Germany, Luftwaffe. A Luftwaffe EM/NCO’s M43 Field Cap

(Luftwaffe Einheitsfeldmütze M43). An extremely well-preserved Luftwaffe EM/NCO’s M43 field cap, constructed of dark grey wool. The cap is fully surrounded by fold-down side panels, scalloped at the front, providing optional ear and neck protection to the wearer. When not in use, the panels rolled up and are secured in place with two grey-painted pebbled zink buttons emanating from the right flap and meeting an equal number of reinforced buttonholes on the left flap. Stitched onto the peak of the cap with factory original zig-zag machine embroidery is an insignia consisting of a dark grey wool trapezoid, overlaid by a machine-embroidered silver-grey Luftwaffe eagle clutching a mobile swastika, just above a tri-colour cockade The peak insignia measures 80 mm (w) x 55 mm (h) overall. Completing the exterior features is a protruding cardboard-reinforced visor, fully lined in identical wool. Stitched onto the interior of the forehead is an intact brown leather sweatband. The interior is also encompassed by a multi-piece dark grey rayon liner, stamped on the crown with a partially-legible blank ink Reichsbetriebsnummmer (RBN) of “2/0125” for an unidentified Breslau-based manufacturer, above a size mark of “58”. The cap measures approximately 210 mm (w) x 265 mm (l) x 140 mm (h). Minor issues consistent with age and use are evident, and are limited to soiling and material fatigue of the sweatband and interior liner. The cap is in an overall extremely fine condition.