AK soft cap expert question

[FESTUNGBREST]

Hi guys
Regarding grommets on a AK cap:
How do you fell about these.?

Personally I like them to be made of zinc. I like them coated in the unmistakable brownish enamel.
How do you feel after viewing these?

And what of this Maker RBN combo?

Thanks guys.

[FESTUNGBREST]

AK grommets

Inside

[FESTUNGBREST]

Makers RBN

Mark.
We know this one?

[TONY Q.W.]

I like your grommets and I beleive the rest of the cap to be okay. There are many different makers of M40s which used magnetic grommets instead of zinc ones. If you search the forum you will find other examples of tropical caps with magnetic grommets.

If you can please show the whole cap.

[TONY Q.W.]

PS. Maker's name and RBNR combo it also fine and acceptable.

[NZMark]

This cap is 100% original. I've owned three by this maker, two with RB number, one with just the maker's name.
The cap's profile is very attractive, too, almost a classic high brow with a large visor.
Their grommets are magnetic and quite common on mid/late war m40's.
Your cap is tropical, not D.A.K. by the way - unless you have direct provenance.
Regards,
Mark

[FESTUNGBREST]

soft cap

Mark,
Thanks for your insight. What distinguishes the AK particularity from the Topical designation?

[FESTUNGBREST]

Oh , Sorry, yes of course, I understand: Do not label it AK if without direct provenance. You are a purist I see!

[afrikasandman]

Its tropical unless one can trace it back to a soldier that went in with the first group of soldiers that went to north Africa. One has to be a purist with this as TRUE DAK items are much rarer than your run of the mill tropical items. Its like the early examples of tropical caps that have the soutache/soutache removed they are much earlier caps and more likely in Africa but the later RBN number caps were likely used in Italy or southern Russia and have not sort of relationship with DAK and they demand a higher price. It seems that the vast majority of people see it as tan and green and its DAK when it is in fact tropical. Big difference, I would pay more for a DAK item then a tropical item. Sounds odd to many but there is a huge difference to DAK and tropical collectors. Its like saying a SS totenkopf division item is just SS and not its own entity, yeah it falls under the SS but there are those that only want to collect the TK stuff. Course this is just my opinion but to me its like night and day. Matt

[90th Light]

All those caps are tropical, simple as that.

A 1940, 1941 dated cap has a higher chance of having been used in Afrika (esp. 1940) because Afrika had priority for tropical equipment during 1941.

but keep in mind that certain divisions such as 22 Luftlande were being out-fitted as a tropical division during 1941 & early 42 while they were still in Russia. When they arrived in Kreta in 1942, they were a fully equiped tropical division.

To make matters even more confusing, the replacement troops of JR 47 & AR 22 from the 22 L.L. division who were sent to Afrika, had often been supplied with RB numbers caps and other equipment. In the later half of 1942 there is good chance that the caps were double marked items like the cap shown here but not all caps were double marked at that time and most were not.

Some original members of JR 65 & JR 16 of 22 L.L. division who stayed on Kreta were still wearing early soutached caps when they supported Brandenburg special operations on the coast of Italy in 1944/ 45.

Many replacement members of the 164th Light division also were issued with a RB numbered cap when then arrived in Afrika in the later half of 1942 & early 1943.

Some of the very few replacement caps which did mange to get through to Afrika had RB numbers and many replacement troops who arrived in Afrika in the last part of 1942 and 1943 could have had an RB numbered cap. Such replacement troops would be joining any of the units already serving in Afrika at that time.

Keep in mind that bleeched early caps with soutache usually removed have sometimes been seen in use in Italy 1943, France 1944 and Berlin 1945.

It is simply not correct to generalise too tightly about what was and what was not used where. They are all tropical caps at the end of the day but an early dated cap with soutache has a greater chance of having come from Afrika. Bleeched, worn and faded caps are always highly valued by collectors if such wear is deemed to be period and original of the time because such a cap is usually seen to be an "Afrikamutze".

Also I suppose if we really want to narrow it down then we should draw a distiction between what was the "Afrikakorps" 1941, "Panzer Army Afrika" 1942 and "Army Group Afrika" 1943 but again this can become very academic and to what purpose ? At the end of the day, a 1940 dated tropical billed cap with makers details is usually the rarest, very desirable and a lot harder to find than a 1943 dated example with an RB number but no makers name,

Chris