Is this patched USAF uniform top legit?

[Manchu Warrior]

Lately I have become interested in patched USAF uniforms, like I really need to go in another direction? With that said I was wondering if this top was legit or a put together? The top recently sold on ebay for $83.00 and the reason I was asking if it is in fact legit is because I have never seen a USAF uniform with shoulder patches before.

[Tommymonkey192]

I'm the one who bought the top. While shoulder patches are uncommon this example appears to be one that was worn specially for a SAC competition where the crews taking part would often sport uniforms with a bit more bling.

 

 

Here's some pics of the inside of the top

 

 

 

 

[mvmhm]

You're correct about this being a one-off uniform...normally it wouldn't have all the patch bling, but it was made especialy for the 1975 bombing competition...here's a link to a unique flight suit made for the crew representing Wright-Patterson's SAC bombers in the 1971 competition - which they won:

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/156266-sac-b52-gunner-unique-flight-suit/page__hl__mvmhm#entry118041

 

Mark sends

[Johnny Signor]

It's the 380th Bombardment Wing patch on the left in the photo and the 380th MMS on the front , and they were an FB-111 unit , so I think it's probably just the way the unit or at least one groundcrewman wanted thier shirts done up ..............................

Johnny

[Third Herd]

The only Air Force shirt I saw being worn with a shoulder patch was when I was in the Army National Guard. At summer camp the Air Force weather people assigned to us would wear the 67th Infantry Brigade patch on their shoulder, all insignia was subdued. I wish I would have taken pictures.

[mvmhm]

The SAC competitions weren't limited to B-52's..they included the FB-111, tankers, and at times Allied aircraft. Here's the winners from the 1971 competition:

 

 

The 1971 Bombing Competition was held from 12

through 17 December at McCoy Air Force Base, Florida. SAC participants

included one aircraft and crew from each of 54 units: 22 B-52, 30 KC-135,

and two FB-III. Three RAF crews and their Vulcan aircraft also partici-

pated. All major awards went to Second Air Force units. These awards

and their recipients were as follows:

Fairchild Trophy, for the bomb wing and collocated tanker squadron with

the best combined score in bombing and navigation, awarded to the 449th

Bomb Wing, a B-52H unit.

Mathis Trophy, awarded to the best bomber crew in the combined areas of

bombing and navigation, 17th Bomb Wing, a B-52H unit.

Saunders Trophy, awarded to the best tanker crew, llth Air Refueling

Squadron.

Bombing Trophy, awarded to the best bomber crew in the area of bombing,

17th Bomb Wing.

Navigation Trophy, awarded to the best bomber or tanker crew in navi-

gation, 93d Bomb Wing, a B-52F unit.

 

 

Mark sends

[Manchu Warrior]

The only Air Force shirt I saw being worn with a shoulder patch was when I was in the Army National Guard. At summer camp the Air Force weather people assigned to us would wear the 67th Infantry Brigade patch on their shoulder, all insignia was subdued. I wish I would have taken pictures.

You reminded of something. When I was in the NG we where attached to the 89th Security Forces at Andrews AFB for a year. On a few occasions an Air Force Sergeant came through the front gate and he had a 29th ID ssi on his uniform. I asked him why and he stated that he was the weather man for the 29th ID.

[ikar]

Ok, he's wearing a munnitions maint. patch, a competiion patch, a 111 patch, a S.A.C. patch, and a missile patch ( which he would be allowed to wear after he left the missile field. Now What's the patch on the right shoulder?

[firefighter]

You reminded of something. When I was in the NG we where attached to the 89th Security Forces at Andrews AFB for a year. On a few occasions an Air Force Sergeant came through the front gate and he had a 29th ID ssi on his uniform. I asked him why and he stated that he was the weather man for the 29th ID.

 

 

I have seen the same thing.When I was at England AFB, LA I saw guy's wearing 5th ID patches.They were combat weather guy's attached to the 5th at Fort Polk, LA.Weird seeing a SSI on an AF fatigue.I don't think they were allowed to wear them on dress uniform's or shirt's.Wonder if they had a pocket hanger?

[mvmhm]

Air Force personnel attached to Army units can only wear the Army SSI on their BDU/DCU while attached to that unit...they're not allowed to be worn on the dress blues/blue shirts. My first trip to the desert I was attached to the HHC, 72nd Signal Battalion / 7th Signal Brigade, but never bothered sewing their SSI on...after the war was over, there were several people who wrote the Air Force uniform board asking them to change the regs to allow Combat patches on the dress blues...which you knew that wasn't going to fly....oh, and no pocket hangers either...

 

Mark sends

[Mark1]

The patch on the right sleeve is the 380th Bombardment Wing (medium), which the 388th Munitions Maintenance Squadron was attached to. The 380th was out of Plattsburgh AFB, New York.

 

Mark

[COOKIEMAN]

I think the fatigue shirt is legit. I was assigned to the 380th MMS, 1973 - 1975. Although I never wore the Wing or Bomb Comp patches, I did wear an FB-111 patch on the left sleeve. I also wore a SAC Master Munitions Technician patch in the same location as the Bomb Comp patch.

[gwb123]

That is indeed the largest number of unit patches I have ever seen on an actual duty uniform. Nice find!

 

I can only wonder how 1LT Hart felt walking around in that looking like a decorated Christmas tree!

[Tommymonkey192]

Here are the shoulder patches:

 

Right shoulder: 380th Bomb Wing

 

 

Left Shoulder: FB-111 patch.

 

[m1ashooter]

Having attended four SAC Bomb and Nav Comp scoring parties I say this shirt is good to go.