Dilemma. Which one would you choose and why????

[don_kihotis7]

Hello members. I'm planning to buy my first visor cap. I have found these 2 options. The first one is an artillery one (€350) whilst the other is a Luftwaffe (€490).
Which one would you choose and why. I would like to see what are your thoughts.
Also i would appreciate the expert's feedback regarding authenticity of the caps and their insignia.
Thanks in advance!!!!

[don_kihotis7]

And the rest for LW

[don_kihotis7]

I forgot to mention that the LW one is in an unissued condition.

[Walkwolf]

Both nice, but I love the look of the Luft EM !

[kreager]

This is a very personal question. Both seem to be priced fair, so now you just have to think about what you collect. I personally don't collect LW so that one wouldn't be for me, and for others they may not collect Heer so the LW would be the one for them. So, What do you collect or focus on?

[don_kihotis7]

This is a very personal question. Both seem to be priced fair, so now you just have to think about what you collect. I personally don't collect Luftwaffe so that one wouldn't be for me, and for others they may not collect Heer so the Luftwaffe would be the one for them. So, What do you collect or focus on?

Basically i'm very font of LW stuff. My goal now is to buy my first visor cap. I liked the LW but it is unissued so there is not much history in it.
In the near future i'm definitely going to buy an infantry visor and if i have money a panzer one.
I really don't know which one to get first.
Do you guys see any issue of authenticity? The insignia of the artillery's cap look like they have been replaced. The leaves are bright full in color whilst the circle in the middle is dirty with patina.

[locloc08]

Both caps are authentic. I'll also give you a friendly reminder that we have a cap authentication sub-forum, which is located at the very top of the headgear forum. All questions of authenticity should be directed there.

You should buy which ever one strikes you more/aligns with your interest. Or wait and save your money. One might come down the pipe a little later that you find you'd like more than either of these two. As a pretty new collector myself, I've come to realize that patience and practice are virtues in this hobby.

Surely both pieces have history, as they are both authentic. With the Luftwaffe cap I would ask the following questions: Can you be sure it was actually unissued, or was it just very scarcely worn? If it is unissued, does it matter? Seeing as the cap is original, it wouldn't stop me from formulating the fun historical questions in my head that one will never know the answers to. "What were the hows and whys of it being unissued?" "How did its possession change hands?"

Both hats are of the period and both have their own different history. Yes, the artillery cap was evidently worn more, but inevitably you are still left with the same result--speculation. My point is that worrying about the one having more of a story is pointless when in either case all you can do is speculate. The important thing is that the piece is original, honestly.

[Neil Hever]

My approach is to collect in an area where you can expand on the first piece for the purpose of completing a display. My first "complete" uniform collection started with a Luftwaffe Flak Schirmmütze. Later I added a Flak Fliegerbluse then trousers and so forth. It was exciting to nail down the next part of the collection. The lighter duty Luftwaffe Y-straps for example were challenging to locate. But now I can do an entire LW display from the cap down to the boots. If you really prefer the look of Luftwaffe uniforms and equipment go with it. The LW cap is really quite nice! NH

[stonemint]

The LW is a contract cap, while the WH is a private-purchase piece, and these are rarer than LW (most are "upgraded" to officer).

[don_kihotis7]

I want to thank you all for your thoughts, opinions and advises. Also Tony thank you for correcting me on where to post threads concerning authenticity. Honestly i hadn't noticed that section.