Black-painted Type 90 combat helmets

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FINNMARK1940
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Joined: 15 Dec 2008, 07:41

Black-painted Type 90 combat helmets

#1

Post by FINNMARK1940 » 15 Dec 2008, 07:55

Hi, I am new to this forum. I mainly collect German combat helmets. I lived in Norway for many years and have picked up several "out of the woodwork".

I live in Alaska now, and have turned my attention to Japanese helmets. I recently acquired a black type 90 Japanese combat helmet. From what I can understand from other fora, these are authentic, period pieces. However, no one seems to know if these were used in actual combat, or if they were used on the mainland for civil defence, or what.

Here are a couple of pictures of my helmet.

Does anyone here have more information on these black Japanese helmets?

Thanks, Scott

Image

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See http://www.wehrmacht-awards.com/forums/ ... p?t=327606 for more pictures.

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Peter H
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Re: Black-painted Type 90 combat helmets

#2

Post by Peter H » 16 Dec 2008, 00:54

From Japanese Special Naval Landing Forces, Gary Nila, Robert A. Rolfe,T. Chong,page 18.

Navy and Army helmet shells completely painted in flat black are also known,and it has been speculated that this finish may have been applied for night camouflage.Such uses of daytime or nightime camouflage paint remains speculative,and has not been supported by any documented wartime accounts.


FINNMARK1940
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Re: Black-painted Type 90 combat helmets

#3

Post by FINNMARK1940 » 16 Dec 2008, 04:31

Thanks, Peter.

Has anyone seen these books:

War Department, Military Intelligence Division. "Small-Unit Tactics Used by Japanese at Night, " Intelligence Bulletin Vol.II, No.5, Section II. (January 1944)

Banzai: Japanese Infantry Organisation and Tactics in World War II: Historical Examples of Japanese Night Attacks v. 3. Nafziger Collection · 2005. ISBN: 978-1-58545-118-0

Japanese night combat, part 1. Headquarters, U.S. Army Forces, Far East, and Eighth U.S. Army, Military History Section, Japanese Research Division. 1955.
"Abstract Part one of three parts, this paper compiled by a number of former officers of the Imperial Japanese Army contains general discussion of the principles and accumulated experience of the Japanese in night combat. Part 2 contains an appendix consisting of appropriate excerpts from Japanese Army training manuals, part 3 contains a supplement of twelve examples of night combat engagements of the Japanese Army".

I have a feeling these may reveal more. I will keep on digging. If anyone has access to these, please let me know if there is anything regarding the painting of helmets. Thanks!

Scott

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Peter H
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Re: Black-painted Type 90 combat helmets

#4

Post by Peter H » 16 Dec 2008, 06:14

I've always been curious whether the PLA painted black the Japanese helmets they used.

This photo is from the Korean War.Considerable stocks of Japanese helmets are said to "be in use" up to the 1980s.

Image


Photo of in use with PLA Navy,but not black in this case.From China History Forum.
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Jpc9910
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Re: Black-painted Type 90 combat helmets

#5

Post by Jpc9910 » 30 Jan 2020, 19:43

I can 100 percent confirm the black helmets were used for night raids. My Uncle Jack Kanne who is deceased survived a night raid in the beginning of our involvement. He took a black type 90 helmet home from his encounter. In the 1980s he moved into a Condo complex and gave me the black type 90 helmet. I still have it and the only ones to ever have it were the dead soldier, my uncle Jack and myself.

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