Original German WWII Luftwaffe M43 Summer Weight 54cm Einheitsmütze Field Cap – dated 1944 Original Items

Original Item: Only One Available. This is very nice lightly used example of a Luftwaffe M43 Summer Weight Einheitsmütze Wool field cap. The cap is constructed of lightweight Luftwaffe fliegerblau (flyer’s blue) “whipcord” weave wool, and has the correct “fold down” skirt for colder weather. It features two blue-painted pebbled aluminum buttons to the front, securing the skirt, and has the correct rayon loops on the underside.

The peak of the cap has an excellent cap eagle with cockade underneath, both machine embroidered to a blue / gray fabric triangle that matches the color of the cap. The interior of cap is a light gray rayon material, which is standard for this type of cap. There is just a bit of light staining on the forehead area. The interior still shows original date and manufacture markings, including an RBNr. (national business number):

1944
R.B.Nr. 0/0454/0041
54

The visor is still in very good condition, with just some minor bending at the ends of the two sides. The cap overall shows only light signs of use, and no tears or major damage to the exterior. Really a very nice summer weight example of this type of cap. 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.