Helmet cover with bamboo camouflage

[Jareth]

Just as significant as other research just less slanted & biased. I do have the foggiest, the comment wasn't directed at you. Let see how many more pgs we can add onto this informative post without reaching any concise conclusion. What ifs & speculation are a great combination

[GHP]

The first thing I thought of when I saw this helmet was how "Japanese" the folded pieces of leaf were. In high school I learned to fold paper like that when passing notes to my Japanese girlfriend.

Also, they remind me of prayers tied to trees in Shinto shrines:



--Guy

[NARVIK1940]

Very nice, Guy. You're right. I was wondering about that style. Another subtle indicator of authenticity.

[WalterB]

The first thing I thought of when I saw this helmet was how "Japanese" the folded pieces of leaf were. In high school I learned to fold paper like that when passing notes to my Japanese girlfriend.

Also, they remind me of prayers tied to trees in Shinto shrines:



--Guy

Very interesting piece of information Guy, thank you very much!

[NARVIK1940]

Thanks all for your contributions. I think we've advanced our knowledge a bit on Japanese helmet camouflage on this thread. Happy New Year to all! I hope this year will bring more interesting helmets to light that will help advance our knowledge!

[Striking 9th]

Geez Walter....your killing me with that helmet! Another miss for me. I should have bid whatever it took. Wasn't it the seller motelbuyer that sold it? Wonder what ever happened to the sniper rifle? It was just as nice. Congrats and thanks for posting it.
Regards, Scott
P.S. maybe a pic heavy thread of its own sometime? Really really like it!!

[Striking 9th]

Guy, forgot to say that is some incredible input!! Thanks for posting that.
Regards, Scott

[NARVIK1940]

A little more about the screwpine, known on Okinawa as the Adan tree:

http://www.okistyle.com/a2z/?p=66

ScrewPine.jpg

5188024391_f9561949b0.jpg

[NARVIK1940]

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[NARVIK1940]

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[NARVIK1940]

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[NARVIK1940]

This search link in Japanese shows all kinds of items made on Okinawa out of Pandanus leaves (アダン葉細工).

https://www.google.co.jp/search?tbm=...1l0&gws_rd=ssl

[WalterB]

Well gentlemen, the ghost of Christmas past has finally arrived. Somewhat late, but better late than never! Scott, I think you will enjoy my recent findings. If you recall from the thread of a few years ago, we were studying Scott's IJN cover and foliage. Although the thread has been sanitized somewhat, there was some negative speculation that such foliage could have been added by a guy in Florida who fabricated these using palm leaves. However, further study of Scott's cover and foliage revealed that the foliage in his helmet had distinct serrated edges. Scott subsequently made inquiries in a botany forum and the foliage was identified as "screw pine" , a tree that grows in the tropical Pacific, including Okinawa.

Later in the thread, Scott posted another battle damaged IJN helmet with screw pine leaves added as camo. That helmet is owned by Don, a fellow forum member that goes by "nutmeg" on the WAF. Further examination of my IJA helmet with camo and foliage also revealed that the foliage were leaves with the same serrated edges! Thus, it appeared that all three helmets had screw pine attached as foliage.

This Christmas I was in New Orleans and, of course, went to the WWII National Museum. Walking through the Pacific War displays, I was amazed to find the following IJN helmet. I apologize for the pictures beforehand, the helmet was inside a display case, the lighting was somewhat dark and I took the pictures with my Iphone (I know, a prescription for disaster). Anyway, here are the pictures:

[WalterB]

Here is the museum's description of the helmet (item 3):

[WalterB]

Additional pictures. I would like to note that the folds used in this helmet follow the same folding technique exhibited by the foliage in my helmet.