Japanese helmet help

[Jleb2]

Just picked this one up, has leather type tab on front with metal insignia, writing inside.

Any help on ID would be appreciated...

Many thanks

James

[Jleb2]

more pics

more pics

[Jleb2]

last pic

last pic

[Staldion]

Hi James,

First time I this kind of helmet with such insigna. Looks well done. Insigna is from reservist association. The last picture shows the kanji for "small". I can't help with the two other. Looks there are a couple more inside the lid under the liner, am I wrong ?

I don't know the purpose of this helmet.

Regards,
Mat.

[beretta1934]

Shell is actually a navy shell. Liner is leather, not pigskin, which is a good sign, but needs a look behind the front pad. Look to the backside of the front pad and see if it has any blocked ink stamping with large 2 digit Arabic numbers. Post an answer please

The front emblem is NOT an issue item for a naval helmet - most likely to be postwar assembled. When you look behind the front pad it would be nice if you could take a picture of how the leather liner is being held in place, normally it is the folded over tabs from an anchor emblem . But I've never seen a vet badge have those tabs on the back so it should be revealing to see whats there and how this whole thing attaches.

The leather patch probably just serves as a "pliable spacer" to allow the flat backed front emblem to fit unto a curved helmet surface -if that makes sense.

[Jleb2]

Thanks guy's, here are more pics as requested, I do appreciate the help!

James

[Jleb2]

inside

inside

[RussellM]

It looks like an Army shell and liner to me, not Navy.

Regards

Russ

[beretta1934]

It looks like an Army shell and liner to me, not Navy.

Regards

Russ

Hmm, tell me how you reached that conclusion?

[RussellM]

Three stitches at the rear of the liner, and a painted size mark on the shell.

Can you please tell me how you reached your’s?

Regards

Russ

[Striking 9th]

Painted size mark on shell. Brush applied paint on shell. Liner has 3 rows of stitching in back of band. Liner has small size punched in rear band. All point to army usage.

[GHP]

Kinugasa / Ikasa

Okay! The ink writing inside the lining and the other writing inside the helmet really help. I think someone painted over the kanji on the inner rim, I see what I think is a shadow of the original paint. Anyway, because of the "overwriting" I could not make out the 笠 kanji.

Now I can:

小
sho [small]

衣笠
Kinugasa [can also be read as Ikasa]

There is also a (小) inside (small) the helmet next to 衣笠.


--Guy

[Jareth]

I agree that it's an army shell & liner. I also believe insignia is a postwar addition

[Steve Sherlock]

Hmm, apparently all we really know after all this is that it is a small helmet. Good to know.

Steve

[Jareth]

.....and that a veterans time expired pin back was made into an insignia & added post war