WWII Crusher and Garrison Caps

Hondo · Nov 15, 2008

Matt:
Mine is almost like KilroyCD but its a repro, a Lancaster, I like it very much, fits great, much better than those U.S. Wings. In this photo shows repro Eagle, but I found an original one from 1940s from Garcia's a while back.
I can scan better pics later.

>> Broken Photo Link <<

Matt Deckard said:
I'm curious to see them and am on the lookout for one.

I'm thinking of getting a repro and have a big original cap i don't want to squish... I'm more interested in the originals that were made to be crushed.

KilroyCD · Nov 15, 2008

Spitfire said:
Isn't it US Wings caps which has that special South American dictator look?
The Flying Tiger Surplus looks more or less like that too.

My repro crusher originally fit that description too, but I did some work on it to make it appear less so. This is a crusher that I purchased in the late 1980s from the Ken Nolan catalog.

Hondo · Nov 15, 2008

Photo doesn't do real justice to cap, much better looking than image.

Sorry to say that I got mine from History Preservation, they have since sold out.

USAAF Officers’ Olive Drab or Khaki Crusher Cap
Last-Ever Lancaster-Made Caps.

>> Broken Photo Link <<

Rnmusik · Sep 26, 2009

Crusher Hat Brim and Prices?

I want to buy a crusher WW II hat for $80-120? Who sells a good reproduction for that price and with the right Brim color not too dark like most of the Reproductions. I saw Flightjacket.com and their crush hat brims seem too dark of a shade?? Thanks guys.

aswatland · Sep 26, 2009

By far the most authentic curshers are the Diamond ones made by Diamond Dave and sold through Eastman or direct from Dave in the USA.

Zemke Fan · Sep 26, 2009

Saw that Diamond Dave...

Was having a sale on eBay for $220 I believe. Might have even been "best offer."

Here's a link to his site: http://www.diamondcapco.com/index.html

It's just a matter of personal preference, but I don't like the "falling back on your head" look of some of his caps. The look I prefer is like the one shown by Kilroy in this post:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=678675&postcount=196

John in Covina · Sep 26, 2009

As I recall there is a really old thread on these caps tucked away some wheres. Someone had mention that the cheaper ones offered were dimensionally incorrect, so while they looked similar to the originals they were not at all close enough to be a satisfactory reproduction.

There may have been some pictures or dimensional listings for comparison to illustrate the differences. (My searching here is more miss than hit for this stuff so you should make a search if you can.)

Rnmusik · Sep 26, 2009

follow up

SO there are no decent reproductions for under$200 ?

Zemke Fan · Sep 26, 2009

No...

There aren't any under $200. Lancaster stopped selling them. The only real option is Diamond Dave.

JC: Here's the thread: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?p=873269

Zemke Fan · Sep 26, 2009

Bumpin' this baby...

For the newbies.

Viola · Sep 26, 2009

Not a newbie but putting in a very, very late-to-the-party vote for the garrison cap. Way better and sharper looking than most of the other allowed-for-females styles I saw and the one I had to wear in my Navy Boot photo especially which I hated and which cost 70 dollars to the males' cover's 10.

And I will never vote for berets.

EDIT: I mostly saw it on enlisted though not officers. Still a better look IMO.

scottyrocks · Sep 27, 2009

So, I've been researching these caps for two days. I've always wanted one, but was never moved enough to purchase one, as they all look so different, and I've been disappointed many times buying stuff through the 'mail.'

I like the look, and authenticity, of the Diamond cap, with its slanted-back look at the front of the hat. Makes it look very casual, which is what I am after.

But I cannot bring myself to spend between $260 and $300 for such an item.

So, what I have decided to gamble on, based on all the info here at FL and other sites, is to go with a less $$ cap that isnt as broken in, and have at it myself. WWII Impressions doesnt have any crushers (that reference was posted 3 years ago). The What Price Glory crusher looks to be the closest thing I'm going to find to the 'real thing' for the price I am willing to spend. Would I prefer to spend $60? Sure, but the USWings hat has gotten lousy reviews in both quality of hat and service, although Dixie seems to like his.

So I guess my plan is to get a WPG crusher and wet, beat, belt, and wear it into submission. Thats what made the original crushers 'crushers,' right? They were originally standard hats with the wiring removed for ease of headset use, and the passage of time made them what they became.

Am I making any big logical flaws?

scottyrocks · Sep 27, 2009

I just found what looks to be a more accurate reproduction at Flying Tigers.

http://www.flyingtigerssurplus.com/shbg.php?id=7&shbgid=5423

Upon closer examination of the WPG hat,

http://onlinemilitaria.net/shopexd.asp?id=132&bc=no

it appears to be quite tall, a la Noriega-style. The FT model looks a lot like this one, which also strikes me as more authentic:

http://www.americanairpowermuseum.org/store/product.php?productid=17566&cat=414&page=2

The FT is also less $$ than the WPG.

Any opionions before I purchase? TIA.

MPicciotto · Sep 28, 2009

"Real" crusher caps have a soft leather brim that can be rolled easily. Standard military visor caps have a rigid visor so although you can remove the stiffener the visor will still be stiff.

Matt

WW2WaltUSMC · Sep 29, 2009

Well, Im no Officer, I work for a living, but I have to go with garrison cap. Gyrenes such as myself would never remove the stiffener from our barracks covers (service caps in Army parlance), and I prefer not to wear one at all outside of dress blues. Ill take my pisscutter any day. Cocked sharply to the right of course!

scottyrocks · Oct 2, 2009

I ordered the FT version. I'll post my impressions, FWTW, when I get it.

RudyN · Oct 2, 2009

The best crusher caps as far as I am concerned are the one ones made by Diamond Dave. I have one and it is great!!. Of course it is a bit over your limit.

Cigarband · Oct 3, 2009

MPicciotto said:
"Real" crusher caps have a soft leather brim that can be rolled easily. Standard military visor caps have a rigid visor so although you can remove the stiffener the visor will still be stiff.

Matt

Both are "real". See:http://www.acmedepot.com/keepemflying/crusher.shtml

FLY NAVY

olkev · Oct 22, 2009

scottyrocks said:
I ordered the FT version. I'll post my impressions, FWTW, when I get it.

Just wondering if you got the Flying Tigers cap and how it turned out. Of note, it says the Flying Tigers cap is made of cotton twill as opposed to the wool elastique.

Doc · Oct 30, 2009

I once was a pisscutter man, now I have seen the light. Crusher all the way! I find that the garrison cap falls off too easily, get’s lost even easier. The one thing I like about the garrison is slanting it to the side.

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