The M43 field cap was used by the German Wehrmacht and SS, during World War II. The design of the field cap was based on the German ski cap, the only differences being the bill was slightly extended and the top panel of the hat had a smaller circumference, giving it slightly sloped in sides. This design and its successors that are still in use today are the German counterparts to the American patrol cap or utility cover. In 1940, development began on a field cap to be worn in place of the normal overseas cap worn by the regular infantry. Within a year, a simple alternative was developed.

There are a few different variants of the M41, depending on the branch of the Wehrmacht that used it.

The SS had reversible M41s made of the same reversible poplin found in their smocks and Zeltbahns. Many were very simple, with no insignia, no fold, and a small sweatband on the fall side of the cap. The Hat had a smaller top panel giving it a contoured look. These were produced with two small eyelets on either side of the cap for ventilation. Caps were made mainly in Oak leaf,Blurred edge,Plane tree,and Palm patterns.Contrary to common belief m43 caps were not made in the pea dot 44 pattern and were rarely made in leibermuster.

Insignia was to be placed on the SS M41, consisting of a neon Green or golden yellow BeVo eagle and skull on the Spring and Fall sides of the cap, respectively. Although, like many things in the SS, this was easier said than done. Many soldaten had the required insignia, but due to supply problems, many had either normal cap insignia or none at all.

The SS model was produced from almost all the camouflaged patterns, and after the siege of Italy in 1944, they were produced in Italian camouflage. The Italian telo mimentico camouflage model was almost exclusive to the 12th SS Hitler youth (hitlerjugend) division. Some samples of these caps show a fake fold or officer piping or both, and most of these were private purchase.

The SS Model was nearly identical to the Heer cap, though there were some flap button variations

(1-button, 2-button)--except with SS Insignia applied. The insignia originally was 2 separate pieces: an eagle and a Totenkopf (Death's Head); variations in positioning included caps with the Totenkopf located on the upper front of the cap with the eagle positioned on the left side skirt. Insignia was either embroidered, or machine-woven (BeVo).

Near the end of the war, the 2-piece insignia was replaced with a 1-piece trapezoid insignia. Variations: Some caps show a cloth eagle with a metal Totenkopf, although the use of metal insignia on the SS M43 was never authorized. Nonetheless, in combat areas, regulations were sometimes overlooked. An embroidered cap version of the SS sleeve patch was sewn to the left side skirt of the M43, whereas Heer caps always used a sew-on metal insignia. The tropical version of this cap was similar with the exception of no liner and brown on black insignia instead of bone-gray on black.

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