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Who used this? VN era USAF survival vest


Tiger
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Hi there!

 

I'm starting to looking for the stuff to dress a dummy acted as a 'Spectre' crewmwmber. Unlukely, I'm WWII keen and my knowledge after the second war is almost close to '0'.

 

I have a Thai tadpole tiger suit.. With this coverall, what kind of pilot or crewmember I can dress my dummy? I have seen also with that 'tiger' navy pilot, Rescue and special operation aircrew, flying CH-3, CH-53, A-26...

 

I need a good soul that let me know with garment they wore, for example those in this pic (flight hemet and vest):

 

 

post-132624-0-32260800-1380664144.jpg

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RustyCanteen

The vest is one of the SRU-21 series, but it looks modified with four elasticated strips to hold .38 special ammunition on the shoulders.

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My highly educated guess is the man who is in the picture is a AC 130 gunner or crew member? He has 40mm in his right hand and a 105mm I think in his other.

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The vest is one of the SRU-21 series, but it looks modified with four elasticated strips to hold .38 special ammunition on the shoulders.

 

Thanks! I didn't know that they was custom made! In every pics I've seen, all Spectre crew have a vest in this way!

 

 

Tiger

 

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My highly educated guess is the man who is in the picture is a AC 130 gunner or crew member? He has 40mm in his right hand and a 105mm I think in his other.

 

Hallo, M1! I can't help you! On the pic I've show, there's no caption!

 

Best, Tiger

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northcoastaero

The SRU-21/P vest appears to have Velcro closure on the pockets. 1969 and later. The vest also has an extra radio pocket.

Other flight gear can include:

 

-LPU-10/P or earlier LPU-2/P Life Preserver Unit.

-CWU-27/P flight suit.

-Jungle boots with Panama soles or earlier lug soles. Maybe even FWU-3/P flight boots.

-GS/FRP-1 gloves.

-AFH-1 flight helmet possibly modified with oxygen mask receivers.

-Possibly a MBU-5/P oxygen mask with T bayonets and a straight communications cable instead of a coiled cable.

-Parachute could be a chest automatic CA-?? or back automatic style BA-18?

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Thanks a lot Nortcoasteraero!

 

With this suit, which kind of pilot (or crew member) you would dress? Spectre, navy fighter, rescue guy or what else?

 

Thanks in advance for your reply!

 

Best, Tiger

post-132624-0-02363800-1380751179.jpg

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I have start talking about LPU Life Preserver Unit, for this photo... one of the few wich someone with the Thai Tadpole suit in wear...

 

 

 

post-132624-0-03255300-1380751545.jpg

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northcoastaero

I am not an expert on tiger stripe patterns. There is at least one book available on the subject. Try amazon.com for the

book. I noticed snap adjustments on the waist of the flight suit. There may have been variations with buttons and with

Velcro for the waist. There may also have been variations with the arm sleeve cuff adjustments, such as zippers, buttons,

snaps, Velcro. The pocket arrangement on the flight suit could be different also. The picture showing the aircrew wearing

the tiger stripe suit appears to be wearing a SRU-21/P survival vest. The helmets appear to be dark tan and green painted

HGU-2A/P? The tiger stripe and other cotton flight suits were phased out when the fire resistant suits became mandatory

around 1968. Going back to the photo of the tiger stripe flight suit, the flight suit looks similar to the USAF K-2B

flight suit with the snaps on the waist. The flight suit also looks similar to the USN/USMC tan/orange versions with

the zipper on the arm sleeve cuffs. There also appears to be a Velcro patch for the nameplate on the upper left chest,

same as on the USN/USMC tan/orange flight suits. Could be a USN/USMC in country or Japan made flight suit from the

1965-1968 era?

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Hallo, Northcoastaero! Thanks for your reply!

 

I am not an expert on tiger stripe patterns. There is at least one book available on the subject. Try amazon.com for the
book. I noticed snap adjustments on the waist of the flight suit. There may have been variations with buttons and with
Velcro for the waist. There may also have been variations with the arm sleeve cuff adjustments, such as zippers, buttons,
snaps, Velcro. The pocket arrangement on the flight suit could be different also. The picture showing the aircrew wearing
the tiger stripe suit appears to be wearing a SRU-21/P survival vest. The helmets appear to be dark tan and green painted
HGU-2A/P? The tiger stripe and other cotton flight suits were phased out when the fire resistant suits became mandatory
around 1968. Going back to the photo of the tiger stripe flight suit, the flight suit looks similar to the USAF K-2B
flight suit with the snaps on the waist. The flight suit also looks similar to the USN/USMC tan/orange versions with
the zipper on the arm sleeve cuffs. There also appears to be a Velcro patch for the nameplate on the upper left chest,
same as on the USN/USMC tan/orange flight suits. Could be a USN/USMC in country or Japan made flight suit from the
1965-1968 era?

 

Yep, I had no write, but the suit was made in Thailand (there's a Thai taylor label sewn in the collar) and on the breast verse, is possible to see the embroidered Navy pilot wings under the velcro patch. So could be a Navy/USMC pilot based on Thailand.

 

Wich helmet would be right for a dummy, in this case?

 

Choice #1

 

 

post-132624-0-80857000-1381045377.jpg

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northcoastaero

The helmet for your USN/USMC tiger stripe flight suit could be any of the following: APH-5, APH-5A, APH-6, APH-6A, APH-6B or

an earlier helmet modified to APH-6B standards, APH-7, SPH-1, possibly SPH-2, SPH-3 (not SPH-3B/SPH-3C), gray Telephonics

headset. Oxygen mask would be (if used) a variation of the MS-22001 (A-13A). Some pilots/aircrews used a modified

version of the USAF MBU-5/P. Helmet and mask setup configuration would be based on type of aircraft they were used in.

The helmets in the above photos are USAF HGU-2A/P single visor helmets and HGU-26/P dual visor helmets. The mask is the

MBU-5/P.

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Thank you, always valuable and useful your answers!!!

 

 

Can I get bored yet? Yep, I know, I'm quite ... disagreeable!!

 

But if this suit was yours, as will completed the set? What would you choose as helmet, mask, vest, harness, anti-g garnment and boots?

 

 

Excuse me again for these questions!

 

Best, Tiger

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It was Thai made. On the label reads: Charming tailor - Nakhonpanom Thailand. And I said Navy because there's the embroidered navy badge under the velcro. Its visible from the inside because it is located under the patch.

 

Best, Tiger

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northcoastaero

Could you provide a picture of the embroidered wing on the flight suit? NKP in Thailand was home to USAF units and could more likely be a USAF ordered suit? What date and USN/USMC aircraft did you have in mind? Some of the flight gear could vary from aircraft and year.

 

Helmet: APH-6A single visor.

Mask: MS-22001 (A-13A).

Vest: Modified SV-1 or SL-1 survival leggings converted to a vest.

Harness: MA-2 with Rocket Jet or Koch riser fittings and Rocket Jet lower lap belt fittings. Lower body material in between webbing was removed at some point in time and the front zipper shortened.

Anti-g: Olive drab nylon: Z-3, Z-4, or Mark 2A.

Boots: Brown leather with steel toe and smooth sole or modified with Vibram sole.

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What date and USN/USMC aircraft did you have in mind? Some of the flight gear could vary from aircraft and year.

 

Helmet: APH-6A single visor.

Mask: MS-22001 (A-13A).

Vest: Modified SV-1 or SL-1 survival leggings converted to a vest.

Harness: MA-2 with Rocket Jet or Koch riser fittings and Rocket Jet lower lap belt fittings. Lower body material in between webbing was removed at some point in time and the front zipper shortened.

Anti-g: Olive drab nylon: Z-3, Z-4, or Mark 2A.

Boots: Brown leather with steel toe and smooth sole or modified with Vibram sole.

 

Hi and thanks again!

 

I did not have really in mind anything! I would like to complete the set in the more cooled way compatible with this suit. A jet fighter I would prefer, of coursel! But if will not possible, it's good all the way.

 

Best

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  • 2 weeks later...
nguoi tien su

Just thinking that NKP was also the home of VO-67, a US Navy unit that worked on the Ho Chi Minh trail. This might be the reason why you have navy wing on it?

 

Modified SRU-21/P are hard to get.

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Hi Nguoi!

 

Thanks for your reply! If Navy VO-67 was there, yep, should be the reason of that navy wings!

 

I knew it would be difficult to get it!! The same lucky!

 

 

Best,

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northcoastaero

VO-67 was deployed to NKP from November 1967-July 1968. They flew the OP-2E variant of the P-2 (P2V) Neptune in support of

Igloo White missions. From what I have researched, VO-67 was the only USN squadron at NKP.

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Great!

 

So is very probably that a Thai Tadpole suit, made in NKP, Thailand and with a Navy pilot badge on its breast, should be owned to the VO-67 squadron!

 

Great! It not easy, collocate in so good way a suit in time and space!!

 

Thanks to all!

 

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nguoi tien su

A quick look at the yearbook does not show tiger suit. Yet it is highly probable. This unit is very interesting. The mix of equipements, Navy and USAF is stunning. As for the survival items, you can find both modified SV-1 and modified SRU-21/P.

 

Olivier Bizet wrote a nice article about Igloo White in Militaria Magazine: http://militaria.histoireetcollections.com/article/29186/aviation-le-programme-americain-igloo-white-au-vietnam-1-par-olivier-bizet.html

I guess it is also available in English. The first part deals with VO-67.

 

Part 2:

http://militaria.histoireetcollectio...o-white-2.html

 

Part 3:

http://militaria.histoireetcollections.com/article/29968/vietnam-le-programme-igloo-white-contre-la-piste-ho-chi-minh-3.html

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