USN Vietnam Era Skyhawk Flight Jacket

[mkite93]

Recent local antique store find, researched the pilot turns out almost 30 year navy pilot. Was with Attack Squadron 56 around 1961 when I’m assuming this jacket is from because name tag still says LT and by Vietnam he was a LCMD. Served three tours in Vietnam in VA-106 as a Skyhawk pilot and as commander of VA-195. He was a survivor of the 1967 USS Forrestal fire. In his career earned LOM,DFC,BS,AM 11 OLC. Squadron picture he is second man in standing from the left  

[Longbranch]

Awesome jacket! I love seeing these complete, patched, & ID’d 1950s/60s Navy flight jackets. Super cool!

[hink441]

That’s a beauty for sure!!

 

Is that an Escapac ejection seat in the background?   

 

Chris

[mkite93]

Thanks for the comments on the jacket. I was surprised to find it on a rack in the antique store I’m guessing the owner never tried to research the pilot.  
 

actually that is the ejection seat out of a Skyhawk that some navy or marine guys made into a office char.It’s mainly the reason I bought the jacket to display with it. I had to do research on the jacket when I saw it and didn’t buy it right away when I found out he was a Skyhawk pilot I had to go back and get it.  Plus it’s not every day you find an ID’d fighter pilots jacket hanging in a antique store. 

[mkite93]

Since the seat was asked about I’ll add a picture to this thread since I’m displaying it with the flight jacket. The seat has painted markings attaching it to VMA-223 a Marine Skyhawk squadron. Now I need a period navy flight helmet. 

[hink441]

That’s a great looking ejection seat. It looks to be a later model in the Escapac series of seats. Here is some additional info on the Escapac seats in the link below. 
 

Looks awesome with the jacket!!
 

Chris

 

http://www.ejectionsite.com/escapacfr.htm

[mkite93]

15 minutes ago, hink441 said:

That’s a great looking ejection seat. It looks to be a later model in the Escapac series of seats. Here is some additional info on the Escapac seats in the link below. 
 

Looks awesome with the jacket!!
 

Chris

 

http://www.ejectionsite.com/escapacfr.htm

Thanks for in info on the seat. I hadn’t researched it too much. It was just one of those items that I came across at the right time for the right price and added it to the collection. I’ll see if I can find out more I’d like to know the exact year it was made. I’ll never know if this seat saw any combat hours over Vietnam. The seat bottom is the part with squadron markings but there’s no was of knowing if it’s the original since they come out so easy. 
 

ill continue to work on a display with it and the jacket with some other period aircraft related things. 

[hink441]

Does your seat have the tags? Look for these and you will be able to see the contract year on the metal tag. Mine has a “79” contr year as marked on the tag. 
 

 

[mkite93]

7 minutes ago, hink441 said:

Does your seat have the tags? Look for these and you will be able to see the contract year on the metal tag. Mine has a “79” contr year as marked on the tag. 
 

 

My tag is a little different. After looking at the link you sent it looks like mine could be out of a A7 Corsair II. 

[hink441]

It looks like it is an “IG2” seat. The serial number includes “IG2” as part of the number. I think yours was made much earlier than my “IG2” seat. 
 

The Marine squadron markings on the Rigid Seat Survival Kit (RSSK) are normal. Those kits were not permanently assigned to a seat but rather they were issued as repairable pool items and could have gone in numerous different seats throughout its service life. 
 

I would say you have a seat from an A-7 Corsair that probably saw service during Vietnam. 
 

Chris

[mkite93]

Thanks for all the useful information good to know. They are neat pieces to have in a collection, it’s a conversation piece for sure.