Iraqi m90 helmet Variants
Sections
- summary
- webbing types
-helmets
- 1st pattern green m90 (confirmed)
- tan m90 with regular T1 webbing
- tan m90 with reinforced t1 webbing
- tan m90 with reinforced t2 webbing
- tan m90 with regular t2 webbing
Disclaimer: This section is being researched and some info may be changed in the future
The Iraqi produced M90 helmets were seen in use particularly in Desert Storm and until 2003. They were not widely used like the M80 helmet was.
The first produced M90's were made in a green plastic. These initial M90's were prone to splintering around the helmet rim, so a rubber rim was added to counter that. When the rim was added, the plastic allegedly switched from green to tan.
The construction of the M90 is probably the cheapest constructed helmet of them all. It is noticeably thinner in construction and has 2 types of webbing style. An "O" type webbing, which was designed after the style of WW2 M1 helmet liners (Type 1), and a "X" type webbing, which is the same design as the M80 helmet webbing and Vietnam era US M1 helmet liners (Type 2). The background behind the variations of the M90's are disputed and very complicated, so I will only classify them by their features until they are confirmed.
The first produced M90's were made in a green plastic. These initial M90's were prone to splintering around the helmet rim, so a rubber rim was added to counter that. When the rim was added, the plastic allegedly switched from green to tan.
The construction of the M90 is probably the cheapest constructed helmet of them all. It is noticeably thinner in construction and has 2 types of webbing style. An "O" type webbing, which was designed after the style of WW2 M1 helmet liners (Type 1), and a "X" type webbing, which is the same design as the M80 helmet webbing and Vietnam era US M1 helmet liners (Type 2). The background behind the variations of the M90's are disputed and very complicated, so I will only classify them by their features until they are confirmed.
Webbing types and comparison
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Shown here is the Type 1 webbing, where the webbing is connected with a drawstring in the middle.
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And shown here is the Type 2 webbing, which resembles an "X"
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Regular VS Reinforced
regular
Throughout this section, you will hear "regular" and "reinforced" webbing very often. What the white arrows are pointing to on this example is the regular webbing. That refers to how the webbing is of the same quality and material. If you look above, it is easy to see that the webbing being individually pointed to are the same material as each other.
reinforced
What you see here is the reinforced webbing, which is pointed to by the red arrows. It is simply a ring of better quality grey material in the suspension, located where the sweatband clips onto. The white arrow points to the regular webbing and a red arrow points to the reinforced webbing. It is easy to distinguish that the two are different.
Lastly, here is a photo of the suspension from a 4th Pattern M90. It has the reinforced webbing, but it is a lighter shade of grey and harder to spot. The red arrow points to it, and the white arrow points to the regular webbing.
1st pattern m90 (green)
WEBBING = regular and reinforced
PLASTIC = green
SUSPENTION = TYPE 1
RUBBER RIM = no
Here is the regular webbing version of the 1st Pattern Green M90. It has a tan repaint to blend in better with the desert environment. The green M90's are confirmed to be the first ones made out of all the M90 variants, and they never had rubber rims because they were only added to later models to prevent the edges of the helmet from splintering. This was the main problem with these helmets besides their terrible quality. They all have the Type 1 webbing, and have regular and reinforced style webbing.
The majority of green M90's with regular webbing, such as the one above, have a stamped manufacturing mark similar to Korean made M80's in the dome. It is likely that they came before the ones with reinforced webbing because those do not have such marks.
The majority of green M90's with regular webbing, such as the one above, have a stamped manufacturing mark similar to Korean made M80's in the dome. It is likely that they came before the ones with reinforced webbing because those do not have such marks.
This is the green M90 with reinforced webbing, which is nearly identical to its regular webbed counterpart. This webbing feature hints that the leftover green plastic could have been used up during the production of the 3rd pattern M90's which had reinforced webbing.
TAN M90 WITH REGULAR T1 WEBBING
webbing = regular
plastic = tan
suspention = type 1
rubber rim = yes
Here is a M90 helmet similar to the green plastic one. It has the Type 1 suspension without the reinforced webbing. This M90 could be the start of the revised M90's made with a rubber rim, OR it could have been made near the same time as the green M90's since the webbing styles are identical. This example is missing the drawstring for the webbing and the rubber rim, but other then that it is complete. It has identical webbing structure and quality as the confirmed first pattern M90, which suggests that this design was manufactured right after or during the same time as the green M90.
The helmet above was found in Kuwait in the back of a truck. It appears to never have had a rubber rim.
The helmet above was found in Kuwait in the back of a truck. It appears to never have had a rubber rim.
TAN M90 WITH REINFORCED T1 WEBBING
WEBBING = reinforced
PLASTIC = TAN
SUSPENTION = TYPE 1
RUBBER RIM = yes
This next M90 has a rubber rim and the Type 1 suspension, but with the reinforced webbing. I believe these were made very shortly after the 1st Pattern M90 for a few reasons. Firstly, some 1st Pattern green M90's have the reinforced webbing on the suspension instead of the regular cotton webbing, likely because they were using up the remaining green plastic when this M90 was manufactured. Secondly, the quality of these helmets likely went up slightly with the reinforced suspension after the M90's switched to tan plastic.
This particular helmet is covered in oil from sitting upright near a burning oil field in Kuwait. It is missing its rubber rim.
This particular helmet is covered in oil from sitting upright near a burning oil field in Kuwait. It is missing its rubber rim.
TAN M90 WITH REINFORCED T2 WEBBING
WEBBING = reinforced
PLASTIC = TAN
SUSPENTION = TYPE 2
RUBBER RIM = yes
The M90 above with reinforced Type 2 suspension is the outlier in all of this. The construction is different then all the other M90s with a different style of reinforced suspension, new webbing, and different rivet style. The rivets are made of a tan plastic instead of the painted metal rivets seen on the other M90's. Why this is the case is unknown.
TAN M90 WITH REGULAR T2 WEBBING
WEBBING = REGULAR
PLASTIC = TAN
SUSPENTION = TYPE 2
RUBBER RIM = unknown
This last M90 sports a rubber rim and the Type 2 suspension, BUT without the reinforced ring of grey webbing. Instead, the suspension is made from regular tan material and reverts back to the regular M90 style. The rivets are misaligned and the helmet is sloppily made. There is a Jihm stamp in the dome of the helmet. We are not sure if they had rubber rims or not.
These helmets were likely made during the time sanctions were placed on Iraq before Desert Storm, hence the reduced quality and materials. They don't seem to have been made for long and are more uncommon to find. This one sports a small Republican Guard Triangle on the rear.
These helmets were likely made during the time sanctions were placed on Iraq before Desert Storm, hence the reduced quality and materials. They don't seem to have been made for long and are more uncommon to find. This one sports a small Republican Guard Triangle on the rear.