Japanese Helmet opinions and help

[Burman2025]

Hello everyone I picked this helmet up yesterday at the flea market. Its supposedly a vet bring back helmet, the guy acquired it from the vets daughter. I need some help trying to find out what the writing on the inside of the helmet might mean? possible name or? I believe the helmet was also repainted post war with the brownish color although Japanese militaria isn't my big area of collecting so I would like to here some opinions on the paint job here as I've never seen a camouflaged Japanese helmet before. In one of the pics of the inside of the helmet it almost appears if the helmet might have been burnt before and it looks like someone used it as target practice as it appears to have been shot but didn't go through, I would like to here some opinions on the helmet and maybe what the worth of this one Is in the shape its in, I don't plan on reselling it but would like to know how bad I did If more picture are needed let me know

many regards and thanks

Brayden

[IMG]20171126_001955 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_001931 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_001926 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_001856 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_001837 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_002424 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_002432 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_002635 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_002445 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_002411 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[IMG]20171126_002347 by bbj2025, on Flickr[/IMG]

[Burman2025]

Can anyone be of any help?

[Jareth]

Original army helmet. Interior is all correct but exterior is a post war, old repaint & not period original or correct especially the painted star!

[beretta1934]

Well, it is a Japanese army helmet with an odd paint job on it. Red star is NOT japanese in any way - maybe post war communist insurrection type stuff. Rivets that hold liner in place have their heads ripped off (the original outside helmet color is the one under rivet heads) and looks like somebody shot it with a low velocity FMJ pistol caliber round that dented it nicely to the bullets nose contour. There's no lead splatter that I see.

Value is not something I'd venture out on (but it's low). It's a parts helmet or it's a "story helmet". IMHO I would not put any time or money in replacing anything - just leave as is as create stories about its possible use

But I would try and find which pistol bullet nose fits that indentation! it looks sort of big but a .45 acp FMJ would punch thru that thing like a hot knife thru butter

[Burman2025]

Thanks for the honest opinions
So the repaint of the helmet is definitely post-war then? More than anything though the helmet is a nostalgic piece of militaria that I thought was cheap enough so I picked it up. Is anybody able to translate the calligraphy on the inside of the helmet?

[GHP]

Name:
石井
Ishii

Size:
大
Large


--Guy

[Burman2025]

Thanks for translating it!
I have a japanese dog tag that says Ishi 1882 regarding the 62nd division is it just a coincidence that the helmet says the same with and extra "i" or Is there some other meaning of this?

Many thanks and regards

-Brayden

[GeorgeP]

Ishi on the tag is the unit code. Ishii is a family name. Both happen to use the ishi kanji.


Tom

[101combatvet]

I think it could be a wartime paint job. How else do you explain the bullet hit? I would like it more if the price was right, of course, everyone and their mother will disagree with the paint.

[Jareth]

Perhaps bullet damage was post war target practice?

[jerryrehr]

NVA use comes to mind. But I would expect the liner to be changed to something more period. Just Guessing.
Jerry

[101combatvet]

Sure, paper targets are no fun.

Perhaps bullet damage was post war target practice?

[Jareth]

To a post war kid nothing like a real target

[Burman2025]

Its undoubtedly a helmet with a lot of questions
When it was brought up that it might have something to do with communist insurrection I thought of possible NVA use as well but I would think that the helmet would be in worst condition then what it is. Hmm as for the bullet dent; I haven't compared any bullets to the dent but looks possibly like a .32 caliber. The paint job is still a huge question, it has brush strokes in the paint, varying colors of maroon, brown, and maybe a little black? And the paint job wasn't done super neat, has spots of where the paint started drooping. I just found a Japanese stamp on the liner, I'll try to get pictures of that up soon if I can. Thanks for the information that has been provided though!! Still like to hear some analysis of this helmet!

Many thanks and regards

Brayden

[101combatvet]

And a high powered rifle beyond 200 meters. That kid was a good sniper.

Actually, it looks morre like a .45 caliber hit.

To a post war kid nothing like a real target