Interesting picture

[tar00]

I found this picture, and what is really interesting is the handful of pilots wearing dark blue life jackets. The blue mae wests seen from time to time have been a mystery and the most common and most plausible explanation I have heard is that they were carried aboard ships and especially submarines as they took up less room than kapoks. This picture, if these are indeed those blue vests rather than dyed B-4s, seems to prove that they were used to an at least limited extent by pilots as well. Therefore I am looking for opinions - the blue vests or dyed B-4s?

[sgtbrown]

I've certainly heard of flight crew wearing the blue inflatable deck vest but I have yet to see one in a photo. I don't think we have one here. There is no way to tell about the others but the guy in the white shirt is, I think, wearing a dyed B-4. Look in the area of his waistline, where you can see the rear "layer" of the vest. Its tone in the B&W photo matches the other B-4's, pretty much indicating it is yellow. It would make sense to some to dye the front of the vest blue but leave the back side yellow so they could turn it around if necessary. Just a guess on my part.

 

What I find very interesting is the fellow standing next to the guy in the white shirt. He is wearing the pre/early war (and quite hated) Mk1 vest. Looking at the other gear presented in the photo, it is surprising to see a Mk1 that late in the war. I've read that many fliers threw their Mk1's overboard just so they would have to be issued a B-4. True or just a story????

 

Tom

[Bob Hudson]