P38 Pilot Display thoughts

[36thIDAlex]

Hey all, so I’ve thought about going into more flight gear lately to put alongside my other AAF dress uniforms. I’m sure plenty of you are following the auctions of Phillips on eBay right now, but for those of you who aren’t, I’ve attached a little blurb.

Major John Rolla Phillips enlisted in 1942 as an aviation cadet in the USAAF. Leaving his home in rural Vermont, Phillips went on to become a well-renowned trainer of fighter pilots beginning with the P39 and moving to the P38s and P47s as the war went on. At the end of the war Phillips began work on the development of fighter jets and would go on to serve in Korea as a pilot of the experimental F-94 Starfire. The new craft was the first with afterburner and were equipped with high level radar for night fighting operations. In May of 1953 Phillips would become the first US pilot to successfully shoot down an enemy MIG 15 while patrolling “MIG Alley” in the predawn hours. His success in service earned his the Distinguished Flying across and two Air Medals along with over 7,000 hours of flight time.


I have been trying to find a flight suit for awhile and this one was sufficiently salty to work for my needs and had a pretty neat backstory. I figured the best way to use it for a display was to portray one of the later pilots he trained in the P38s. I know it’s a little rough, but it’s a first attempt and it’s been hard to get the expensive parts of the suit. I’ve got a decent amount so far, but mostly struggle finding the o2 mask, boots, and harness.

From photographs I looked at it appears that wearing a flight suit with no jacket was common for the lightning pilots, and although I still lack the proper parachute harness and boots, wanted to try my hand at throwing something together. My other problem is that the head on this mannequin is abnormally watermelon-sized so I had the choice of this field cap or a flak helmet. I figured the field cap and boots with lack of harness have it a sort of pre/post mission runway vibe. I know it’s rough, but as I said, it’s a first try. I’d like to eventually complete the display (probably with a smaller mannequin head) and thought I’d seek out suggestions as I’m still delving into flying gear for the first time.

Or if you all think of other display ideas I could shoot for, let me know. Bombers have always been my favorite but I just threw together this because I know they require a lot more pieces and Phillips flew fighters anyhow.

Best,
Alex















Phillips in flight over Korea

[36thIDAlex]

Oh, and how it fits in. The table is all stuff from bomber crewmen so like I said, ideally I can get a full bomber setup one day.

 

[Steve B.]

Is that holster black or is it just the lighting? If it is black, it is almost certainly post-war. I have seen a number of wartime dated holsters that were dyed black and used until the M1911A1 was replaced by the Beretta. Even if it has a wartime date on it, if it is black it doesn't belong with your wartime display.

[36thIDAlex]

Is that holster black or is it just the lighting? If it is black, it is almost certainly post-war. I have seen a number of wartime dated holsters that were dyed black and used until the M1911A1 was replaced by the Beretta. Even if it has a wartime date on it, if it is black it doesn't belong with your wartime display.

 

It is dark brown and 42 dated, just well-loved.

[P-59A]

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/293460-ww-2-fighter-pilot-p-51d/ http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/300268-a-4-parachute-rig/

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/294531-bomber-crew-recreation-photos/ http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/293459-ww-2-late-war-crewman/ 303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear.html

I have been stumbling around on this for some time. What I have learned is that USAAF items come in three time frames, early, mid and late war. I tend to group these as being related to the F-1, F-2 and F-3 heated flight suits. Fighter pilots had rheostat's in the cockpit and could wear heated flight suits if needed. P-38's were high altitude flyers when required so the question becomes was your guy in the ETO or in the Pacific. The difference is light gear vs heavy gear. My display's are more for the late war ETO than Pacific, but their is overlap. You need to read up on the type missions flown and look at the period photo's to figure out what direction you need to go. The 303rd site has some very good information. I suggest looking at it in detail.

The links links covers little friends. http://303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear8.html

[kammo-man]

That guy freaks me out

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[36thIDAlex]

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/293460-ww-2-fighter-pilot-p-51d/ http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/300268-a-4-parachute-rig/

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/294531-bomber-crew-recreation-photos/ http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/293459-ww-2-late-war-crewman/ 303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear.html

I have been stumbling around on this for some time. What I have learned is that USAAF items come in three time frames, early, mid and late war. I tend to group these as being related to the F-1, F-2 and F-3 heated flight suits. Fighter pilots had rheostat's in the cockpit and could wear heated flight suits if needed. P-38's were high altitude flyers when required so the question becomes was your guy in the ETO or in the Pacific. The difference is light gear vs heavy gear. My display's are more for the late war ETO than Pacific, but their is overlap. You need to read up on the type missions flown and look at the period photo's to figure out what direction you need to go. The 303rd site has some very good information. I suggest looking at it in detail.

The links links covers little friends. http://303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear8.html

 

Thanks much for the information! The main squadron he worked went on to fly P39s in Africa and then transferred to the P38s in the Pacific, where I have found record of him being later on. I presume this would mean lighter gear.

[P-59A]

N. Africa and the Pacific would be the summer flight gear. If he was state side as a pilot instructor during the war odds are and based on the photo's you posted he was in the west or south west U.S. Even if that is the case he would of had summer and winter gear. It gets freeking cold in the desert in the winter months. Not so much in the Pacific unless you are flying high altitude missions. One more time, the time frame and historic photo's are your guide as how to set your gear up.

[36thIDAlex]

N. Africa and the Pacific would be the summer flight gear. If he was state side as a pilot instructor during the war odds are and based on the photo's you posted he was in the west or south west U.S. Even if that is the case he would of had summer and winter gear. It gets freeking cold in the desert in the winter months. Not so much in the Pacific unless you are flying high altitude missions. One more time, the time frame and historic photo's are your guide as how to set your gear up.

 

Looks like he was mostly a flight instructor during the war and will need to figure out what squadron he joined in Japan at the end of the war. I will have to see if I can find out what squadron it was he joined. Thanks for the help, means a lot.