Original Item: Only One available. This is an excellent condition Luftwaffe Medical Corps EM/NCO Schirmmütze Visor Cap, which looks to be around a size 56 or 57cm. The cap has a lovely "Crushed" or "saddle-form" shape that is highly desirable, accomplished by removing the crown support stiffener ring. It is fabricated in Luftwaffe blue gray Fliegerblau ( Flier's Blue) "doeskin" weave wool gabardine, with wide black ribbed wool cap band, plus three rows of Medizinisch-blau (Dark Medical Blue) piping around the circumference. This is the Luftwaffe Waffenfarbe (corps color) for the Luftwaffe Medical Corps (Sanitätstruppe) and associated roles. Condition is just great, showing very little wear of any kind. We were not able to see any type of moth damage, definitely a rarity on an old wool cap such as this.

The visor cap is decorated with the correct insignia, including a finely-detailed cast metal eagle of the mid-war tail design on the peak, and an oak leaf wreath with stylized wings and central tri-color cockade on the band; the latter is made of aluminum with a red and black painted cockade. The black-finished patent leather chin strap rests just above the visor and is made up of three pieces: the central piece with two magnetic metal buckles and joined to the flanking end pieces via rectangular loops, the end pieces attached to black finished buttons on either side. The leather is still in good shape, but does show some checking and crazing on the finish.

The visor has the classic black gloss finish, made of pressed vulcanfibre, and features a checkered beige underside. There is some wear around the very edge, and unlike many we see, there is no edge trim on the visor, or any evidence that there was ever any present. The visor is still firmly attached to the cap. The inside of the cap is lined with lovely ribbed blue rayon on the inside of the crown, while the sides are lined with blue service cloth style rayon. The celluloid diamond sweat shield on the inside of the crown is almost fully intact, with complete stitching, however there is no maker information visible at all. The sweatband is made of blue gray finished genuine leather, which still is in very good condition, with the leather still supple, showing no tears or signs of major deterioration. The stitching attaching it to the cap is still fully intact.

This is a great Luftwaffe Medical EM/NCO peaked visor cap, offered in excellent lightly used condition. Ready to display!

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.