M1952 Flak Jacket

[redjoshman]

I just picked up a Armor, Body, Fragmentation, Protective, Vest Type, M-52 and it is dated May 13th, 1953. My vest is made out of Nylon(same thickness and type used for making the pockets on the M1955 Flack Jacked Modified) and it has a flap over the zipper. In allot of the photographs of the vest in use I don't see the flap over the zipper(and asides from photographs of various vests in collections) I can't tell what they're made from. So my question is, were there production variations or differences between the initial 2,500 produced and the 25,000 produced, etc?

Photos of vest:
Overview of Vest:
i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/redjoshman/Misc%20Pics/DSC_0071.jpg

Tag 1:
i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/redjoshman/Misc%20Pics/DSC_0072.jpg

Tag 2:
i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/redjoshman/Misc%20Pics/DSC_0073.jpg

Close-up of Material:
i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/redjoshman/Misc%20Pics/DSC_0074.jpg

Writing on Vest:
i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn24/redjoshman/Misc%20Pics/DSC_0076.jpg


-Josh

[pop401k]

My M-55 was made with cotton covering the armor and had very thin pockets sewn on... so I would think that they were made of different materials as time went on; nylon wearing better than cotton for example.