Hi again. I suppose it's a possibility, but that would imply that there'd have been actual paint loss beneath the stripe, and that's something that hasn't appeared to have been the case with the examples I've personally owned. It simply appears to have been hastily brush applied above the smooth factory finish, and yes, I suppose in my argument, it'd have acted as a simple form of camouflage in order to break up the solid color of the helmet with yet another "earth tone". Again, this is just my personal impression. It would stand to reason that if it were an attempt to "touch up" helmets that were stacked prior to being dry, then they'd at least have used the same color paint. All that I've seen and owned, have simply had a lighter shade of tan brush-applied (and rather thinly) rather than the heavy, mustard-brown protective coat from the factory applied finish. Additionally, if you subscripe to the "wet stacking" argument, that it'd had to have happened PRIOR to the liners being installed (otherwise, we'd see an awful lot of paint splotches on liners I'd suspect).
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Paint batch colors have lots of variations. When you examine enough army helmets you will notice it. Especially if you can view a large collection lined up. It's much quicker to paint a stripe around the helmet hitting all the surface losses than to dab the paint on just the areas of paint loss. The stacking damages all occur on the same area i.e. around middle. If you carefully examine the shell you'll notice areas where the paint peeled/chipped or lifted off under the stripe. I think a very large amount of these helmets were painted & stacked up still tacky. They were then pulled apart, assembled & touched up. A horizontal stripe isn't a very effective camo. The German's certainly understood that. I also feel that earlier helmets were not stacked & color & finish process was different at each different factory. The above is just my (our) opinion but it's been discussed for years by fellow Japanese collectors who have come to a consensus regarding "the stripe".Comment
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Hi Jareth. Interesting, to be sure, and barring any other viable hypothesis could well be the case. I for one, have always simply considered it something done in the field, for whatever reason. Another thing of note, is that I don't ever recall seeing this applied to naval helmets of which I've also owned quite a few. I've only ever come across it on army models. Your thoughts?Comment
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Milton, the navy (army & navy hated each other) used their own factories/depots/suppliers or at the least their own specs. You are correct you'll never see a navy helmet with a touch up stripe.Comment
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I have a navy helmet that has a touch up swatch. It's not an army it has the numbers in the top as wellComment
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Certainly not the norm. Would be the first I've seen or heard of. With Japanese militaria there are few absolutes. Post photos if you can.Comment
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I have also seen a Naval helmet or two with this swath. I think the theory from stacking wear is the best answer. I have also seen a period news reel of helmets being sprayed in the factory. Upon close examination you could see they had no liners in them while being sprayed (No pins at time of paint application). Maybe at times the star and pins were not applied at a factory level but on a depot level or sub contractor. The pins & star may have been bare or just had a coat or primer. At this time the swath around the shell would have put a coat of paint on the star and pins. Very few IJN helmets have this but it is very very common to see this on IJA helmets. Imo it has nothing to do with camo or use in a battle. Just my opinion.
ScottComment
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I'll post photos soon as it arrivesComment
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Hi Scott. I'd certainly HOPE they had no liners in them while being sprayed! Seems like this is another one of those strange anomolies that's always going to be a matter of conjecture as long as there are collectors who care to speculate about such details. For what it's worth, I think it gives the helmet(s) a great look, especially when it's more thickly applied and when it also covers the star. (after all, after the history of the item(s), it's all about aesthetics for us, isn't it?!) Cheers!Comment
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David, hope this "anomaly" coming from Fla.?Comment
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no, ColoradoComment
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Originally posted by Milton View Post
I have seen and also own a helmet that was sprayed (outside) with pins in place. Imo some helmets had an outside finish coat applied at some point after the liner was installed. It is impossible to know but they look factory level. This goes ESP for the mud brown IJA mid war examples w/ no stripe. There seems to be more then a few of these with the star almost buried in the factory applied paint. That does not seem to be the case with the stripe painted helmets. They look like nothing more then a helmet w/ a brush painted touch up stripe.
Scott
P.S. Are your motel buys in Ohio?Comment
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Good morning Scott. Of course, what I'm referring to is when the original FACTORY finish was applied, not something done in the field. Obviously the interior of the helmet would be painted prior to having any liner components installed. For simple camouflage purposes, I'd not expect the interior of the helmet(s) to show any particular finish alterations. That being said, what happened in the field goes way outside our ability to speculate pertaining to particular examples. As for the "painted slash", I suppose we'll have to satisfy ourselves w/ our own particular notion until proof - positive surfaces one way or the other! As regards the "hotel buys", no, nowhere close to Ohio. Cheers!Comment
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The mud brown colored helmets I referred to all have factory applied paint.Originally posted by Milton View PostComment
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here's my navy shell anybody care to translate it pleaseComment
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