Luft Officer m-43. Why so hard to find?

[Bob Hritz]

i have been looking for an original Luftwaffe Officer M-43 cap for years. Why are originals so hard to find? I would have thought, that with so many ground troops, they would be around.

Bob Hritz

[Mike Davis]

You are so right. A real one is very difficult to find!

[Bob Hritz]

Mike,

Perhaps that is why I never found one. I would like an authentic example.

Bob Hritz

[Gene]

It took me a long time too, and I had to wait until George Petersen sold me his to get a genuine example.

[mjfur]

I've owned two of them. Had them both on the e-stand. One sold (Trikot with bullion insignia), one didn't.

No one was interested in this one, it's marked "Peter Kupper" (not Pekuro), size 57, possible POW with removed swastika.

Regards,
Mike

[mjfur]

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[mjfur]

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[RamJet]

If You don't mind to get an unused WWII era piece:

Kai Winkler / Nordheideversand in Germany sells three examples. # 34563, 37204 and 37205. 495 Euros each.

Have a nice day,
Steve

[Gene]

Those are three klunkers. Believe me, Kai is not going to be selling a cap worth over €1000 for half that.

[Richard P]

Bob,

The reason the blue grey Luft officers caps are so hard to find is that most GI's brought back the black Herman Goring panzer officers caps as the preferred souvenirs, and left the all to common blue grey officers caps laying around. But, as popular as they must have been, I have only found one original HG officers M-43 from a veteran source...so far. My Dad actually had some nice Luft officers caps after the Russians liberated their POW camp, Stalag Luft I. He found them at a German airfield near their camp. Unfortunately American officers at Camp Lucky Strike, the POW processing center in France, relieved him of his nicest souvenirs since he was just a Sgt and weighed 85 pounds after 13 months of captivity. I guess they needed some good souvenirs. If I come across a blue grey one I will let you know.

Richard P

[BenVK]

, I have only found one original HG officers M-43 from a veteran source...so far.

Richard P

Please post photos, I'd love to see that one!

[Gene]

Me too

[Richard P]

I couldn't find the photos that were already taken, except these three, I had not titled the others, so they could be anywhere. Hopefully with these shots you will give you enough to go on.

[Richard P]

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[Richard P]

Photo 3