being easily pierced by shrapnel and/or gunfire. A star (or anchor for the IJN) was soldered to the front and the helmet and star were painted mustard khaki. They were sometimes whitewashed in the winter. A tan, khaki or olive-green two layer, fiber reinforced linen cover was available with a yellow star sewn on the front. The helmet was secured to the head by an elaborate set of straps descended from those of the Kabuto samurai helmet. It was also able to be worn over a reversed field cap. Camouflage nets were widely worn over the helmet especially in the Southern theatre and Pacific island campaign. Tropical helmets The IJA issued various tropical helmets to its troops: Model 1923 - The first sun helmet issued to troops. It began development in 1921 and was released 2 years following. The liner was comparable to that of German piths in the second world war, using a zigzag spacer as insulation between the sweatband and helmet shell. A pair of three ventilation grommets was present on each side, and the helmet was produced in 3 sizes. The shell was initially fashioned from the leaves of the Tahitian Screwpine. The official model designation, if one exists, is unknown, and it is thereof referred to as "Model 1923". Shōwa Type 5 - The helmet in itself was not vastly different from the Model 1923. Instead of a third vent grommet on each side, a covered vent was added to the top, and the shell was woven with Pandanus and Taiwanese marsh grass. A metal star was fixed to the front and was only produced in one size. Type 98, Pattern 1 - A new pith model introduced in 1938. Regulation expanded the list of material for shell manufacture, now including bamboo. The design of the helmet was redesigned to be adjusted for use over the Type 90 steel helmet. For use over the steel helmet, the size adjustment cord was removed, then drawn through eyelets on the inside of the pith and through the chinstrap rings of the steel helmet. The same ventilation elements from the Shōwa 5 Type were present in this pattern, along with a metal star fixed to the front. Type 98, Pattern 2 - The second pattern of the Type 98 pith helmet, made to accommodate for material shortages. The only vastly notable change is the elimination of the vent grommets