WWII U.S. Army Air Force Officer “Flighter” Cap w/ Headset – (Bancroft Co.)

Description One of the most iconic pieces of headgear to come out of WWII was the U.S. Crusher Cap, or “Fifty Mission Cap”. This visor cap is not a hodgepodge cap, it’s a true WWII period crusher cap. In tan issue color, was made by the most sought out, and classic crusher makers Bancroft. The sweatband is embossed with the Bancroft/Flighter logo. This cap features sharp detailed gold tone WWII Army Eagle. The outward appearance is worn from honest use, and decades of storage. It retains the original iconic “crush” shape with no damage to the exterior cloth material. The bill is still very pliable and folds fine, other than a small worn spot on the bill, it’s perfect! The headset is in service-worn shape with no rusting on the metal, the leather headband is still pliable and the stitching intact. The cord shows no sign of damage, and the plug is also marked. Soft leather, textbook design, and a perfect displayable look! Note – This is the classic “bomber pilot” headgear, worn by USAAF pilots in Europe and the Pacific. This was the standard Army/AAF officer dress cap, worn by pilots and non-pilots alike, but pilots gave this cap their own unique twist early on. Normally, these caps had stiffeners (a support piece behind the cap device and a wire around the inside top perimeter to maintain the cap’s round shape.) These kept the cap in its proper, regulation military shape and angle. However, since bomber pilots wore headsets over their caps during flights, they would remove the wire stiffener to make headset wear more comfortable, causing the sides of the caps to become crushed. Eventually, the caps retained their floppy “crushed” look, giving the pilot who wore it the look of a seasoned veteran. This being so popular made companies create their on “true crusher” caps like the one we see here.