Heer It only took 27 years to find this, my first panzer grenadier cap

[grimble-nibitz]

I don't like buying this kind of stuff at shows...it has to come from a good source, a housecall or one step away from one...so I have not had one of these. It must be the rarest of the line pipings...I have seen small field caps but not one of these. When you see that true true lime green, no amount of faded administration, light colored mountain troop and highlightered-infantry caps stand up. What a wild color! The hat came with the capture papers noting "German officer hat", and a gun which I sadly did not get...its heavy rough wool, liner appears to be striped sleeve lining, and visor is white underneath...late war gray metal insignia, and a glazed PAPER chinstrap and sweatband...not made in German I bet...France? Italy? I thought the hat addicts on here might find this cutie worth a look!

[Paul R]

That is a beautiful hat. I really love the bright green waffenfarbe as well. In my area of collecting(Luftwaffe), the waffenfarbe is used by the Air Traffic Control and Airfield Security.

These photos are a bit small. Can you post some bigger photos?

How many caps do you have now?

[grimble-nibitz]

Not that many caps in my collection, maybe 40 pieces, and of all nations and all eras until WWII. This is one of the newest caps I own, but its so scarce I could not bear to sell it right off before I had some fun with it. Thanks for the compliments, I wish I could say I made it, but at best we are discoverers and as such I will claim some small glory. I'll try to get some higher res images of this sometime soon, not sure where I put the originals of these smaller pics. I will try though. Glad someone else there sees the fun in it. Did not know that about Luft Air Traffic...that has to be very scarce, actually scarcer than this puppy.

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi,

A nice looking piece... now, if only I could find my telescope!! ;-)

[Paul R]

I am very interested in seeing the rest of your collection as well. Air Traffic Control stuff for the LW is not easy to find, but not that impossible either. IT is a great looking color though.

[grimble-nibitz]

Is this better? I was not sure how large I could make the images, not the problem is used to be I guess!

[Paul R]

That is a beautiful cap. I love the wear. Those photos are perfect.

[grimble-nibitz]

I have shown my age by thinking I had to do thumbnail shots...

[grimble-nibitz]

Here's the paperwork, I LOVE that its taken still in April of 45, before the end of the war, not a postwar pickup piece but during combat...I wish I knew where he got it.

[grimble-nibitz]

He was named Harold R. Madsen of Wilkes Barre, PA, near where I got it.

[Chris Boonzaier]

A really nice hat indeed!!! I would think all German manufacture?

[Paul R]

What unit was he with?

[grimble-nibitz]

I can't find the unit since its not on the form. And there are several soldiers with names like this, one of which was a POW air corps officer and he drowns out all the searches, perhaps for good reason.