The Evolution of the Japanese Army Steel Helmet (1918-1945) Revised and Expanded Version

[Nick Komiya]

The stamping is a property stamp denoting use by Nomura Co.

Nothing to do with the Finance Co. . It is a common name.

[Jareth]

Wonder if it's same Nomura as in financial? Or is it a relatively a common name?

[Nick Komiya]

Here are photos of the folding steel helmet prototype discussed in post 22 of the main article. Developed and patented by artillery captain, Tadashi Sato in 1928, at a time when visor caps were still the mandatory headwear and steel helmets were regarded as an assault weapon, only for occasional wear in raiding enemy strongholds, etc. So portability during non-wear was an issue, giving birth to what seems now to be a novel idea of a folding steel helmet.

Besides the folded helmet, one also needed to carry the liner as a separate piece to be popped in, once the helmet was unfolded.

Once the helmet became the combat headgear of choice, and the visor cap was relegated to playing second fiddle, it was the visor cap's turn to fold, which is how the field cap was born, wearable even under the steel helmet.

[ghp95134]

I hereby nickname it "The Armadillo"

Very interesting post, Nick. Thanks again.


--Guy

[Nick Komiya]

It reminds me more of the "vulgar" type of Armadillo, the wood louse (Armadillidium vulgare) that always gives me the creeps.

[ghp95134]

It reminds me more of the "vulgar" type of Armadillo, the wood louse (Armadillidium vulgare) that always gives me the creeps.

I would have said "roly-poly", but didn't know if others would know what I was talking about. I used to play with them as a kid ... touch them with a twig just watch them roll up.

I wasn't aware they were "vulgar" armadillos. That's just too funny.

--Guy
[Y'all .... "vulgar" from the Latin vulgaris meaning common/ordinary]

[NZEF2]

Hi Nick, What a wonderful thread. I recently acquired my first Japanese type 90 helmet. Thanks to your article I was in an informed manner able to identify it as a small size shell made by Kobe ('S' in diamond) which was almost obscured by thick brushed on paint. One question I have is regarding liner markings. The punched dot sizing located at the rear next to the stitching, seen here in one of your images circled in red. I noticed looking at some of your pictures that many liners seem to have no markings at all in this area. Was this only adopted by certain manufacturers, how common?

[Nick Komiya]

Thank you for your inquiry. However, statistical frequency of finding size markings in liners and whether it had to do with certain manufacturers is a question for someone who has inspected large numbers. I am not a collector in that sense, so I'll defer to others to answer that question. However, the fact remains that either way, you had to have means to tell at a glance whether you were picking up a large or small size liner when assembling the helmets.

[Jareth]

My observations lead me to believe size marked liners were discontinued at a later date.

[NZEF2]

Thank you for your inquiry. However, statistical frequency of finding size markings in liners and whether it had to do with certain manufacturers is a question for someone who has inspected large numbers. I am not a collector in that sense, so I'll defer to others to answer that question. However, the fact remains that either way, you had to have means to tell at a glance whether you were picking up a large or small size liner when assembling the helmets.

Thank you Nick for your reply, my hunch is that either some marking have become obliterated with age or later dropped as an economy measure perhaps. See what others have to say.