Japanese Type 66 Combat Helmet

October 26, 20214 yr

#1

The Japanese Self-Defence Force were formed July 1 1954 and had the dubious task of defending against a feared Soviet invasion of Northern Japan, the JSDF was originally equipped with a blend of home made equipment and American Military surplus...

The first domestically produced combat helmet of post war Japan were based off the American M1 helmet with a liner designed specifically for use by the Japanese people since their typical head size did not always fit well with surplus liners supplied by the US government...

The liners are manufactured from simple molded resin and or thermoplastic this particular example dates to 1987.. The earliest example used a chinstrap system that was reminiscent of the type 90 IJA helmet that seen service from 1930-1945 and later models where retrofitted and or came with a two point chinstrap...

The (66式鉄帽, Rokurokushikitetsubou) is known as Teppachi it has never been exported out of Japan since it was adopted by the JSDF in 1966 the total weight of the helmet body and liner is approximately 1.4 kilograms the shell is made out of manganese steel...

The Type 66 can take various helmet covers this particular example is sporting a very early camouflage pattern that was 1st introduced in 1965 and used on the Mk I Uniform the design, having black, brown, and medium green woodland shapes on a pale green background, was initially issued to members of the 1st Airborne Brigade and is often associated with that unit... Some Japanese sources have referred to the design colloquially as "Hokkaido," "Northern," and "Kunai" camouflage, the latter of which may refer to a medieval trowel or hand-tool with a spike on one end.. By the early 1980s, the pattern would see use by conventional Japanese ground units. Within Western collecting circles, the pattern is sometimes referred to as "Fang" pattern. This design became outdated in 1992 with the introduction of the "dots" design....

Regards Mark K