Luftwaffe M43 Einheitsfeldmütze. Un-issued?

**NineLives** · 02-01-2014, 04:54 AM

Hey guys,
I wanted to share some photos of my mint Luftwaffe M43 Einheitsfeldmütze. I have seen a few of these pop up with the same RBNr and production year on different dealer sites and sold privately. They all have one thing in common. The are in fantastic condition! Other than that, the insignia varies from cap to cap. Some have the trapezoid version, others have the separate eagle and cockade.
I have a theory that a large un-issued stockpile of these caps without insignia were captured or discovered late in the war and were taken as souvenirs, and later had the insignia added.
If you look closely at my example, there is still a thread on the crown of the cap, perhaps to attach some kind of tag.

I'd love to hear your thoughts and theories

Luftwaffe M43 Einheitsfeldmütze. Un-issued?

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 02-01-2014 04:54 AM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**Adrian Stevenson** · 02-01-2014, 11:13 AM

Very nice original cap.

Your theory is most likely correct.

No idea on the thread. But again you could be right?

Cheers, Ade.

**NineLives** · 02-01-2014, 11:25 AM

Thanks Ade. I guess it will remain a mystery

**gel65** · 02-02-2014, 12:59 AM

Very nice example never seen one with the thread across the top, but I believe you might be right

**NineLives** · 02-04-2014, 11:38 AM

Here is another example from Bill Shea:

HG-74 Luftwaffe Other Ranks Model 1943 Field Cap

Mint!

**jws54** · 02-05-2014, 03:32 AM

I had heard once that the caps were stitch bundled together. I had a Heer cap once, going towards later war with some brown Russian wool mixed in, It had the remains of the thread on the inside crown. It had rag filler in the scallops, one side white and one side black,..neither matched the liner or pull down loop material.

**JPhilip** · 02-09-2014, 06:44 PM

Hello,
Concerning the cockade : is it the one sewn at the factory ?
Thanks

**NineLives** · 02-10-2014, 03:18 AM

by JPhilip

Hello,
Concerning the cockade : is it the one sewn at the factory ?
Thanks

It looks to be hand sewn. Here are some pics...

**Adrian Stevenson** · 02-10-2014, 10:11 AM

Hand sewn is fine.

Cheers, Ade.

**JPhilip** · 02-10-2014, 10:53 AM

Hello,
Here we obviously have two Einheitsfliegermützen produced by the same maker the same year, that have two different styles of cockade, sewn with two different methods of sewing...if we consider that in the link provided, the cockade has been sewn during the construction process of the cap, as it is machine sewn...what to think about the other one ?

So for me, the maker has changed his production process sometime in 1944 or the handsewn cockade is a replacement...(maybe also they first hand applied cockades at the end of the construction and changed for machine applied cockades in order to accelerate the production...!?)

If we talk about tropical M40 caps, we know that knowing how each maker did apply both insignia is a clue to determine if they have a chance to be factory applied or not...

Just wondering...
Thanks