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korean war sabre pilot...


Niki
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Here is my sabre pilot i put together by collecting trough the years and i am wondering of its correct?

Not sure if there is something missing and if the parachute is correct,its one of 1951 usaaf?

Want to do the right thing and put it together like the day the pilot stept into the cockpit.

Can i put the blue carrier vest under neat the B-5 or is it not correct to put it on the pilot?

The list of my pilot;

 

- P-1A with MS22001 oxygen mask and green apple oxygen bottle.

- B-5 life preserver;

- Backpack parachute type ? made in 1951.

- G-3A g-suite.

- L-1A flight suite

- John addisson flight boots 1961 dated.

 

I dont know if i am doing something wrong but its hard to find the right stuff here in belgium so i try to do my best!

post-158693-0-10462300-1437941361.jpg

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BlueBookGuy

do not know about the boot, all the rest is OK for that period - except perhaps for the MC-3A bell-shaped connector, all the dozens pics I searched when I was making my own Sabre pilot in Korea show another unmistakable type of connector. Similar, but not the one on your mask.

 

You might check for the correct sub-variant of MS-22001 (not well visible in photo) as it shows up when worn by pilots in Korea. It's a specific, well-precise pattern as for the upper straps: canvas, not nylon. And, that unique snap button near the nose bridge.

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BlueBookGuy

This my pilot, details of the correct mask and connector (not yet the true MC-3A) are well detailed. Hope this can help.

Franco.

 

post-151851-0-87319600-1437950571.jpg

post-151851-0-62696800-1437950590.jpg

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BlueBookGuy

* your G-3A G-suit is 100% correct

* P-1 helmet and B-8 goggles are correct - however MS-22001 mask as worn in that variant, should be too late for Korean war.

* L-1A suit is fully correct

* 5024C-8 back parachute is correct (just, ripcord handle as shown has been put inverted in its pocket).

* B-5 Life Vest is correct

* E-1 Radio Carrier vest is 100% correct if you wish add it under the B-5.

 

will post a view of my guy wearing the E-1 vest in "aquablue" color. In my opinion, even better than the Sage Green or Olive Drab ones.

If you wish to add some more items to "enrich" the guy, they could be:

* C-2A Life Raft, attached under the parachute

* M-1911 dummy auto-pistol in its holster

* some flashlights.

 

Just suggestions, it's a nice mannequinn by now!

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northcoastaero

The boots look to be later USN/USMC issue. I would probably use the mid rough out boots, similar or same to WWII issue.

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BlueBookGuy

last pics of some details in my pilot. It took some five years to be completed in those pre-Internet days.

 

The aquablue E-1 carrier, and the C-2A Life Raft.

post-151851-0-47237900-1437953479.jpg

 

 

post-151851-0-05135100-1437953563.jpg

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Thanks guys for the comments.

One question yet BlueBookGuy, the helmet you have on youre pilot is that a P-3 helmet?

dont get me wrong but if you see the little pilots by dragon on the scale of 1/6 they all are wearing P-1a helmets.

Can anybody tell me witch jacket they usely wear in the korean war (B-15A ,L-2A) and is it hard to find?

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BlueBookGuy

Yes helmet is a P-3 by 'Selby Shoes Co.' it's 100% correct for my pilot in 1952-53 timeframe. Your P-1 is correct for a pilot in 1950-51.

 

I'll post a photo of a F-86 pilot, 4th F.W. in late 1952 wearing P-3 helmet w/ visor, MS-22001 mask with the metal-colored connector and C-2A life raft. Just a suggestion, but if your mask doesn't have that snap button more or less centered on the upper strap (so it looks in your photo to me), and connector is a true O.D. colored and MC-3A-marked it is out of correct period. Even more so, for a early war pilot.

You might look on eBay for a MS-22001 specimen having those features. Not the easiest thing to find out, but neither impossible.

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BlueBookGuy

here a great shot of a 4th F.I.W. F-86 pilot late 1952, P-3 helmet w/ visor and C-2A life raft attached to type 5024C-8 (or -9) parachute. Note what the variant of MS-22001 mask:

 

post-151851-0-05974700-1437996718.jpg

 

 

 

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BlueBookGuy

here on my Sabre pilot, this is the only variant of MS-22001 oxy. mask I have ever found in 65-70 photos of jet pilots in Korea. Suppose it's the correct model.

Straps material may be indifferently nylon or canvas, but always present is the snap button near the nose bridge:

 

post-151851-0-44456000-1437996967.jpg

 

 

I still have one spare MC-3 connector from another mask, so we can see many differencies between MC-3 connector (right) and the type fitted on Korea-period MS-22001s.

Material, shape, size, colors, diameter of the side outlet, and strap (cloth at left, nylon at right):

post-151851-0-21451200-1437997146.jpg

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Very Nice USN / USMC Boots! I like them.

 

The boots look to be later USN/USMC issue. I would probably use the mid rough out boots, similar or same to WWII issue.

 

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BlueBookGuy

one last shot, for my guy I had chosen a Boyd-made, 1944 shoulder holster and M-1911 auto-pistol - but put around the waist instead than under the B-5 Life Vest.

 

Somehow a weird decision but here too, I strictly copied from a Korean War photo - a F-86 pilot who had preferred this way. Of course also a M-1916 pattern, hip holster for the .45 would equally be correct (maybe, even more).

 

post-151851-0-07958300-1438001235.jpg

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My mask is the same like youre mask on the display pilot not?

Put in a pict to compare with yours.

It has the same button but the MC-3a red bottom is different, the one you have is it difficult to find? and where can i find it?

post-158693-0-77581700-1438005001.jpg

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BlueBookGuy

anodyzed red instead of light green on lower part of MC-3 is a tiny detail, virtually insignificant.

Point could be the MC-3 (or -3A) instead of that other type. Do not know where to find one separately from mask, suppose mine had been clamped in place at the same time of mask's fabrication.

That said, I didn't read the matter in a "bible" stating officially (from USAF manuals) the thing is impossible - just it's extremely unlikely. I noticed the older connector still in pics from 1954-55, but never the other in Korea-period photos.

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BlueBookGuy

Just a more generic comment: I remember the risk of "going mad" for this hobby when I rated it so much important for me years ago. It was, OK, but I remember literally going crazy in doing hundreds and hundreds hours overtime job exclusively to have money aside for the correct items.

My current mask arrived after 2 1/2 years I assembled the guy - previously, it had one MS-220001 exactly like your's. Just because I wanted strictly a Sabre pilot of late Korean war, but if I was not able in finding the correct one I would have gone towards one of about 1955-56.

 

Still a very nice F-86 (E) pilot, but at least with both helmet and mask correct. The same could do you if you couldn't find anyway that different MS-22001. You get a P-3 helmet, and you will have a perfect Sabre guy.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Niki,

 

Nice display. Only some little details are not 100% as they would must be.

 

As Bluebookguy told you, the connector of the mask is the latest model. It was issued after the war. The one you need is the first one, not anodized.

 

A good pair of US Army 1948 russet leather boots would be perfect for your pilot. Us Army leather service shoes from this era were also used but they are more difficult to find and more valued.

 

The knife that you display seems to be the Jet Pilot Knife which has been issued at the end of the 50s.

 

The most lovely jacket you should add is the blue L-2A or the veryt rare OD L-2.

 

Some articles have been published in the french Militaria magazine about Korean war Sabre pilot, 4th FIW in Korea and MS-22001 O2 masks (#253, 284, 310 and 313).

 

You also can get some posts about this thema in the USMF.

 

Franck

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Real McCoy's are repro.

 

The three known original manufacturers are:

- Superior Togs (the most common)

- L.W. Foster Sportwear

- A. Pritzkers & Sons

 

Be aware of all three have been reproduced by modern manufacturers as Buzz Rickson and some others.

 

Franck

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btw,

the correct mask connector is named 191A2. At best of my researches there are at least two subvariations (same nomenclature anyway) but the only difference is tiny indeed.

Look for the flat portion wich carries the word '191A2', in itself doesn't change. But in this specimen that other portion directly under it, is more than twice as wider than it.

 

post-151851-0-89372300-1439727820.jpg

 

 

 

Here instead, that same portion is just a very, very bit wider than the portion with '191A2'.

 

post-151851-0-69290100-1439728645.jpg

Do not know about what the difference is meant to, if any. Possibly one is USAF and the other is Navy, but not sure of this.

post-151851-0-48606300-1439727905.jpg

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btw a thanks to Bebel for having cited that French militaria magazine. I'll try to track at least those issues having this interesting matter.

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Real McCoy's are repro.

 

The three known original manufacturers are:

- Superior Togs (the most common)

- L.W. Foster Sportwear

- A. Pritzkers & Sons

 

Be aware of all three have been reproduced by modern manufacturers as Buzz Rickson and some others.

 

Franck

 

I do not know them, but if their degree of perfection is the same of A-2 leather jackets' as made by Buzz Rickson as well... they must be really the highest grade ever.

Rickson's A-2s are, together with Eastman Leather's, the most incredibly faithful copies wich may exist in the whole galaxy.

 

 

ps. would be great for those files!! Thanks!

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  • 4 years later...

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