Original Item: Only One Available. This is a very attractive service used German WWII Luftwaffe M38 Schiffchen, or overseas cap, for enlisted men and NCO personnel. Dated 1939 and carrying multiple interior unit markings, including Flugzeugf.-Sch.6 and Landau, the cap has a particularly strong period appearance. The heavily worn exterior, preserved original color beneath the flaps, embroidered Luftwaffe insignia, and unusual training unit markings give it the sort of genuine service character that cannot be duplicated by an artificially aged example.

The M38 overseas cap was standard Luftwaffe field and service headgear during the early war period. Its German nickname, Schiffchen, literally “little ship,” referred to the characteristic boat shaped profile of the folded cap.

This example is constructed from the correct Luftwaffe Fliegerblau blue gray wool. The front retains a finely embroidered Luftwaffe eagle above an embroidered tricolor cockade. Both insignia are stitched only through the outer layer of the cap fabric, a construction detail consistent with installation during manufacture.

The interior is lined in blue gray canvas. Extensive wear, staining, and perspiration exposure have changed much of the lower lining to an almost tan color, providing clear evidence of prolonged use. Several stitches are also present across the upper pleat, apparently intended to help the cap retain a more comfortable or desirable shape while being worn.

The lining is dated:

1939

The interior also carries a boxed unit marking near the front, applied upside down relative to the cap:

Flugzeugf.-Sch.6

This abbreviation is consistent with Flugzeugführerschule 6, or Pilot School 6.

Farther toward the rear is the separate marking:

Landau

There is also an additional:

U

applied in white paint.

The exact relationship between the Flugzeugf.-Sch.6 and Landau markings is uncertain. We were unable to confirm that Flugzeugführerschule 6 itself was based at Landau in 1939, so the two markings may represent separate assignments, locations, or administrative uses during the cap's service life. Their survival nevertheless gives the cap considerable research potential.

Overall condition is very good for such a heavily service used cap. Much of the original fuzzy nap has worn away from the exposed exterior wool, while the protected areas beneath the flaps and inside the top pleat retain noticeably stronger original color and texture.

Importantly, there are no repairs, moth holes, or other major structural damage that we can see. The cap remains complete and presents exceptionally well, with the fading, staining, worn nap, and interior discoloration all contributing to its genuine field used character.

For the Luftwaffe headgear or training unit collector, this is an especially appealing early dated M38 Schiffchen. The 1939 date, strong embroidered insignia, well worn Fliegerblau wool, boxed Flugzeugf.-Sch.6 marking, separate Landau stamp, and additional white U marking provide an unusually interesting combination of visual appeal and unit research potential.

Side Cap
A side cap is a military cap that can be folded flat when not being worn. It is also known as a garrison cap or flight cap in the United States, wedge cap in Canada, or field service cap in the United Kingdom. In form the side cap is comparable to the glengarry, a folding version of the Scottish military bonnet. It has been associated with various military forces since the middle of the 19th century, as well as various civilian organizations.