Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very nice example of a Luftwaffe M43 Einheitsmütze Wool field cap, with a great service used look. The cap is constructed of Luftwaffe blue Fliegerblau (Flyer's Blue) blue/grey wool twill, and has the correct "fold down" skirt for colder weather. The weave of the fabric is much more lightweight than we usually see, and does not look to have been made with the fuzzy "nap" common on these. It features two pebbled magnetic buttons to the front, securing the skirt, and has the correct rayon loops on the underside.

The peak of the cap has a very nice insignia trapezoid, with a machine embroidered Luftwaffe eagle over a tri-color cockade. It is correctly sewn only to the outer shell of the cap, and it was made from wool fabric with a different weave than the rest of the cap. The interior of the cap is a gray rayon material, which is standard for this type of cap. It has sweat stains around the edge, and there is some soiling on the forehead area, as well as throughout the rest of the lining. There is a faint size 55 stamp on the interior, and it definitely looks to have seen a good amount of use.

The visor is still in good condition, and the internal cardboard stiffener is still relatively firm, though it does have a bend in the middle, which is not torn through. The exterior is in very good condition, with little sign of moth, if any. It does show overall light staining and fading, except under the side flaps, where the original color and texture is retained. There are not any tears or repairs that we can see, making this a great example.

A lovely example with a great "been there" look, ready to add to your collection!

The M43 Einheitsmütze (Unit Cap) is a variety of "Ski Cap" and was based on the Bergmütze (Mountain Hat) used by Austrian and German Gebirgsjäger (Mountain Troops) during WWI. Germany had adopted it in 1915, and after the war it spread throughout the military.

The skirt that surrounds the cap is made in the same wool as the cap, and can be folded down over the ears, though this was rarely done outside of the Mountain troops, which had a double-thickness skirt. The skirt has a small dip in the front quarter with a divide secured by one aluminum button which is covered by an embroidered cockade. The small section in the front quarter was built shorter to show the insignia, and cover the wearer's chin or mouth, without disturbing breathing by covering the nose. There were also later M43 caps, such as those used by the DAK, that omitted the skirt entirely, as it had little use in the desert heat.