Original Item: Only One available. This is a very nice service used condition Luftwaffe Flight Branch EM/NCO Schirmmütze (Visor Cap), made by Gebrüder Alm of Berlin, a known maker of visor caps for the Luftwaffe. It still has the original crown stiffener installed, so the sides have not sunken down over the years, giving it a gently "relaxed" look. This NCO Schirmmütze Visor Cap is an original high quality manufactured cap. It is fabricated in Luftwaffe blue gray Fliegerblau (Flier's Blue) "doeskin" weave wool, with wide black wool cap band, plus three rows of goldgelb (Gold-Yellow) color piping for the flight branch (Waffenfarbe) around the circumference. This included Aviator troops such as pilots and ground personnel as well as Fallschirmjäger (parachute troops).

The is decorated with the correct metal insignia, including a finely-detailed aluminum eagle on the peak, and an aluminum oak leaf wreath with stylized wings and central painted tri-color cockade on the band. These are in very good condition, though the paint on the cockade is a bit worn. The dual-buckled black leather chinstrap, designating the wearer to be an enlisted man, is attached to black lacquered buttons on either side. It shows cracking and checking to the finish, very common on patent leather items of this age. The visor is the classic gloss black color with a faux leather stitched edge trim, made of pressed vulcanfibre, with a green underside. It shows crazing and checking on the visor, caused by age, and the edge trim is in wonderful condition and complete. The visor is still solidly attached to the body of the cap.

The interior of the cap is lined with light brown "service cloth" type material, now stained and soiled from wear. The top celluloid sweat shield is completely missing, with most of the stitching remaining. The maker name Gebr. Alm is faintly present under the size 57, with the rest of the maker logo worn away. The sweatband is tan leather, which is a bit stained on the forehead area where the vent holes are. It also is in somewhat delicate condition, with some tearing on the left hand side, and there is some gray tape residue on the area as well. It looks like the stitching has rotted out in this area, and the sweatband may have been glued back in place.

The underside of the sweatband has a unit marking of II. Zerstörergeschw. 76 and Staff, indicating they were probably in the staff unit of Zerstörergeschwader 76 (Heavy Fighter / Destroyer Wing 76) of the Luftwaffe. There is another marking beginning with III, but we cannot read the rest. Definitely some great research potential here!

Overall, the condition of the cap is very good, and there is little damage or wear to the exterior. The colors are very well retained, and there is no mothing we can see. This is a very nice Luftwaffe Flight Branch EM/NCO peaked visor cap, offered in very good condition with a great look. Ready to display!

The German Schirmmütze Visor Cap:
The visor cap (Schirmmütze) was an important part of the headgear worn by German uniformed military, civil, paramilitary and political organizations during the Third Reich. This was the standard cloth headgear worn as a part of the service uniform. Visor caps were worn outdoors as well as indoors, and were often required to be worn by all personnel on duty. Visor caps were made in versions specific to each organization and were often further differentiated through the use of insignia, colored piping, or style of chin cord, to indicate rank, role or branch. The insignia used on these caps ranged from simple stamped metal emblems, to elaborate hand embroidery. Visor caps were issued to enlisted soldiers and NCOs in the military and in some other organizations. Officers had to purchase their own hats, and lower ranks could choose to purchase caps that were of a higher quality than the rather basic, issue examples. The private purchase caps were generally made in very high quality, with fine materials. A wide variety of fabrics were used, from Trikot and doeskin, to heavy wool, or even lightweight white fabric for summer wear. In the military, issue of these caps was generally suspended shortly after the outbreak of the war, but they continued to be worn by some troops until the end of the war.