stars & stars

[Tanaka]

In what year did the Japanese change the type of star on combat helmets from the raised star to the flat star used on WW2 helmets.
Thanks

[Jareth]

They NEVER used a raised star on their combat helmets. Even on the very early, first variant , cherry blossom vented helmets used flat stars. The Japanese ONLY used raised stars on their, peaked service caps, pith helmets & civilian/last ditch home defense helmets.

[Tanaka]

I just wondered as in a picture in a book i've got have soldiers wearing helmets with the raised stars on them and the caption reads ''japanese soldiers during pre-war training'' so are these helmets just training helmets or civil defence or something else.
Thanks for your help

[Eric Doody]

I just wondered as in a picture in a book i've got have soldiers wearing helmets with the raised stars on them and the caption reads ''japanese soldiers during pre-war training'' so are these helmets just training helmets or civil defence or something else.
Thanks for your help

Tanaka,

Plate 33.4 on page 125 of Combat Helmets of the World by Paolo Marzetti shows a photograph of two such helmets with raised star insignia.

There is also a French book (I do not recall the name of this book) that shows a photograph of another type or style of helmet with a raised star. In this same book there is also a photo of a similiar helmet with a raised star insignia that is in a private collection.

I have never seen and/or examined any of these helmets in person and believe them to be trial and/or experimental helmets.

By the late 1920s both the Army and the Navy had helmets with flat or semi-flat insignia which were later carried over to the Model 90 helmet which was developed in 1930.

Hope this helps.

Eric

[Tanaka]

Thanks Eric that answers my question perfectly. Cheers

[Tanaka]

sorry for these new boy questions but could someone tell me what this is http://www.collectorsloot.homestead.com/mil4.html

place your bets on who will be the first to say, its a helmet.

Thanks guys

[Eric Doody]

sorry for these new boy questions but could someone tell me what this is http://www.collectorsloot.homestead.com/mil4.html

place your bets on who will be the first to say, its a helmet.

Thanks guys

Tanaka,

The item in question is for a school or home guard/civilian defense force unit and is not a combat piece per se. The kanji on insignia, which I cannot make out because of the camera flash, would be the name of the school or the name or location of the home guard/civilian defense force unit that the item in question belonged to.

Eric

[Tanaka]

cool thanks for that, i didn't recognise [sp] the badge on the front.

[Eric Doody]

Tanaka,

I have seen this type of sakura insignia before on similar helmets. The kanji in the center of the insignia would be for the name of the school or the name or location of the unit. The helmet in the photo looks like a nice one.

Eric