EK1 Round 3

[streptile]

I haven't seen that frame variation before.

Hi Tony,

That is Deschler's standard frame seen on all their EKs til the end of the war (top photo). It can also be found on Round 3 EKs of both classes. The rarity of this piece is the combination of this "late" frame with the early pin. Most Deschler EKs with this frame and a Round 3 core have a different pin (bottom photo).

.

[Douglas 5]

Yes Tony ... Trevor went over the differences . Your post 15 EK1 is the 'normal' 1st frame - R3 core - pin combination .
It is a really rare - the one at the start- to have the 2nd frame ( also early) - or common frame - with that R3 core and early pin set up .
All I can think is they used up existing core and pins they had on hand .
Depending what they ran out - or stopped making first ( R3 core or early pin type) a further variant may exist with that 2nd or common frame type .
Trevor's observation would indicate the pin type was changed first .

Douglas

[Douglas 5]

To elaborate on post 14 more ...' the frame being short lived' - only referred to the 1st frame production die being pulled out of service before it actually wore out .
Soldon's EK1 is as mentioned the thick heavy type . The die striking depth had to be adjusted on the production die -> specifically for that stamping sheet thickness .
Any change in sheet thickness requires a new production die ... as the previous die will strike too deep and possibly hit the other die and shatter .
In the Deschler book it is mentioned and shown - that stamping sheets had a specified thickness . Because of this it would explain the rarity of these extra thick EK1s and 2s .
I see the change in this as being a standardizing of cross weight in general so all made crosses - regardless of manufacturer would be fairly close .
Any further reductions later in the war would most likely be do to material shortages - making the awards lighter( making less go further) without reducing size .
I was lucky to find an early thick Deschler EK2 made from the same - frame - production die as Soldon's cross . ... mine - which also exhibits a higher weight maxing out at almost 26 grams ....
.... probably the heaviest WW2 EK2 ever made .
Comparison shown below .

Douglas