO)
M40 ET66 299 4 SD SS ZSH (4 ABOVE) (EXTRA ET M40 NUMBERS 0-9)
M40 ET64 237 T SD HEER 41ZSH (T BELOW) (EXTRA ET M40 LETTERS B-T)
I personally lean toward the idea of the quality control inspector's stamp on the top planchet of a bundle. There seems to be too many of these to all be test helmets.
M40 ET66 5062 II SD LUFT ZPG (II BELOW) (EXTRA ET M40 ROMAN NUMERALS I-VI)
Examples of helmets (especially ET M35s) have been observed with an extra number or letter stamped on the rear neck guard in the vicinity of the lot number. The extra numbers are often of a different size and font compared to the lot number itself and oddly situated. In some cases (ET M40) Roman numerals were also used. It is speculated that these extra characters are not part of the lot number proper and were not put there in error.
One possible explanation for the extra characters is what L. Baer refers to as "test helmets" (Baer p.443). Before a batch of steel planchets (a smelting) was accepted by the War Ministry, (even before they were stamped into helmet shells) one or two planchets were selected to be formed into helmet shells; a "pre-test" of the smelting.
"From each smelting lot, one planchet out of every 100 will be tested, a minimum of two planchets being selected. These test planchets will be rolled in Thale and then at least four helmets will be drawn out of the sheets. The helmets will be tested by the Eisenhuttenwerk Thale in accordance with Section E of the acceptance regulations below. If the helmets can be readily manufactured from the steel and if the testing results are satisfactory, then the Thale plant will roll the entire smelting. If a smelting proves unsatisfactory, it is to be returned to the steelworks. The costs for manufacturing the test helmets are to be borne by the steelworks." Baer p.443
Helmets with the extra characters could signify that they had originally been these test helmets, the “pre-test” helmet shells produced to verify the integrity of a smelting. The lot numbers of observed ET M35 helmets with the extra characters range from about lot# 2460 to lot# 4996 (1935-1940), which covers the vast majority of ET M35 helmet production. Metric shell sizes of these "extra character" helmets are the five common shell sizes: 60, 62, 64, 66, and 68cm and they were later made into the five common M35 configurations: DD Heer, DD Luft1-2, DD KM, DD W/SS, and DD Field Police. Even Beaded ET M35 helmets are found with extra characters.
Another possibility could be quality control inspector's marks used to verify that the correct lot number had been stamped into each steel planchet of a bundle. Factory workers seeing that control mark on the topmost planchet would know that the entire bundle of steel discs had been properly numbered and inspected and that the planchets could then be distributed to the presses without fear of a mix-up.
M35 ET62 3668 8 DD LUFT1 STRLG 38RAB BS (8 BELOW) (EXTRA ET M35 NUMBERS 0-9)
M35 ET66 4163 S DD LUFT2 RAB BS (S ABOVE) (EXTRA ET M35 LETTERS B-Z)
M35 ET64 3315 4 6 DD HEER 37NRAB/STRAP (4 ABOVE/ 6 BELOW) (MULTIPLE NUMBERS)
M35 ET64 3815 T 8 DD W/SS BS (T ABOVE/ 8 BELOW) (LETTER/NUMBER COMBO)
M40 ET66 299 4 SD SS ZSH (4 ABOVE) (EXTRA ET M40 NUMBERS 0-9)
M40 ET64 237 T SD HEER 41ZSH (T BELOW) (EXTRA ET M40 LETTERS B-T)
I personally lean toward the idea of the quality control inspector's stamp on the top planchet of a bundle. There seems to be too many of these to all be test helmets.
M40 ET66 5062 II SD LUFT ZPG (II BELOW) (EXTRA ET M40 ROMAN NUMERALS I-VI)