Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive early pattern German WWII Luftwaffe Flight Branch EM/NCO Schirmmütze, or visor cap, retaining its original aluminum “Droop Tail” eagle, aluminum wreath and cockade, dual buckle black leather chinstrap, and internal crown stiffener. Constructed from Luftwaffe Fliegerblau blue gray doeskin weave wool with a wide black ribbed wool cap band and three rows of Goldgelb gold yellow piping, it has the classic appearance associated with Luftwaffe flying personnel and related branches. The cap measures approximately 56cm internally and remains especially appealing due to its strong colors, early insignia, and gently relaxed but still well supported profile.

The cap body is made from fine blue gray Fliegerblau doeskin weave wool with a wide black ribbed wool band. Three rows of Goldgelb, or gold yellow, piping run around the crown and cap band. This was the Luftwaffe Waffenfarbe associated with the Flight Branch, including flying personnel and related aviation troops, and was also used by Fallschirmjäger personnel.

The original crown stiffener remains installed, so the cap has not collapsed into the more pronounced saddle form seen on examples where the stiffener was removed. Instead, the crown retains a gently relaxed shape while still standing well.

The front is fitted with the correct early pattern aluminum Luftwaffe eagle with the distinctive “Droop Tail” form. Below it is an aluminum oak leaf wreath with stylized wings surrounding a painted tricolor cockade. The insignia remain in very good condition overall, with only light wear to the paint on the cockade.

The dual buckle black leather chinstrap is attached to black lacquered side buttons and is correct for EM/NCO wear. The patent leather finish shows age related cracking and checking, which is commonly encountered on leather fittings of this type.

The visor is made from pressed Vulkanfibre with a gloss black upper surface and checkered green underside. The upper finish shows age related crazing and checking together with several small areas of flaking. The faux leather stitched edge trim remains complete and in very good condition, although some of the original stitching has deteriorated.

The visor is still firmly attached to the cap body overall, but there are stitch repairs at both ends where it meets the cap.

The interior is lined with blue service cloth type material showing staining and wear from use. The original celluloid diamond shaped sweat shield is mostly intact, though it has developed some cracking, and most of the perimeter stitching remains present.

The original printed logo on the sweat shield has largely worn away, but the wording is still clearly visible:

DEUTSCHE
SONDER KLASSE
WERTARBEIT

This translates approximately as “German Special Class Quality Workmanship,” a period quality designation commonly encountered on privately manufactured visor caps.

The sweatband is made from gray finished Alkor type faux leather. It is the weakest condition area of the cap and is now heavily wrinkled and torn in multiple places, with additional loss and flaking to the surface finish.

The interior measures approximately 56cm using a hat sizer.

Overall condition is very good. The exterior shows only light wear and a few minor moth nips, with no major damage or repairs to the wool body itself. The principal condition issues are the deteriorated faux leather sweatband and the repaired stitching at the ends of the visor. The Fliegerblau wool, black band, and gold yellow piping remain strongly colored, while the early “Droop Tail” eagle gives the cap excellent period character.

For the Luftwaffe headgear collector, this is a particularly appealing early Flight Branch EM/NCO visor cap. The original early pattern eagle, complete wreath and cockade, surviving crown stiffener, strong gold yellow branch piping, measured 56cm size, and well preserved exterior colors all contribute to its desirability. The worn sweatband and visor end repairs are fully disclosed, while the cap's overall presentation remains strong and highly displayable.

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.