Panzer-abwehr cap circa 1935

**spandau** · 03-21-2012, 12:37 PM

Hi

I am pleased to say this cap came to me last week and is worth consideration in a little more detail (IMO).

Basically it offers us the opprtunity to look not just at the unit history from whence it came but also the changes in construction materials that came into play during the early 1930,s in respect to cap manufacture.

History first and if you follow the link below it's covered in my earlier post.....

https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/cloth...time-158609-3/

One comment on terminolgy is that this type of cap will often be referred to by many dealers/collectors as a transitional cap. For the record there was no "transitional" uniform only tweeks in regulations that saw the shape and colours of the caps change. As with all armies you were given what was in stock and if you were lucky it fitted. Consequently the german army used up what they already had first as the army expanded.

This cap would have originally been destined for the kraftfahrer battalions when it was ordered but ended up with an anti-tank battalion in the infantry.

**Espenlaub Militaria** · 03-21-2012 12:37 PM

We also buy and trade your items and full collections!

**stuka f** · 03-21-2012, 12:41 PM

That is a gem!
Thanks for posting.
|<ris

**spandau** · 03-21-2012, 12:50 PM

............and now the technical stuff for the anoraks like myself.

In May 1931 regulations changed the dimensions of the cap. The front height could be upto 11.8cm with a loose wire inside the crown to keep the shape. The visor was made slightly wider to reflect a standard of 4.5cm but still remained 25cm long.

The visor was to be lacquered in light brown or tan on the underside.

A 15x3cm cork strip or red sponge of foam rubber to ease the weight off the forehead was added.

Issue caps, or government contract as we know them, for other ranks and NCOs had previously been lined with grey twill material but around 1934 rust coloured aterproof material became standard as did the inner lining qauze, usually a cheese cloth material.

The insignia on the cap are original to it and are the early nickel type. This along with above analysis allows us to put the issue date of the cap around late 1935 when the unit was raised and certainly no later than mid 1936.

In respect of the manufacture date the cork strip places it after late 1934 and the field grey cap band before mid 1936, leaving the conclusion this is one of the last made reichswehr era caps that came off the production line.

Once again thanks for taking the time to get to the end of my post

cheers

tony

**Scout** · 03-21-2012, 01:14 PM

Very very interesting walk-through of this particular visor and not least of the development history of the wehrmacht uniforms - tweaks and all. Thanks for posting.

**António Fragoeiro** · 03-21-2012, 05:04 PM

A very beautiful cap, superb example.
Cheers.
Nuno

**Friedrich-Berthold** · 03-21-2012, 07:27 PM

Thank you. Your posts set a high standard others can emulate on this site. We look forward to your fine book. I should find the table of organization and equipment of such units of this era as further orientation. Your point about the word "transitional" is quite correct. There are many inaccurate and misleading pieces of collector argot around here which we should stamp out for the purpose of clarity and precision.