Heer m-43 cap "42' dated

[John Hodgin]

Lenny it's a beautiful example and certainly looks to be stamped "42". I had a '42 dated Panzer one as well for many years. The problem I see is that the same crowd who are insisting that "M-41" caps now be called "M-40s" after seeing several '40 dated examples is probably going to want to push for a renaming of the "M-43" cap. The problem is; the name "M-42" is already taken, maybe "M-42+1/2". We had better let them work this out, in the meantime I'm still calling them "M-43s" (and the tropical models "M-41").

SUPERB example Lenny! If you were only going to have one, this would certainly be it!

And as Mr. OSS knows, some uniforms were unintentionally misdated. The cap could well have been manufactured in early 43 with a 42 date applied to it. The stamp is definitely 42.

Great cap!

John

[PANZERPIONIERE]

Lenny and Glenn great caps!
The exact cap and insignia style I am looking for, awsome thanks for showing, my hunt continues, Steve

[OSS]

And as Mr. OSS knows, some uniforms were unintentionally misdated.

John

I am all too familiar with the phenomenon of human error John, yet I am not totally convinced some "M-43" caps were not made in the closing months of '42. I have also seen M-42 caps dated '43. Perhaps it was all part of an elaborate German disinformation plot meant to confuse some of Britain's Commonwealth allies.

[derka]

I am all too familiar with the phenomenon of human error John, yet I am not totally convinced some "M-43" caps were not made in the closing months of '42. I have also seen M-42 caps dated '43. Perhaps it was all part of an elaborate German disinformation plot meant to confuse some of Britain's Commonwealth allies.

i remember i saw period pics showing M43 Einheitsfeldmützen in the very begining of 1943, it can be easily checked as pics were published in dated magazines; and they were not Bergmützen.
i was surprised, but it is a fact that M43 caps were made and already in use in units (tested ?) before their official date of adoption in june 1943.
and M42 sidecaps were produced untill mid 1943 too.
i don't think it was disinformation.
derka

[OSS]

i remember i saw period pics showing M43 Einheitsfeldmützen in the very begining of 1943, it can be easily checked as pics were published in dated magazines; and they were not Bergmützen.
i was surprised, but it is a fact that M43 caps were made and already in use in units (tested ?) before their official date of adoption in june 1943.
and M42 sidecaps were produced untill mid 1943 too.
i don't think it was disinformation.
derka

I think certain units were provided with newly designed or redesigned uniform items for field testing prior to their official adoption (Grossdeutschland has been mentioned as just such a unit). For example, certain designated units also field tested the M-44 uniform to guage it's practicality under frontline conditions. These caps may be among the first production runs or simply a stamping error as John suggested (I lean towards the former).

[John Huff]

An M43 cap dated 1942 does not surprise me. An RB Nr with a "1" prefix in 1942 does. I need to reevaluate what I thought I knew!

[John Hodgin]

An M43 cap dated 1942 does not surprise me. An RB Nr with a "1" prefix in 1942 does. I need to reevaluate what I thought I knew!

Not uncommon, have seen RB numbers with a 1 prefix in later production tropical Heer uniforms. As 0, the 1 indicates Germany.

[billbert]

OMG I go back to when they used to call M40s caps M41s and before that M43 tropicals....
Billbert

and you could buy em all day long starting at about 75 bucks and up..

[Lenny W]

thanks for your input guys i thought i was seeing double when i got the cap in the natural light and seen it was dated '42" ,i am of the belief that some m-43 caps were produced in late '42" in limited quantities

[billbert]

I too believe in the possibility these were Grossdeutscland trial caps...Maybe someone can come up with the dated group foto that shows this..cant remember which book anymore... Billbert

[John Huff]

Anyone seen an "RF" marked number dated 1942???