Original German WWII Luftwaffe M43 Short Brim Einheitsmütze Wool Field Cap – Size 58cm Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is an excellent example of a Luftwaffe M43 Einheitsmütze Wool field cap, with a short brim measuring only about 2 inches. The cap is constructed of Luftwaffe fliegerblau (flyer’s blue) wool, and has the correct “fold down” skirt for colder weather. It features a single blue-painted pebbled aluminum buckle to the front, securing the skirt, and has the correct loops on the underside.

The peak of the cap has an excellent cap eagle with cockade underneath, both machine embroidered to blue / gray fabric backing that matches the color of the cap. The interior of cap is a blue / gray rayon material, which is standard for this type of cap. It has light sweat stains around the edge, and the front by the visor has a leather forehead sweat shield. The crown still has the original issue markings visible: 

RBNr. 2/0125/0

58

German RBN Numbers, or Reichsbetriebsnummer, also known as the National Business Number, were an alternative to the 3 letter codes in use late in the war. The first number 2 is the prefix for “Commercial Wholesale Trading Companies”, while 0125 is the location code, and manufacturer 0 in is a specific maker. The records of these are very incomplete, so we have not been able to locate this specific manufacturer.

The visor is still in great condition, with no bends or cracks in the cardboard stiffener, and just a bit of ripple. The cap overall shows only light signs of use, and no tears or major damage to the exterior. Really a great example of this type of cap, with a rare short brim. Ready to display!

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.