Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Share #1 Posted October 11, 2011 Flying at extreme altitude in a B-17 or B-24 was physically demanding due to the un-pressurized nature of the planes and the resulting minus temperatures...sometimes as low as -50! Many casualties arose due to the effects of exposure and the fighting efficiency of the airmen could be severely compromised. As a consequence, the USAAF devoted huge R&D resources to the design and production of a range of electrically heated clothing in order to protect its airmen from the extremes of cold which they would otherwise have to endure for hours at a time. Developments in this field ran parallel with developments in the design of improved insulated flight clothing. The traditional B-3 and A-3 shearling flight jackets/trousers were warm but cumbersome. The advent of alpaca-lined gear such as the B-15/ A-11 combination were a quantum leap forward, when worn in combination with an electrically heated under-suit. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/ind...howtopic=122801 The F-3 suit illustrated here was the culmination of this rapid technological development. The earlier F-1 blue "bunny suit" was only partially successful as it was found that the heating wires within the suit were prone to break due to the effects of repeated flexing. This was replaced by the F-2 suit, a two piece suit which could be worn in its own right, but this too proved to be unsatisfactory. The breakthrough came with the development of a new wire which could withstand multiple flexings without breaking like its predecessors. The all-new F-3 was also a two-piece suit which comprised of a short bolero style jacket and bib/brace trousers in OD rayon interwoven with yards of heating wire. The suit was both lightweight and comfortable to wear. Integral components consisted of electrically heated F-2 leather with rayon inserts and Type Q-1 heated shoe inserts, as illustrated below. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #2 Posted October 11, 2011 The F-3 Jacket. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #3 Posted October 11, 2011 Note the extremely delicate stitching which retains the yards of wire within the jacket. The long wrist extensions are for connecting the sleeves to the heated gloves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #4 Posted October 11, 2011 External bakelite plastic connector. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #5 Posted October 11, 2011 F-3 heated trousers, bib & brace style. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #6 Posted October 11, 2011 External cable/connectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #7 Posted October 11, 2011 Stock label and USAAF property stamps, both inside/outside of the trousers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #8 Posted October 11, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #9 Posted October 11, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #10 Posted October 11, 2011 Suspender buckle and brass Conmar zipper. (Note the knitted trouser cuffs) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #11 Posted October 11, 2011 Q-1 heated inserts and their trouser leg connectors. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #12 Posted October 11, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #13 Posted October 11, 2011 Rayon glove inserts. Mint condition and beautifully made. These would be worn within the heated glove so that if the airman needed to use his fingers for a delicate operation (no...not that!) he could remove the leather glove and do so without his fingers sticking to freezing metal surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #14 Posted October 11, 2011 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share #15 Posted October 11, 2011 Type A-12 heavy flying mittens. Not heated but lined with felt and with horsehide palms. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted October 11, 2011 Share #16 Posted October 11, 2011 Nice additions Ian! Just wanted to add that with the F3 suit two types of shoes could be worn... The inserts you posted were to be worn over service shoes inside A6 Flying boots but there were also the ones shown below which were to be worn with the F2/F3 felt flying shoes.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johan Willaert Posted October 11, 2011 Share #17 Posted October 11, 2011 The rayon gloves described by Ian in post #13 were to be worn with all kinds of other flying gloves and especially with the F2/F3 Electrically Heated Flying Gloves designed as part of the suits... Per Ian's request I'm adding pictures of the outer gloves.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjef Posted October 11, 2011 Share #18 Posted October 11, 2011 Great addition yet again, Ian!! I am going to print all your AAF equipment threads and staple them together. Than I have a very useful reference book. :thumbsup: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
History Man Posted October 11, 2011 Share #19 Posted October 11, 2011 another awesome display you put together Ian :thumbsup: i think we should get his flight set up threads pinned for future reference! :thumbsup: Philip Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobatl Posted January 4, 2013 Share #20 Posted January 4, 2013 I recall an 8th AF B-24 pilot saying that they didn't get the electrically heated suits until late in the war. He thought they were great but one day noticed a tingling feeling in one hand, then the glove started smoking and he ripped it off. An electrical short in your clothing is no fun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted June 2, 2013 Share #21 Posted June 2, 2013 those A12's and the rayon inserts have made a great addition to my collection thanks Ian !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted June 2, 2013 Author Share #22 Posted June 2, 2013 those A12's and the rayon inserts have made a great addition to my collection thanks Ian !! One always does one's best Carl...glad you're happy with them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted June 2, 2013 Share #23 Posted June 2, 2013 over the proverbial moon Ian !!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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