12 O'Clock High A2

[Ronnie]

This isn't really a new acquisition but Owen (kammoman) wanted me to post this as it's a pretty interesting piece. Probably 20 to 25 years ago I sat up a display at a statewide convention of the 8th Air Force Historical Society Mississippi Chapter. While there I was visiting with a B17 pilot of 22 missions over Nazi occupied Europe. I had to ask him if he still had his A2 and he said that he actually wore it out. But while at a National Convention of the 8th AFHS he purchased an A2 from a vendor who said he had purchased some of the 20th Century Fox wardrobe dept. A2's. This was in the middle 70's. I remember when Fox sold a lot of props in a big sale that was covered by NBC news. He told me that he couldn't wear the jacket anymore so I asked if he would sell it. He suggested that I buy him a new A2 that fit and he would give me this one. I did order him a new jacket and had it delivered directly to him. Few weeks later he called, told me his jacket was in and for me to come pick mine up. My jacket is clearly a reproduction and a fairly nice one. Not up to the standards of Eastman or some of the finer companies but still ok. He had even sewn on his original name tag, Squadron patch and a stubby wing 8th AAF patch. He described it as exactly how his original WWII jacket looked. I thought the 12 O'Clock High story was pretty neat and was excited to get the jacket. Upon close examination I noticed the jacket was marked I. 3 places "Property Of Fullerton Studio's". Thought that was strange if it came from the 20th Century Wardrobe Dept. I called 20th Century Fox to see if there was anyway to confirm the jacket was used in the movie.they said no and that their wardrobe dept. had been purchased at auction by several companies.....Hollywood Wardrobe and Western Costume. I contacted both of those companies but they couldn't help. Interestingly the fellow at Western Costume tried to purchase the jacket over the phone sight unseen. He really wanted it. I gave up on my quest to find out if it was a movie jacket. Sometime later I saw an Ad in The 8th AFHS newsletter where a fellow (Allen Duffin) was looking for airforce vets who had a part in the movie 12 O'Clock High. I called the guy who was in the Air Force and was working on his Doctorate Degree. He was doing his thesis on the Book, Movie, and TV Show of 12 O'Clock High. Asked him if he had any knowledge regarding the uniforms worn by the actors. He didn't but he had established contact with Col John DeRussy who was the movies Technical Advisor supplied by the Air Force to 20th. He said he would ask the Col. if he had any knowledge of the uniforms and gear worn in the movie. A few weeks later I received a letter from Duffin that stated the Col. Said my jacket could not have been used in the movie because he had to supply the uniforms and that all the uniforms and gear were original and that no reproductions were used. I was disappointed but a few weeks after that I was watching the movie and at the beginning when Lt. Bishop belly lands his B17 he disembarks the aircraft and turns his back to the camera to throw up. When he did you can clearly see a seam across the back of his jacket at the shoulders.....his jacket was a reproduction! I contacted Duffin and told him. He contacted the Col. who actually wanted to visit with me. I contacted him and he was very gracious and said "you are observant." He couldn't explain the jacket other than perhaps they did not have enough jackets or didn't have one in Lt. Bishops size. So he guessed the studio provided some of the gear. It's a pretty interesting story and Duffin sent me a copy of his thesis which included a photo of my jacket and my movie poster from the movie. Duffin in recent years has had his thesis published in a book called "The 12 O'CLOCK HIGH Logbook." Btw that book is still available.

So I guess the bottom line is I will never know if my jacket was an actual movie used garment but I do know that it is a possibility. I hope I haven't bored you with my little story.

Thanks.

Ronnie

[phantomfixer]

Pretty cool story...and hope it pans out...it was a great movie..and I do remember Bishops A-2 and to me, and I can't recall, but I thought Peck's A-2 was a repop also...nice story...never met an A-2 I didn't like....

[Johnny Signor]

The patch on the jacket image you posted is that of the 601st Bombardment Squadron

[Ronnie]

Phantom I agree about Pecks A2. It seems that the shoulders were cut very wide and to me that made his jacket look like a zoot suit.

Johnny thanks for the info. The patch on my A2 is painted as opposed to embroidered.

Ronnie

[Sabrejet]

That's a great story...and an equally great jacket. On a more modest scale I've got a few WW2 garrison caps with Warner Bros and 20th Century Fox wardrobe dept stamps. I always find it quite surprising that so many war movies made relatively early in the post-war era, eg "The Longest Day" ('62) were compelled to use so many repro uniforms (and pretty bad ones at that!) when there must have still been a ton of original surplus stuff out there!

[doyler]

Nice A2 Ronnie and a great story.

 

I use to also do displays for our 8th AFHS chapter.Met some awesome vets.Gabreski was a guest one year.along woth a WASP from Minnesota.Very memorable event.

[Ronnie]

I agree Ian about the crummy uniforms used in many movies. The Longest Day is one of my favorite movies but boy did they screw up on the uniforms. Warner Bros. got it right back in 1945 when the studio made Objective Burma. The troopers wore M42's. However I know that the main characters had studio made M42's. I had the opportunity to purchase a uniform worn by one of the actors. It had a studio tag in it with the actors name. It also had no switchblade pocket...it just looked as if one was there. Seeing the uniform up close and personal you could clearly see that it was not the correct shade of OD. It was more of a plain khaki color. But the film was black and white so no big deal.

On a side note I have one of the M1A1's used in the movie. It is a very nice prop.

Thanks for your comments.

Ronnie

[Ronnie]

Gabby! Wow that had to have been awesome.

Ronnie

[Sabrejet]

Yes Ronnie...I knew about the "Objective Burma" jumpsuits. Actually, there's a thread about them in the forum's archives as one turned up a few years ago and was the subject of much debate, as I recall! Things have moved on. I've got a jumpsuit and HBTs as used in "Band of Brothers"...pretty much perfect copies of the real thing. I think movies like "SPR" and "BoB" were pretty much responsible for the booming repro industry that exists today, the quality of whose offerings continues to improve. Love that carbine!!

[Ronnie]

Again I agree with you Ian. Spielberg and Hanks surely got the uniforms right. And believe it or not that made the movie more enjoyable to me. Yeah the carbine is way cool. I had seen one on eBay a good many years ago now and bid on it. Bid high but got outbid. I found this one from a gun dealer in California and jumped on it.

Thanks.

Ronnie

[lovmilinsig]

What a fantastic story! Thanks for posting.

 

Ed

[Ronnie]

Thanks Ed.

Ronnie

[kammo-man]

R ,

Is it possible to do a screen grab from the movie showing the seamed A2 and possibly your jacket.?

o

[Ronnie]

Owen I'm sure it's possible but I have no idea how to do that.

Ronnie

[sgtdorango]

That would be pretty cool.....mike

[hbtcoveralls]

Any possiblity that your jacket, marked fullerton studios, was used in the TV version of 12 O'clock high? and not the movie?

Tom Bowers

[Ronnie]

Yes Tom I have thought that was a possibility.

Thanks for bringing that up.

Ronnie