• When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.

Help dating this M-51

dublin shaw

New Member
Noob here. Just bought this M-51 jacket & it doesn't have any labels except a size label: "36R", & printed lettering inside under collar area: "G-5136". Does this mean it's size 36 & made in 1951?

Sorry for the remedial question but I'm not familiar with these finer points

Also if you have any idea what the other hand written lettering underneath the number is - R0231?? - pls lmk

Appreciate any input, thanks

1000x1000.jpg
1000x1000_1.jpg
 

Peter Graham

Well-Known Member
Did you check for a QM label is one of the lower pockets ? Failing that the name tape and US Army tapes will indicate a rough timeframe. I'm pretty sure that type was used from Korea to the early Nam period but someone more knowledgeable than me will have to confirm that. A pic of the zipper would also help.
 

EmergencyIan

Active Member
Hang on. I was too busy focusing on the insignia. That's an M-43 jacket, not an M-51.
I saw this a couple of days ago and thought the same thing, but I wasn't for certain because it could be an M-1950 jacket, which is almost identical to the M-1943 except in has buttons on the inside for a liner. In saying all of that, those buttons don't' appear to be present. The only thing that throws me off in regard to an M-1943 in the truer green lining. Many were lined with the same fabric used for the shell of the M-1941 field jacket, which is usually OD #3...and most of the rest were lined with the same material as the shell in matching color. Though, this could be a late 1940's manufacture date M-43, and that would make more sense, to me.

- Ian
 
Last edited:

dublin shaw

New Member
Thanks all for replies.

Reading the comments, if EmergencyIan is right about the liner than it may well be an M-1950. It does have buttons inside for a liner. However it also has a 'truer green lining', which is more noticeable under the photos lights than sunlight, but it's truly a shade or 2 darker & greener than the shell. So maybe it is an M-43...?

There are no zippers on the jacket.
There are 2 clumps of thread at inside rear neck, that once had buttons for a hood I'm assuming.

The lining is sewn all around into the jacket, there's no opening anywhere like you'd see in more recent models with the opening at the hem. Because of that I can't get a look at the outside of the pockets where a label might be, but there are no labels visible anywhere including inside the pockets. It doesn't feel like there a label on the outside of the pockets, but they're made of a heavy weight white/ivory canvas so it's hard to tell for sure.

I'll attach some more pics, thanks.
back.jpg
inside.jpg
 

dublin shaw

New Member
Well I just now updated the eBay listing w the new info if you're interested. Are we allowed to post links here?
 

falcon_ib

Well-Known Member
It could either be an M1943-MQ1 or an M1950. The MQ1s were WW2-postwar produced M1943s that were upgraded by adding buttons on the inside for the new liner. I believe they were modified starting in 1948, even though the liner didn't come out until Spring 1951.
M1950s were new production jackets with liner buttons, made from December 1950 - spring 1951. M1943-MQ1s and M1950s are basically identical except for the spec labels.
Some good links to follow:
http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/31916-m-1950-jacket/
http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=482

Hope this helps,

Evan
 

EmergencyIan

Active Member
I'm almost certain that it's an M-1950 field jacket. I have never seen an M-1943 with liner buttons. The definition of an M-1950 is an M-1943 with liner buttons. So, go with an M-1950. When I mentioned the green lining color early, I was thinking along the lines of a later model M-1943. Seeing the liner buttons in the jacket indicates that it's an M-1950 which were manufactured in 1950, since the M-1951 field jacket was introduced in 1951, as you would expect. And, M-1943's were manufactured through the end of the 1940's. The M-1943 is an iconic field jacket blue print. Again, I'm pretty certain that the jacket you have is an M-1950.

- Ian
 

dublin shaw

New Member
Thanks Evan & Ian for the info & links.

Since the jacket has no labels I suppose there's no way to tell for sure if it's an M-1950 or an M-1943 MQ1. I'm going with M-1950 for now. It occurred to me that the size tag (see pic) that ended up in the bottom of my washer may have belonged to this jacket, although I washed it in the same load as an M-65 so I'm not 100% sure. I'm hoping to get some time soon to look around at more photos to compare this label to other M-50 & MQ1 labels other have posted, because I'm sure it's unlikely that it belongs to the M-65.

It's been a pretty cool learning experience so far & you guys have all been super helpful, so thank you!


m50 MQ1 tag.jpg
 

asiamiles

Well-Known Member
Interesting to see that it's bunched up at the sides at the bottom, just like my Buzz repro M-43, which has its own thread on the next page.
 
Top