Thunderbolt Flight Suit

[hink441]

This was a recent eBay purchase. I like to collect Naval Air jet age stuff and this one was advertised as a USAF suit. I knew it was a navy VA-176 suit. I thought the name "Finger" was a call-sign but I was wrong. While I was researching the name I stumbled across a picture of Lt. W. Finger wearing a similar suit on the 1972 USS F. D. Roosevelt cruise. I was also happy to see the skipper of VA-176 was Cdr. Dunleavy who would eventually become a 3 star Admiral only to be demoted because of the Tailhook scandal in the early 1990s. A nice early A-6 Intruder used suit.

 

Chris

 

 

[hink441]

Here is a picture of the LT. wearing a similar suit in VA-176s ready room onboard the FDR.

 

 

Here is a picture of CDR. Dunleavy wearing a similar suit.

[hink441]

Another pic of the LT.

 

 

VA-176 KA-6D with a Russian Bear.

 

[horridohutch]

The cruisebook page is a great resource! Great named suit...

[viking73]

That's pretty cool, thanks for sharing. Bummer there aren't any A-6 and/or squadron patches on the shoulders but a nice one to own. Are there LT patches on the shoulders?

 

-Derek

[hink441]

That's pretty cool, thanks for sharing. Bummer there aren't any A-6 and/or squadron patches on the shoulders but a nice one to own. Are there LT patches on the shoulders?

 

-Derek

There are no indications that there was ever any patches sewn on this one. The flight suit is in a very good condition, I guess he never had any patches sewn on this one.

 

I agree, that cruise book website is a great resource and I have used it frequently !!

 

Chris