WWII USN Summer Khaki Flight Suit M-668

[Phfly1010]

Can someone fill me in with background about the Navy's summer khaki flight suit M-668 used I believe only during World War II? I have a chance to buy one locally but just don't know whether this was early War, late War or hardly used it all by the Navy Pilots. If this was not a commonly used flight suit can you please give me the model numbers of the flight suits that were primarily used by the Navy? Thanks to all in advance.

[jerry_k]

Hi. The M-668 suit is a copy of US NAVY Green Nylon Tropical flight suit. It is late war item. Nylon suit were introduced in mid 1944 I guess, M-688 in 1945. Nice item for lare war USN and USMC aviator display.

M-668 were also produced after war. You need a N288 contraced suit for WW2 not N383!

 

Cheers,

Jerry

[Phfly1010]

Great info, sir. Thanks for helping.

[jerry_k]

No problem, if you have more question let m know... here is a nice photo of US NAVY late war pilots used a M-668 suit: https://pilotsmanyourplanes.com/Page_5.html at the bottom of page.

 

Cheers,

Jerry

[BROBS]

are you talking about this suit?

yes issued and yes used in WW2.

Here is one I own.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/238322-my-first-mannequin-usn-pby-patrol-bomber-pilot/?hl=mannequin

 

if there is no name tag or remains of one sewn on it was probably never issued.

-Brian

[Phfly1010]

Again, great feedback. Is the helmet the an-15 same as usaaf and anb 1 avionics?

[dustin]

The M-668 was adopted as standrad 20 March 1945

[northcoastaero]

The AN-H-15 helmet was a USAAF item. The USN/USMC had similar helmets such as the

AN6542-2. They were both introduced during 1943. AN stands for the Army Navy

standardized clothing/gear program. However, there were still differences in these

standardized items manufactured for the services. Some of the USAAF AN-H-15 helmets

were acquired by USN/USMC pilots probably due to trading. The ANB-H-1 receivers were

a USAAF item, but some USN/USMC aircraft used them as well, probably in acft. that

were acquired from the USAAF. The USAAF also used the R-14 receiver. The earphone

receivers that the USN/USMC used were the brown and black variants of the TH-37 and

the metal ANB-H-1A. The cables were usually different between the USAAF and

USN/USMC. This also holds true with the plugs. The USAAF used the PL-54 and the

PL-354 on their helmet receiver cables. The USN/USMC usually had NAF marked plugs,

even if they could be used with USAAF aircraft. USN/USMC helmets could possibly be

found with the PL-54 and PL-354 plugs. The following is a link to a subject on this

forum which is about a WWII B-29 crewman grouping in which the crewman acquired a

USN/USMC AN6542-2 helmet to fly with.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/285238-named-wwii-b-29-bomber-aviation-grouping/?hl=%2Bb-29+%2Bgrouping

[Phfly1010]

I learn more every day here ... and sometimes every few minutes! It's tough knowing the ins and outs of collecting especially when you start so resources like this site are hugely helpful and can help you save big bucks!!! A ton of thanks, everyone.

[jerry_k]

are you talking about this suit?

yes issued and yes used in WW2.

Here is one I own.

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/238322-my-first-mannequin-usn-pby-patrol-bomber-pilot/?hl=mannequin

 

if there is no name tag or remains of one sewn on it was probably never issued.

-Brian

Hi. your suit is not M-668 but AN6550, AAF or USN contracted, You have to checked it...

 

Not all used suit have a name tag!

 

Cheers,

Jerry

[BlueBookGuy]

I was pretty certain the Green Nylon, tropical pattern fligfht suit was introduced about late September 1944 - surely by October it was in use by some crews. This has resulted from some pics I've seen possibly here in the USMF, not longer able in make them surface out.

In my opinion it was a nylon development of the true M-668 wich I deemed being in service, say, by summer 1944. Never known it actually came in early springtime 1945.

 

So the classic M-426 pattern must have flown the very bulk of that war, implemented here and there by (small) quantities of the AN-S- 31 or AN-6550?

[pararaftanr2]

Franco,

The green nylon suit actually predates the M-668, which is identical in pattern, but is made of khaki cotton Byrdcloth. Yes, the khaki M-426a remained in service throughout the war, being joined by the simplified AN-3-31 / AN-6550 (two designations for the same suit) in 1943 and later the M-668 after joint Army-Navy specs. were dropped. More information on the suits here: https://pilotsmanyourplanes.com/Page_167.html

Regards, Paul

 

 

[BlueBookGuy]

Thanks very much Paul,

 

didn't yet know about the M-668 as of its actual introduction. Indeed would have sworn it was predecessor to the green nylon variant.

Yes I had read that interresting page of your website in the past, however didn't remember anymore the AN-S-31 was a derivative from the older Navy M-426a.