BACKGROUND: On its inception on February 26TH 1935, the Luftwaffe adopted most of the uniform items of the earlier DLV, Deutscher Luftsport Verband, (German Air Sports League), its clandestine, civilian forerunner, including the visor cap. In March 1935 the earlier, "Tellerform", saucer shaped, caps were replaced with a new, "Sattelform" cap with a higher front peak and an oval shaped top. Along with the introduction of the "Sattelform" cap a new winged wreath and national tri-color cockade were also introduced and were utilized until the end of the war. Officer’s ranks generally utilized hand embroidered visor cap insignia as opposed to the stamped metal visor cap insignia as utilized by EM/NCO ranks. Company and Field grade Officer’s caps were distinguished from the EM/NCO’s caps by bright silver/aluminum piping and a silver/aluminum chin cord while General Officer’s ranks from Generalmajor to Reichsmarschall inclusively, utilized gold colored visor cap fittings.

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Nice quality, padded, hand embroidered winged visor cap wreath and national tri-color cockade. The hand embroidered, silver/aluminum wire construction, winged, open topped, wreath features four horizontally extended "wings" emanating from the central oak-leaf wreath that encompasses the national tri-color cockade. The cockade features a hand embroidered circular black wire base, a silver/aluminum wire roundel and a red wool centerpiece. The winged wreath and cockade are mounted on a cut-out black wool base. Removed from a cap.