Keith Posted June 22, 2014 Share #1 Posted June 22, 2014 I picked this up from the Airman's Widow. She said he was a Navigator and enlisted in 1943 right out of high school. I also got his overseas cap with a Warrant Officer pin on it. She said he was in until near the end of 1945. It has all the features of a crusher having the very pliable bill. But, the color confuses me; it is a green color. I do have another Aviators hat, enlisted that I know was in WW2 and that hat is close to the same color. I understand that private purchase hats had a wide range of colors. What do the viewers think about this one? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share #2 Posted June 22, 2014 another photo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share #3 Posted June 22, 2014 Last photo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Devil Posted June 22, 2014 Share #4 Posted June 22, 2014 That is a very nice "crushed" cap, and even better to have and ID and history to go with it! The color is fine and did indeed vary. Very nice cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin B. Posted June 22, 2014 Share #5 Posted June 22, 2014 That's a great cap, the leather looks like it's in incredible shape. The color is well within the normal range of variation. Thanks for posting, I wouldn't mind seeing the overseas cap, too! Justin B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry K. Posted June 22, 2014 Share #6 Posted June 22, 2014 I have a Dobbs crusher like that but with the very thin leather bill. Yours is nice but is in crushed shape not made as a crusher. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted June 22, 2014 Share #7 Posted June 22, 2014 Nice score Kieth and agree with Terry. Yours has a nice two piece leather visor and is made into a chrusher by the removal of the bands in the top of the cover. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted June 22, 2014 Share #8 Posted June 22, 2014 Sweet visor / crusher! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share #9 Posted June 22, 2014 I have a Dobbs crusher like that but with the very thin leather bill. Yours is nice but is in crushed shape not made as a crusher. Darn, not a real "crusher". So I guess I still do not have one. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share #10 Posted June 22, 2014 That's a great cap, the leather looks like it's in incredible shape. The color is well within the normal range of variation. Thanks for posting, I wouldn't mind seeing the overseas cap, too! Justin B. Justin, here is a photo of the overseas cap with the Warrant Officer pin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share #11 Posted June 22, 2014 When Terry and Doyler said it was not a true crusher since the bill was double ply I took a look at my enlisted hat. Maybe I do have a 'real' crusher after all because it has a single ply visor. Also, the color is very close to the other hat having the greenish tint. What do you all think about this one. Thanks, keith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share #12 Posted June 22, 2014 Lining Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted June 22, 2014 Author Share #13 Posted June 22, 2014 Last photo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doyler Posted June 22, 2014 Share #14 Posted June 22, 2014 Looks like a nice em crush cap.The single thin visor is generally what you see on the crush/packable caps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted June 23, 2014 Share #15 Posted June 23, 2014 All 3 are nice caps, the visor on the EM cap is a true crusher visor. Great find! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AAF_Collection Posted June 23, 2014 Share #16 Posted June 23, 2014 Not wishing to open the old can of worms, but they are both "crushers" if you are using WWII terms, the term "true crusher" is something collectors/dealers have come up with to describe variations. One could even argue a "true crusher" is not something manufactured as such, but is a hat which ended up like that through having it's stiffener removed and being used with a headset, ie the "50 mission crush". I have a similar cap by Dobbs, some would argue it's "not a true crusher" because it has the double ply visor, the B-24 Navigator who wore it in the ETO might disagree.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin B. Posted June 23, 2014 Share #17 Posted June 23, 2014 Justin, here is a photo of the overseas cap with the Warrant Officer pin. Thanks! Once again we see that flight officers wearing the "wrong" cap badges and garrison cap piping was more the rule than the exception. Justin B. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MattS Posted June 23, 2014 Share #18 Posted June 23, 2014 I agree with M.Rimmer's points, we are assigning labels retroactively to items that did not have such labels 70 years ago. I doubt that in WW2 any pilot ever told any other pilot his cap wasn't a crusher because it wasn't a Bancroft Flighter like his. To modern day collectors, a service cap without the inner stiffening, upper crown ring, and a single-ply thin visor is a 'true crusher' and was manufactured as such while others are merely 'crushed caps'. It is a can of worms that has been discussed far too many times on here! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted June 23, 2014 Share #19 Posted June 23, 2014 This example from my collection is marked "The Tailor Shop, Kelly Field"...a WW2 AAF airfield in Texas. I defy anyone to tell me it's not a real "crusher". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted June 23, 2014 Share #20 Posted June 23, 2014 Also available in khaki! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keith Posted June 23, 2014 Author Share #21 Posted June 23, 2014 Thanks! Once again we see that flight officers wearing the "wrong" cap badges and garrison cap piping was more the rule than the exception. Justin B. Justin, can you expand on your comments? I do not know what you mean. What would be the 'correct' badges and piping? Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted June 23, 2014 Share #22 Posted June 23, 2014 I think he's referring to the fact that W/O's cap braid is supposed to be black/silver. Also, they had their own BOS hat emblem, but were commonly seen wearing a regular officers' type. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justin B. Posted June 23, 2014 Share #23 Posted June 23, 2014 ^ What Ian said! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted June 23, 2014 Share #24 Posted June 23, 2014 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Posted June 23, 2014 Share #25 Posted June 23, 2014 One of the things that always disturbed me was the dismissal of any hat with a double leather visor as "not a crusher". Here's one of the hats I used to own. Technically, not a "crusher" because it had a double leather visor, but given that the hat had no form of it's own and would literally "flop" in your hand (to include the visor)...I don't know what else to call it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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