BACKGROUND: The German army originally adopted a slightly modified version of the NSDAP’s, Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei, (National Socialist German Worker’s Party), national eagle by order on February 17TH 1934, with instructions to have it applied to all steel helmets, visor caps, and tunics by May 1ST 1934. Regulations followed on October 30TH 1935 that stipulated the national eagle was also to be applied to all field caps. Generally the national eagle for wear on the EM/NCO’s overseas and M43 field caps were machine woven, first in white on a dark blue/green base, (circa 1934), then later in matte grey on a field-grey base, (circa 1939), while Officer’s versions were embroidered in bright silver/aluminum wire threads. A machine woven version in bright silver/aluminum flat-wire threads was also utilized by Officer’s but was also very popular with senior NCO’s. Tropical cap insignia was developed in late 1940, along with other pieces of tropical insignia, uniforms and equipment for wear by DAK, Deutsches Afrika Korps, (German Africa Corps), personnel serving in North Africa. The design of the tropical items essentially adhered to the pattern of the field-grey continental uniforms and insignia with color variations.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Machine woven national eagle with outstretched wings, clutching a wreathed, canted swastika in it’s talons in blue/grey rayon threads on a woven, tan rayon base. The eagle is still on its original woven tan rayon factory roll. Mint & nice.