littlebuddy Posted July 8, 2014 Share #51 Posted July 8, 2014 Excellent photos, is there enough room in the kit bags to carry all of that heavy flight gear? The flight bag you mention ,Type AN6505-1 . i have one of these ,filled with 6 flight suits 6 pairs of flight trousers from A8's to A11a's and there is still room for some more besides !!! if you know how bulky the flight trousers are , that should give you some idea of how big these bags are !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
airborneaviator Posted July 9, 2014 Share #52 Posted July 9, 2014 Well, that solves it then. So if someone is putting together a pilot impression would a B3 would be the jacket of choice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sabrejet Posted July 9, 2014 Share #53 Posted July 9, 2014 Well, that solves it then. So if someone is putting together a pilot impression would a B3 would be the jacket of choice? Depends on the time and theatre. Early war / ETO...most certainly a B3. From '43 - '45 a B-10 or B-15 , as they became available. Then there was the B-9 parka... There are many possible combinations. Just study lots of WW2 aviation pics and invest in some good references. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted July 9, 2014 Share #54 Posted July 9, 2014 The B11 could be a thought as well ,even though the B9 parka was meant to be worn as an extra layer over the B10 jacket and the B11 parka worn over the B15 But as can be seen from the thousands of photographs available , any combination could be worn even a D1 mechanics shearling jacket LB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usaaf93 Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share #55 Posted July 9, 2014 Hi everyone I am pretty sure that the A2 was also used (at least in the cockpit). There are various pictures and films showing it. Take a look at this video between 23' and 26'. Yes it is a documentary, but it looks like original footage. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xtiqIK3GAPU Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted July 9, 2014 Share #56 Posted July 9, 2014 For what it's worth, and please take this not as a slight, but as a reason to let yourself off the hook a bit. I think you are trying too hard. Pick your time frame, focus on it and dig through the books and photos until you find a look you like. Then go for it. There is no exact as the guys fit the clothing around thier own preferences. Certainly each time frame had its new issue such as the guys on "my" B-24 crew from late 44-45. At the same time this has to be fun. It's "your" pilot after all Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted July 9, 2014 Share #57 Posted July 9, 2014 Good advice Dan , like i said in my previous post " any combination could and was worn " LB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usaaf93 Posted July 9, 2014 Author Share #58 Posted July 9, 2014 Thanks for the advice. I'll send pics of what I have done in a couple of weeks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted July 10, 2014 Share #59 Posted July 10, 2014 I remembered I had these images too from a 447th BG B17 crew taken in early 44. First is the staged crew photo. Second shows them gathered post flight. Lots of mix and matching in the last one. A little more consistent in the first Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted July 10, 2014 Share #60 Posted July 10, 2014 Lots of nice A-2 jackets in both those photos! JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted July 10, 2014 Share #61 Posted July 10, 2014 Apologies if someone posted this link already, but this guy on the 303rd BG website really shows how it's done from what I can tell. History on the combat crew equipment and lots of color shots as well. He's got a collection to die for...well maybe not die for...but you get the idea http://www.303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear.html If you haven't seen it, be sure and click the other links as he breaks things down by years etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted July 10, 2014 Share #62 Posted July 10, 2014 Lots of nice A-2 jackets in both those photos! JD Sadly these guys went down to flak in April 44 with a number of them killed and others POW's Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JDK Posted July 10, 2014 Share #63 Posted July 10, 2014 Sadly these guys went down to flak in April 44 with a number of them killed and others POW's Too many suffered the same fate. They all are heroes. JD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted July 13, 2014 Share #64 Posted July 13, 2014 Just for fun and to keep the discussion going as I'm learning lots of stuff I'm pretty sure this is a lead crew as it's 12 guys, which is what it would be with the radar Navigator and radar Bombardier. Appears to be post flight as the guys look a bit beat and not particularly focused on getting their picture taken. Note the wide variety of gear. Not sure what the jacket is the guy is wearing under the x marked on the photo. The officer in the center of the front row appears to have RAF pattern 1940 boots. Looks like both B-3 and B-4 life vests. All kinds of different head gear. B-10s, an A-2, flight suits, one guy in the blue bunny suit etc. More proof that there is a bit of freedom in putting a display together Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usaaf93 Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share #65 Posted July 13, 2014 Hi Great picture. It seams to be an F2 jacket under the X to me. You can see the breast pockets Not sure either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
littlebuddy Posted July 13, 2014 Share #66 Posted July 13, 2014 Is it an M43 field jacket ? Scrub that ! Maybe not ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usaaf93 Posted July 13, 2014 Author Share #67 Posted July 13, 2014 Hi carl The breast pockets are straight on the M43 jacket. There is a little "curve" on the F2 jackets pockets. You can see the curve in the picture Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
38Driver Posted July 18, 2014 Share #68 Posted July 18, 2014 I keep finding crew photos in my collection to post. Hope folks don't mind. Not sure if this is ETO or MTO. The guys look tired either way as does the weathered B-17F behind them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
usaaf93 Posted July 20, 2014 Author Share #69 Posted July 20, 2014 Hello Of course we don't mind!! Don't hesitate to keep posting your nice pictures Julien Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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