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M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage

Article about: Here I have an Iraqi M90 and these were produced by Iraq unlike the M80. Iraq was in a bad way militarily and financially after the war with Iran as Iraq had relied heavily on importing its

  1. #1

    Default M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage

    Here I have an Iraqi M90 and these were produced by Iraq unlike the M80. Iraq was in a bad way militarily and financially after the war with Iran as Iraq had relied heavily on importing its arms. This attack on Iran upset Russia (Iraqs main supplier) which was basically seen as siding with the western powers at a time when tensions were high between the west and a Soviet backed Iran. The M90 was not as good as the M80 with cheaper materials being used due to the need to cut costs. The M90s are easily identifiable by the rubber bumper that runs around the rim of the helmet.
    This M90 has an unusual dark brown peppered /stipple effect over the yellow sand coloured paint which I will be honest I've only seen one other with this all others are just plain yellow. The helmets suspension has Arabic writing on the nape strap and on the webbing suspension ( if anyone can translate it I would be most grateful). The helmet you will notice also contains a lot of sand which has stuck between the suspension and washers of the helmet. At the time of purchasing the helmet it was not listed as having sand stuck in it or were there any close up pics of it and so I believe it is original to the helmet. The helmet is quite rusted inside so I presume that this helmet had probably been discarded by its owner during the fighting and left to the elements before being picked up by a soldier and brought back to the UK. I really wish I had asked the seller how he had come by this at the time of purchasing but such is life. Thanks for looking guys
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage   M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage  

    M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage   M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage  

    M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage   M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage  

    M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage  

  2. #2

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    the helmet looks like it's been exposed to the sand and heat of burning oil refineries leaving a soot and sand texture on the shell?

    or possibly the grime, sand and soot of a burned out vehicle on the battlefield? the area nick named the Highway of Death during Desert Storm.

  3. #3

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    very nice mate ,I think battlegear has summed up the reasons for the colouration which makes for one very interesting example ,my m90 has a similar finish but to a much lesser degree ,thanks for showing ,james

  4. #4

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    Just looked at the webbing more closely as I always assumed it was just dirt but it also has this speckled pattern as well. The webbing that faces the dome of the helmet is clean. It makes you wonder what this lid was exposed to. Thanks for your comment as it has my brain working over time

  5. #5

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    my own gut feeling is the owner of your helmet kept Paul Neal "Red" Adair very busy ,dont know how you feel about it
    cheers james

  6. #6

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    Quote by James C View Post
    my own gut feeling is the owner of your helmet kept Paul Neal "Red" Adair very busy ,dont know how you feel about it
    cheers james
    Very busy indeed
    He has the same speckled effect on his shirt like my helmet
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage  

  7. #7

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    exactly mate ,nice find

  8. #8

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    those blacken dried oil spots with sand stuck on it reminds me of tar like substance / residue

    it gives you an idea where it's been or what it's been through, the Iraqis did damage some oil wells during their retreat , I heard it was a big mess

    thats probably how it got that camo effect, the oil residue was probably sticky and the sand stuck to it like fly paper giving the effect of camo.

  9. #9

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    Quote by battle gear View Post
    those blacken dried oil spots with sand stuck on it reminds me of tar like substance / residue

    it gives you an idea where it's been or what it's been through, the Iraqis did damage some oil wells during their retreat , I heard it was a big mess

    thats probably how it got that camo effect, the oil residue was probably sticky and the sand stuck to it like fly paper giving the effect of camo.
    Took some close up pics right side is heavily soiled with the residue but the left side has only a light covering. I took a close up pic across the helmet and you can see it is a tar like substance.
    Click to enlarge the picture Click to enlarge the picture M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage   M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage  

    M90 Iraqi helmet unusual desert camouflage  

  10. #10

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    your helmet may have also been used by an Iraqi road worker as his hard hat? maybe they were putting black top and sealing the roads with some type of sealant / tar like substance and the winds blew sand on it during road work?

    If I was a road worker I would wear that helmet to keep the oil / tar off my head

    right now I would narrow it down to either:

    Iraqi soldier, oil well worker, road worker

    or simply a helmet that got left behind by Iraqi soldiers in the oil field area and later picked up by coalition or US forces?

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