Hi Bill, have you checked out the Ledy thread? If not, here is a link: http://www.imperialgunneryforum.com/t2135-the-lili-ledy-guide-discussion-thread-part-1
From the description, I suspect the helmet may be a Taiwan version. If it has little paint left, someone may have attempted to chemically strip it? This could account for the soft spongy feel.
We'll await the photo's to confirm.