Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice and hard to find German WWII Luftwaffe Air Signals female auxiliary overseas cap, or Schiffchen, with desirable brown Signals piping and a fully legible 1942 dated ALMI Uniformen und Mützen, Luxemburg maker marking. Clearly marked size 59, this is an especially appealing example of the distinctive headgear worn by women serving with the Luftwaffe's Luftnachrichten Helferinnenschaft, or Corps of Women Signals Auxiliaries.

Women serving as Wehrmacht auxiliaries performed an increasingly important range of communications, aircraft reporting, clerical, and support duties during WWII. The Luftwaffe formally organized the Luftnachrichten Helferinnenschaft in 1941, incorporating personnel involved in aircraft warning and communications work. Their uniforms included a distinctive overseas cap, commonly called a Schiffchen, literally “little ship,” after its boat shaped profile. Regulations for these female auxiliary caps called for golden brown trim and omitted the national tricolor cockade normally encountered on male Luftwaffe overseas caps.

This example is constructed from Luftwaffe fliegerblau blue gray wool in a pronounced whipcord weave. The cap has fold down side and rear panels with gently descending scallops toward the front and forward sides, giving it the characteristic profile associated with this pattern of female auxiliary headgear.

The upper edge of the fold down panels is finished with twisted braun, or saddle brown, rayon piping. The piping has faded somewhat with age but remains clearly visible around the cap. This golden to brown branch color is associated with the Luftwaffe communications service, the Luftnachrichtentruppe, commonly referred to by collectors as Signals.

Centered on the front is a machine embroidered Luftwaffe eagle worked in white thread on a cut out blue gray wool backing. The insignia has been neatly hand sewn to the cap and remains well presented. As appropriate for this type of female auxiliary cap, there is no national tricolor cockade installed.

The interior is lined in attractive blue to indigo rayon, which remains notably bright and shows only minor staining and wear. The lining retains a fully legible maker, date, and size marking:

„ALMI“
Uniformen und Mützen
Luxemburg
1942 59

The ALMI marking is known on period German Luftwaffe headgear manufactured in Luxemburg, and the clear 1942 date and unusually large 59 size are particularly desirable features on this example.

Condition overall is very good. The blue gray wool exterior shows only light service wear and very mild age toning, retaining a strong overall appearance. There are a few scattered moth holes on both sides of the cap, all of which are visible signs of age and storage but do not seriously detract from the overall presentation. The brown piping remains intact and the front eagle continues to display very well.

The interior shows only light evidence of wear. The blue to indigo rayon lining remains quite shiny, is still intact without tearing, and retains the important ALMI maker marking exceptionally well.

For the Luftwaffe uniform or German WWII women's auxiliary collector, this is a particularly attractive example combining the distinctive Air Signals brown piping, original hand applied Luftwaffe eagle, correct absence of a cockade, an excellent surviving rayon lining, and a completely legible ALMI / Luxemburg / 1942 / 59 marking. Its large size, strong visual condition, and specialized association with the Luftwaffe communications auxiliaries make it an excellent addition to a Luftwaffe headgear, female auxiliary, Signals, or broader German WWII uniform collection.

Background on the Luftwaffe Female Auxiliary

Although the Luftwaffe had utilized civilian female employees in secretarial and clerical positions, it was contrary to the NSDAP’s views on women to draft them into active military service roles. As the war progressed and additional manpower was needed at the front, more and more women were recruited into service, albeit still retaining their civilian status. Besides the secretarial and clerical positions female civilians were also employed as Flugmeldedienstpersonel (Aircraft Reporting Service), personnel that were tasked with operating assorted aircraft visual and sound detection equipment, and radar stations to warn of incoming enemy aircraft.

On February 26th 1941, the Luftwaffe constituted the Luftnachrichten Helferinnenschaft, (Corps of Women Signals Auxiliaries), which incorporated the Flugmeldedienstpersonel and were tasked with aircraft warning and communication services. The Flugmeldedienst and Luftnachrichten Helferinnenschaft personnel were outfitted with uniforms on June 11th 1940 that included an overseas cap. Additional regulations of November 26th 1940 dictated the female auxiliaries overseas caps were to have the crown trimmed in golden/brown branch of service piping. Regulations also instructed that the female auxiliaries overseas caps were to be worn without the national tri-color cockade applied, but the regulation was not always adhered to.