{"product_id":"original-german-wwii-1942-dated-dak-afrikakorps-gebirgsjager-em-nco-m38-overseas-cap-by-f-weissbach-size-61cm","title":"Original German WWII 1942 Dated DAK Afrikakorps Gebirgsjäger EM-NCO M38 Overseas Cap by F. Weissbach - size 61cm","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Available. The second most predominant item of Heer tropical soft headgear was based on the M-34 \/ 38 overseas cap, nicknamed in German army slang as \u003cem\u003eSchiffchen\u003c\/em\u003e, or literally \"little ship\" as it resembled an up-turned row-boat. It lacked a peak or visor, and was made in the same cotton as the M-40 'Afrikamütze' cap. The production of these also started in 1940. The schiffchen utilized the same brown enameled stock for the vent holes as the M-40.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAs with the continental wool version, the tropical overseas cap had turn-down sides, but these could not be folded down to cover the ears for cold weather protection because they were stitched in the front and back. Later war versions retained the seam, but were entirely sewn down, now just a separate part of the exterior.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe cap was also lined with red cotton, the sides being the last to be sewn in place. The insignia was sewn to the shell before the lining was added, and used exactly the same eagle, roundel and soutache as the M-40 'Afrikamütze'. From 1943 onwards, as with the M-40 billed cap, the eagle can be seen to be sewn on some examples on a triangular backing. This was a simple measure to speed up production, although it tended to lend the cap with a less attractive appearance.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe overseas cap was popular with armored vehicle crews due to the lack of a visor, which would get in the way of using optical equipment and continual banging against the sides, equipment, hatches and other obstructions in closely confined work spaces like tanks and armored vehicles. Due to their very utilitarian and somewhat unflattering appearance, the overseas cap never gained the affection that the M-40 evoked from those who wore them. These M-34 \/ 38 Pattern Tropical caps also have an important place in any tropical uniform collection.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a fantastic extra large size tropical pattern overseas cap, as worn by NCO and enlisted ranks in the DAK and southern Europe. Styled after the 1940 pattern, it is produced in olive-brown cotton twill with decorative scalloped \"faux\" flaps and tan enameled alloy vent grommets. The front has a very nice BeVO style machine embroidered light blue gray on Tan tropical pattern Heer eagle with the correct rayon BeVo tri-color Kokarde underneath. There is a very nice \u003cem\u003eHellgrün\u003c\/em\u003e (Light Green) V-shaped soutache, which is the Corps Color (Waffenfarbe) for Gebirgsjäger (mountain troops ), Skijäger (ski troops), and Jäger (light infantry troops). The bottom stitches go over the soutache, so it was added to the cap during manufacture. It is machine sewn on with green thread on the front and olive thread on the rear, also period correct.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe interior has a liner of lightweight red cotton cloth that is faintly marked with full manufacturer and size information on the upper rear:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e61\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eF. Weissbach\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGlauchau\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eE 42\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/center\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a VERY large size cap, and the bottom line indicates it was processed through the Erfurt clothing depot in 1942.It shows only very minor wear, mostly on the delicate insignia, with very little staining or fading. Both grommets are secure, and there are no structural fabric issues. This is a cap that would be VERY hard to improve upon.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eA really great example of a hard to find cap, ready to display!\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003e\u003cem\u003eGebirgsjäger\u003c\/em\u003e \u003c\/strong\u003ematerial is among the most popular of all German WWII items. They were the light infantry part of the alpine or mountain troops (\u003cem\u003eGebirgstruppe\u003c\/em\u003e) of Germany and Austria. The word \u003cem\u003eJäger\u003c\/em\u003e (meaning \"hunter\" or \"huntsman\") is a characteristic term used for light-infantry or light-infantryman in German-speaking military context.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe mountain infantry of Austria have their roots in the three \u003cem\u003eLandesschützen\u003c\/em\u003e regiments of the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The mountain infantry of Germany carry on certain traditions of the \u003cem\u003eAlpenkorps\u003c\/em\u003e (Alpine corps) of World War I. Both countries' mountain infantry share the \u003cem\u003eEdelweiß\u003c\/em\u003e insignia. It was established in 1907 as a symbol of the Austro-Hungarian \u003cem\u003eLandesschützen\u003c\/em\u003e regiments by Emperor Franz Joseph I. These troops wore their edelweiss on the collar of their uniforms. When the \u003cem\u003eAlpenkorps\u003c\/em\u003e came to aid the \u003cem\u003eLandesschützen\u003c\/em\u003e in defending Austria-Hungary's southern frontier against the Italian attack in May 1915, the grateful \u003cem\u003eLandesschützen\u003c\/em\u003e honored the men of the \u003cem\u003eAlpenkorps\u003c\/em\u003e by awarding them their own insignia: the edelweiss. Together with the \u003cem\u003eFallschirmjäger\u003c\/em\u003e (Paratroopers) they are perceived as the elite infantry units of the German Army.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eGerman Jäger Units -\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eJäger (hunter) is a German military term referring to specific light infantry units. In German-speaking states during the early modern era, the term Jäger came to denote light infantrymen whose civilian occupations (mostly hunters and foresters) made them well-suited to patrolling and skirmishing, on an individual and independent basis, rather than as part of a large-scale military unit or traditional line infantry. As a consequence, Jäger was used to describe skirmishers, scouts, sharpshooters and runners.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe German Empire had various different Jäger units, which were disbanded at the conclusion of WWI. The Reichswehr of Weimar Germany did keep their traditions somewhat intact, and during the NSDAP led rearmament preceding WWII, various different Jäger units were reformed, the most famous of which were the Heer \u003cem\u003eGebirgsjäger\u003c\/em\u003e Mountain Troopers and Luftwaffe \u003cem\u003eFallschirmjäger\u003c\/em\u003e paratroopers. Later in the war, \u003cem\u003eSkijäger\u003c\/em\u003e Ski Troopers and \u003cem\u003eJäger\u003c\/em\u003e Infantry units were raised, as well as some smaller units with more specific purposes, such as \"Tank Hunters\".\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40872774893637,"sku":"ONSV23PCS41","price":895.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/files\/ONSV23PCS41__08.jpg?v=1702955731","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-german-wwii-1942-dated-dak-afrikakorps-gebirgsjager-em-nco-m38-overseas-cap-by-f-weissbach-size-61cm","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}