Army Model 90 Steel Helmets

[J Melvin]

I'm resurrecting an old thread to get some comments, hopefully, on my Japanese helmet and its net. Not a commonly encountered net. But, I don't believe it to be either British or American. Any ideas?

[J Melvin]

Another photo.

[J Melvin]

Woooo

[J Melvin]

Mooooo

[J Melvin]

Say what?

[J Melvin]

Markings

[J Melvin]

More markings.

[cbuehler]

Very interesting helmet posted by Jack Melvin. The helmet net is obviously a captured GI or British one.
Just goes to show how all sorts of stuff gets used in the field.
There are numerous photos of GIs wearing captured Japanese nets on the helmets, particularly on one island which I forget, and I once saw a very salty GI m1 helmet worn in the pacific years ago with the original Japanese net still attached. Did not buy because I thought it a bit too rough condition wise...tears and regrets now.
By the way, I can make out the family name Takai and the usual unit numbers so often found on helmets like Jacks.

Conrad

[Doug See]

I've had this one awhile but unfortunately the provenance was lost long before I got it. It was projectile struck, apparently by a bullet, which knocked out the chunk of metal from the rim and impacted I suppose in some unfortunate's head, leaving a tear in the leather pad opposite. The pad stamp bears the number 15 which I take to mean 1940. There is no chin strap.

Believe it or not, I owned that helmet. It came from a vet's estate in the Philadelphia area and I bought it at a militaria shop around 1990 or so. I forget how I sold it, probably on eBay.

[Eric Doody]

Jack,

Thanks for posting the photos of your non-standard helmet net.

There is that photographic evidence that exists that shows the Japanese did use non-standard helmet nets similar to the one that you have.

I own a similar net to the one you have on your helmet and believe the net to be for a field cap or visor hat although the net does fit onto a helmet. The net on your helmet and the net shown in the following photos do not have a "pinwheel" at the center (i.e., crown) of the nets like standard helmet nets have; the diamond patterns are smaller than those found on standard helmet nets; the nets are rectangular in shape versus the oval in shape like the standard helmet nets; and the individual strains of thread are much smaller or thinner than those found on standard helmet nets. I have also heard these thin nets referred to as (military) school nets.

Hope this helps.

Eric

Here is the first of four photos of the net I have...

[Eric Doody]

Here is the photo of the net (i.e., photo 2 of 4) on a helmet...

Note: This net did not come on this helmet, or on any helmet for that matter, and was added to this helmet for photographing purposes only.

[Eric Doody]

Here is a close-up of the net (i.e., photo 3 of 4)...

[Eric Doody]

Finally, here is a photo (i.e., photo 4 of 4) of what the net looks on a helmet while looking at the inside of the helmet. Note the excess material in spots due to the rectangular shape of the net. (Also note rare late war variation leather and canvas liner on the helmet.)

[cbuehler]

Regarding these nets posted, I strongly feel they are not Japanese in origin although that of course is not impossible.
These nets, especially the salty one shown on Jack's helmet, are exactly like certain British made ones in color, size and shape of the diamonds between knots and the square shape with drawstring. The guage of the string is also the same.
As they do not fit the type 90 helmets well is further evidence for my thinking on this matter.
Just as the Americans used captured Japanese nets, the reverse was true as well.
Does anyone have further evidence to prove they are Japanese?

Conrad

[Eric Doody]

Conrad,

I am of the opinion that these thin, small diamond pattern, rectangular-shaped nets were not made for helmets per se although the net does fit onto a helmet. (I believe these nets are hat or cap nets as opposed to helmet nets.)

As noted in my previous posting, there is wartime photographic evidence of Japanese soldiers wearing small diamond pattern nets on standard Model 90 helmets.

The net that I posted the photos of came out of Japan and is one of three or four such nets that I've seen within the past year or so. (I am guessing that several of these nets turned up some where in Japan within the past year or so.)

Of all the helmet accessories, nets are, by far, the toughest accessory to authenticate.

Eric