M40 army cap converted

[Dion]

Hey Guys,

I just had the opportunity to purchase this great cap from an antique dealer who purchased it directly from the vet, amoung other items brought back from the North Africa campaign! Its pretty awesome to get the stuff directly from the source as you can be pretty rest assured it hasn`t been messed with.
The cap is an army M40 with maker and obviously was used by a Luftwaffe guy and converted to his insignia. small repair to the side of the cap, but none the less a great piece from the desert!
Thought I`d show it to prove that text book isn`t always text book!

Dion

[BenVK]

Very nice!!

Reminds me of a similar cap I used to own. That one still had the Heer eagle under the Luftwaffe one.

Did the dealer managed to snag anything else from the vet?

[Dion]

Very nice!!

Reminds me of a similar cap I used to own. That one still had the Heer eagle under the Luftwaffe one.

Did the dealer managed to snag anything else from the vet?

Lol.. Yeah that was the first thing I looked for hoping that the heer eagle was still under it, but unfortunately not! The other stuff included a war merrit cross with X and three different breast and cap eagles. Included was also a POW ring.

[billbert]

THEY NEVER DID THAT...YEAH THEY DID...Billbert

[mike donne]

Dion
This is a rare maker of M40 caps. I know of one other with this name on the forum. Please show us a clearer photgraph of the stamp, and the gromets on the inside.
The other cap with the same name can be seen at
http://dev.wehrmacht-awards.com/foru...50&postcount=1
Interestingly this other cap, dated 1943, also has an RB number.
Mike

[Dion]

Close ups of the grommets. Unfortunately I can't make a better pic of the makers stamp. Hope these help though.

[Dion]

I was able to do a better pic.

H.u.W Obenhack
Karlsruhe

[mike donne]

Thanks Dion!
Mike

[Tim O'Keefe]

Nice cap from another uncommon maker. Any signs of a soutache ?

As far as the LW eagle, in my opinion it is likely postwar added. You can see the ghost of the Herr eagle compared to the natural Afrikan sun fading to the cap which implies it had the original Herr eagle in Afrika. Perhaps the vet attached the LW eagle himself postwar as he did not take a tropical eagle. jmo,

[OSS]

It appears to be a late '42 Heer contract cap with the Luftwaffe eagle very possibly period added.

[Gustav 43]

It appears to be a late '42 Heer contract cap with the Luftwaffe eagle very possibly period added.

Agree that the eagle could be very possibly applied during the war by a LW member as often seen in Afrika...very nice cap

[Willi Z.]

I agree as well. But, like Tim, I also see the ghost lines from the Heer eagle.

Gustav, how about sharing your new piece.....

[Gustav 43]

I agree as well. But, like Tim, I also see the ghost lines from the Heer eagle.

Gustav, how about sharing your new piece.....

Yes Willi,the signs of the Heer eagle are nicely visible..
My new piece ???.....still not in my hands Willi,need to wait some more days to meet my courier

[OSS]

Nice cap from another uncommon maker. Any signs of a soutache ?

As far as the LW eagle, in my opinion it is likely postwar added. You can see the ghost of the Herr eagle compared to the natural Afrikan sun fading to the cap which implies it had the original Herr eagle in Afrika. Perhaps the vet attached the LW eagle himself postwar as he did not take a tropical eagle. jmo,

I think it possible, even likely, that this cap was worn for a while by a Heer soldier and later acquired by a Luftwaffe man. The piece has a convincing appearance.

[galizien41]

I would sure have it in my collection. Nice addition!