History

During the Second World War, German troops stationed in northern Africa are generally referred to as the Afrikakorps. Technically, this is not entirely correct, since some German units operating in Africa were not actually part of the DAK (Deutsches Afrikakorps), and some units of it were, in fact, Italian ones. However, for the purpose of collecting so-called “tropical” uniforms and insignia, collectors have simplified the meaning of the term.

The first German troops were sent to northern Africa in February of 1941, to support their Italian allies against the British. The climate of the African continent made it necessary to wear specialised uniforms and gear that not only supported the soldiers in serving in a hot and arid environment, but also helped them in blending in with the landscape, which, in general, presented itself as brown, olive, khaki, or sand/tan in colour. Worn over long periods of time under the blistering desert sun, some uniforms were eventually bleached to white or off-white. Uniforms and insignia in these colours are often referred to as “tropical”, and it is worth noting that they weren’t just worn by members of units stationed in Africa, but in the entire Mediterranean theatre of war, including southern France, Italy, the Balkans, and Greece, as well as in southern Russia during the summer months. Tropical uniforms were worn by members of all three branches of the Wehrmacht: the Heer (army), the Kriegsmarine (navy), and the Luftwaffe (air force). Members of the Waffen-SS stationed in southerly regions also wore tropical-style uniforms, and even though they technically have no connection to the DAK, all tropical uniforms and insignia of all branches of the German military are listed here.

The Field Cap is also known as the Overseas Cap or Garrison Cap, and the Flyer’s Cap (Fliegermütze). It was worn by General Officers, Officers, and Non-Commissioned Officers and Enlisted Men in the Luftwaffe. The design for the Luftwaffe Field Cap was introduced in the early 1930s, but the form worn by Luftwaffe personnel was not finalized until 1936.

During the Second World War, the tropical tan-coloured field cap was introduced for wear by Luftwaffe troops. It followed the same piping rules as the blue-grey field cap, but it was made from tan-coloured light-weight cotton, and the national emblem eagle was embroidered on a tan-coloured backing. Insignia composed of wire thread was avoided on the tropical caps of Generals and Officers. The interior cotton lining of these tropical caps is generally red, but there are rare examples of a tan interior lining. Also, unlike the blue-grey field caps, the side skirts of the tropical cap are movable.

Piping was placed along the top of the side skirts to differentiate between General Officers, Officer, and NCO/EM ranks. The piping is gold-coloured (gilt) for General Officers and silver-coloured (silver/aluminum) for Officers. The caps do not feature any piping for NCO/EM ranks.

Each cap is adorned with a tricolour cockade on the front flap and a Luftwaffe pattern national emblem above it; both are placed along the centre seam.

The interior lining of all field caps may be stamped with the manufacturer mark, date, and place of manufacturer, and size of the cap. The manufacturer mark may also be a tag sewn into the lining.

The field caps of Generals and Officers are very rare.