SmarT Posted July 5, 2015 Share #1 Posted July 5, 2015 I just got this flight suit and I am a little confused. There is the AAF badge on the arm and inside but the tag states it's property of the Air Force. Is this a transitional suit just using up the leftovers? Also, I thought the A in AN-S-31A meant it was green and khaki's were just AN-S-31. Thanks for any insights. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmarT Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share #2 Posted July 5, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmarT Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share #3 Posted July 5, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmarT Posted July 5, 2015 Author Share #4 Posted July 5, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DeuceGI Posted July 6, 2015 Share #5 Posted July 6, 2015 Nice suit. Everything I see is consistent with a 1944 contract suit. HTH Tim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmarT Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share #6 Posted July 6, 2015 Shouldn't it say "Property of Air Forces, US Army"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted July 6, 2015 Share #7 Posted July 6, 2015 SmarT, I think you will find that the wording on the label in your suit refers to "Air Forces, United States Army", just another way of saying "United States Army Air Forces", or "U.S.A.A.F.". The contract is from 1944 and the "A", I believe, represents the change in spec. from one chest pocket (on the left originally) to two. Regards, Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmarT Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share #8 Posted July 6, 2015 Very good point, I don't know why but for some reason I kept thinking otherwise even though it seemed odd that it was saying USA. I was automatically thinking that was United States of America not United States Army. Thanks for the help! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted July 6, 2015 Share #9 Posted July 6, 2015 Looks to be the same one that this Iwo based P-51 pilot has on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmarT Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share #10 Posted July 6, 2015 Absolutely! Is that a B5 Mae West he has on? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BlueBookGuy Posted July 6, 2015 Share #11 Posted July 6, 2015 A great B-5 yes, not so easy to find today if you wish do the things correct. It isn't just a matter of mfg. dates, also there are some difference in details of fabrication/shape from the much more common "Korean War" era B-5s. Just the time to give here the link for one on eBay, - Back soon. https://www.ebay.com/itm/WW2-Korea-Mae-West-Life-Preserver-B-5-USAAF-/291202885715 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantomfixer Posted July 6, 2015 Share #12 Posted July 6, 2015 The one major difference is the lack of the chest strap and double D buckle on the early B5s from the WWII era....and I am sure there are many smaller changes also...but the buckle is what jumps out at me.. of all the life preservers, the B-5 is my favorite...mainly for ease of collectability, and lack of interest in them....IMO they are often overlooked which is fine.. : ) edit note and the Property US Army VS USAF stamp on the leather panel Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SmarT Posted July 6, 2015 Author Share #13 Posted July 6, 2015 That's really great info, thank you! I had no idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pararaftanr2 Posted July 7, 2015 Share #14 Posted July 7, 2015 The three variations of the U.S.A.A.F. AN-6550 (AN-S-31 and AN-S-31A) flight suit are being worn by members of this B-29 crew. Khaki Byrd cloth with two chest pockets, light shade OD cotton poplin with one chest pocket (yes, some of these suits also had two chest pockets) and olive drab gabardine with two chest pockets. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crasher Posted December 23, 2016 Share #15 Posted December 23, 2016 Did the buckle also change on the AN-S-31 between the early and late versions? I have an original early spec (dated March of '43) with one pocket, and it has a metal waistbelt buckle. I picked up a repro to use in reenacting, the later version with two pockets, and it has a plastic buckle. I wasn't sure if the plastic buckle is a chincy repro thing, or if the later ones were indeed plastic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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