How Do You Display Your Crusher Caps?

[Colonel Adam]

Hat experts, I need your help. I have a couple of replica WWII crusher caps that I would like to display. I purchased some styrofoam heads, thinking that this would be a perfect solution, but when I got the heads, I found out that they were too small. My hat size is 7 1/8, but the crushers just slid straight on down to the nose with no support.

So right now I still have my crushers sitting upside-down on the table with no place to go. Can anyone offer any inexpensive suggestions that will help me out of this dilemma?

Thanks,
Krunch

You and me both, brother! I have four WWII vintage service caps and they're all just sitting around the apartment. The worst part is, one of them was attacked by moths! The heads should work fine if you glue a band around them, then cover them with some nice fabric. I guess I'm going to make a board with pegs in it, and hang them on it. No reason why that wouldn't work.

 

[Colonel Adam]

Please, Gentlemen...Don't take this the wrong way...I mean it, don't!

My wife thinks that I am crazier than Zemke's loon just for trying on the hats and caps that I have in my closet, and they are all contemporary. If I were to try on uniforms and crusers she'd have me comitted for sure.

My question...Other than the personal pleasure one gets from collecting and wearing uniforms/caps/acrouterments, what real value do they have? Would one be seen in a public place wearing the afore mentioned items, outside of reinactments and social functions? I have my old Marine Corps Blues, but I never would consider wearing them, even if I could fit into them. I have some of my old police uniforms hanging, but will never wear them.

Now...I'm not saying anyone here is crazy, other than me, so don't go all defensive on me, no insult intended. Man, I hate to have to put a disclaimer on everything.

I have two WWII vintage service caps, one green and one khaki, that I wear in public all the time--mostly the khaki one. I wear them with khaki shirts and trousers (not military) and brown shoes that match the bills of the caps. Weather providing, I wear an A2 jacket with them too at times. I live in Germany, but I wear them in the States too. I've gotten odd looks from some people but mostly no one seems to care. When I was in the Dallas airport a few months ago, wearing khaki trousers and a khaki bush coat with my khaki service cap, a few people asked me if I was returning from Afghanistan! I'm going on 60 and I use a cane, so I guess they thought I got injured over there. One old man looked at me and said, "I haven't seen that much khaki since the war!" I don't know which war he meant, but he meant it in a good-hearted way, and that's the way I took it. Occasionally someone asks why I'm wearing my service caps and I just tell them I like the caps. Usually they're very impressed that they're 70 years old and still in such good shape. Woman seem to like them, even at my age--or perhaps especially at my age. My advice: If you have a wearable vintage cap, or a new one that looks really good, wear the darn thing! I can't see spending good money on them and then just leave them lying around the house. If you're not man enough to wear it in public, maybe you're not man enough to own one! Of course, in all fairness, it might be different for someone my age. I think most people probably think I'm retired military, so they don't give me a hard time about it. Maybe if I were younger they would.

 

[Colonel Adam]

Pinks & Greens DO win hands down...



Mine, too, Paddy. Not only is the basic USAAF uniform superior in cut, color, and class, but the endless variation of shades (especially when it comes to shirts) lends itself to some great looking outfits. Add a droopy crusher and the uniform just couldn't look better. My only gripe is that there weren't more "big" guys in the USAAF. I'm still looking (although have nearly given up hope) for an officer's grade chocolate tunic and an officer's Ike jacket.

ZF

You do realize the AAF uniforms were just Army uniforms, right? The Air Forces were part of the Army so the uniforms were all the same.