Did LW officers wear the EM M43 caps as much as the officer M43 cap?

[WWIIBuff]

Looking through photos it appears that many LW officers wore the EM cap with officer insignia on it. Unfortunately many photos in books are so dark it is really hard to see details, but I do not seem to be seeing too many M43 caps with silver piping on the top.

Am I correct or is it just bad pictures I'm looking at?

[JasonA]

Hi,

What's probably happening is the picture quality or angle is making it difficult to see details. There were many variances in officer cap configuration that you see: full bullion insignia with piping; a combination of bullion and EM/NCO ensignia with piping; full EM/NCO insignia with piping; etc. Piping is what counts, so that was the first (and perhaps only) thing the officer would do. In other words, you'll see piping with EM/NCO more than not. Judging from surving examples, bullion was less popular with the officers for this particualr cap, which makes sense if it was more of a field-use cap.

Additionally, the officer could have obtained cheaper fabric from government stock to make his cap, or he could have paid a premium for a cap made from the vast array of tailors/makers during the war with a wide range of wool/tricot weaves and finishes. He could have also used his enlisted cap and added the piping as he was promoted.

Hope that helps.

Jason

[Jos L C]

Agree,

It's all about the angle and lightning etc..
Officers did wear NCO caps in their original NCO configuration or with field added twisted cord sometimes, also NCO belt and buckle and things like that are seen.., ofcourse they also wore garbardine caps with bullion stuff.
Especially in luft flight branche everything was possible when it comes to clothing etc..


Jos.

[billbert]

Luftwaffe Officers M43 with bullion eagle and cockade IMO are the exception and NOT the norm... many officers M43 s have the cloth embriodered wool trapeziod on them..and some ems just have added tress for officers piping..Billbert

[RamJet]

That's my impression, too.

NCO eagle and cockade on a silver-piped M43 made of a somewhat better fabric than the very rough standard material should be used most when You look at all these wartime photos.

[John Hodgin]

Examples.

[WWIIBuff]

Thanks for the comments guys.

NICE examples John

Here is one of the pictures that propmted me to ask the question. It does not appear hat this cap has silver piping, plus the buttons appear to be painted blue like the NCO cap instead of silver. Although due to the angle of the picture, the piping may be there, but the button color makes me think not.

[WWIIBuff]

Close-up

[John Hodgin]

Agree, that is an OR cap, not an officers. But I think this photo illustrates an exception more than the norm.
John

[John Hodgin]

Here is one of my photos, another difficult call.

[John Hodgin]

And another officers cap.

[JasonA]

Great picture! But you're right, you can't really tell by the angle if there's piping or not.

I love bullion insignia, and since I wanted only one representative example of an officer's cap, I waited for the right one for me. My example has all bullion insignia, with piping, and one blue-grey finished button.

There are just too many original configurations seen to base the presence of piping on button finish or insignia type. The only consistency I'd reiterate is that you'll always see piping with bullion insignia. Some of the more advanced collectors may have seen some oddball example out there, but that's been my experience.

Jason

[WWIIBuff]

WOW! Another great example John. If these are both your's, you've done very well. I've been trying to add one of these to my collection for a while, but I just keep missing them.

You could be right about the picture angle Jason.

[Mike Davis]

Example with single piece insignia

[John Hodgin]

Example with single piece insignia

And unusual color paint on the buttons!