Part II early US Air Force transitional

[tmackie]

Has anyone an example of a the USAF White Uniform from like 1956? It was one that was around only like a year or so and from what I understand in the cut of the modern USAF class A jacket.

 

 

Hi Chad...I have one in my collection. it was worn by a General in the mid-late 50s. It's in exactly the same cut as the class A blouse but of a very fine, thin material. Will try to post some photos later.

Cheers Tim

[VolunteerArmoury]

Hi Chad...I have one in my collection. it was worn by a General in the mid-late 50s. It's in exactly the same cut as the class A blouse but of a very fine, thin material. Will try to post some photos later.

Cheers Tim

 

Is your the four pocket style? I've read (I think in an USAF Officers Guide) about a white USAF uniform that had two pockets on the waist & a flapless pocket on the left chest just like the modern cut.

[tmackie]

Is your the four pocket style? I've read (I think in an USAF Officers Guide) about a white USAF uniform that had two pockets on the waist & a flapless pocket on the left chest just like the modern cut.

Mine is 4 pocket version and identical to regular bouse of the period.

[Sabrejet]

That's it! I've never seen the mini ribbons. Does anyone have examples?

 

 

Me neither. If you look at the diagram the shape of the lapels suggest the miniature ribbons were intended foe wear by female personnel?

 

Ian :thumbsup:

[VolunteerArmoury]

Me neither. If you look at the diagram the shape of the lapels suggest the miniature ribbons were intended foe wear by female personnel?

 

Ian :thumbsup:

 

 

It shows both male & female tunics.

[Bebel]

Hi

Thank you for sharing with us all these good informations. I am only collecting 50's USAF and USN pilot gears but I am interested by all that concerns this transitional period.

I would like to know more particulary how recognize an original officer blue flight cap?

Franck

[Sabrejet]

Hi

Thank you for sharing with us all these good informations. I am only collecting 50's USAF and USN pilot gears but I am interested by all that concerns this transitional period.

I would like to know more particulary how recognize an original officer blue flight cap?

Franck

 

 

Blue serge or blue worsted with black/silver metallic piping for winter wear, khaki or "silver sand" worsted with the same piping for summer wear. Officers' caps, being privately purchased, tend not to have dated labels like Airmen's flight caps, so it can be difficult to date them precisely.

[astra44]

Is your the four pocket style? I've read (I think in an USAF Officers Guide) about a white USAF uniform that had two pockets on the waist & a flapless pocket on the left chest just like the modern cut.

 

 

I have white 4-pocket USAF officer uniform with epaulet-board bullion captain's rank, and sliver braid around the cuffs. But unfortunately no label in jacket or pants. I was told this was from the 70s. Anyone care to clarify?

[astra44]

I have white 4-pocket USAF officer uniform with epaulet-board bullion captain's rank, and sliver braid around the cuffs. But unfortunately no label in jacket or pants. I was told this was from the 70s. Anyone care to clarify?

 

 

 

Correction: uniform not dated, but shoulder ranks are tagged 1983 (bullion on a board of dark blue material, not older style black-wool type).

 

So, anyone know the dates this style of white uniform was in use?

[VolunteerArmoury]

Here is a link to a page refering to the US Air Force white tropical dress uniform as adopted in 1955. The 1956 Air Officer Guide mentions them. I can't get the picture saved to put on here but you can go to the link and look at the 3rd line of photos down.

 

http://usafflagranks.com/usaf_tropical_dress_uniform.html

[VolunteerArmoury]

Correction: uniform not dated, but shoulder ranks are tagged 1983 (bullion on a board of dark blue material, not older style black-wool type).

 

So, anyone know the dates this style of white uniform was in use?

 

That's the White Ceremonial Dress uniform that was adopted in 1986 and used till 1995.

 

From 1963 till 1983 the White Informal Dress was cut like the blue Class A coat but in white with shoulder loops for the ranks which were replaced with the boards in '86.

[astra44]

That's the White Ceremonial Dress uniform that was adopted in 1986 and used till 1995.

 

From 1963 till 1983 the White Informal Dress was cut like the blue Class A coat but in white with shoulder loops for the ranks which were replaced with the boards in '86.

 

 

 

Thanks for the info.......

[DutchInfid3l]

 

 

Correction: uniform not dated, but shoulder ranks are tagged 1983 (bullion on a board of dark blue material, not older style black-wool type).

So, anyone know the dates this style of white uniform was in use?

Here are a few webshots of the White and Blue Ceremonial Dress uniform.



and two pictures from my USAF Officer's Guide dated 1989

DEAD LINK 1/3/17

 

DWIV

[willysmb44]

Although not exactly “transition” I have a class A set complete with a crusher cap with a WW2 pattern officer’s eagle in silver, worn by a former 91st BG B-17 pilot who was in the MD Air National Guard at the time flying P-47s (F-47s at the time). Sadly, it has no insignia other that on the hat.

I also have my father’s “bush jacket” from his service in 1957-58 (maybe more than one, I need to look again) but that’s not a transitional item.

[VolunteerArmoury]

Fast work there! Yes, seems to be that one disc per lapel was the rule, which makes sense. But as you imply, personnel bent rules!

 

By the way, I have examples of cut-out wing collar discs but silver in color. Obviously predating the silver US worn on USAF blues, and I presume coming after the brass. But I have yet to ever see a uniform with this insignia attached. Know anything about them?

 

Didn't CAP use some silver officer style & EM style winged propellors?

[Sabrejet]

FYI, Schiffer has an extensive two volume set coming out early next year covering USAF uniforms from 1947 to the present.

 

 

Hi. Do you happen to know the working title / author of this expected publication. I visited the Schiffer and Amazon websites but various "USAF" searches didn't throw anything up. Thanks.

 

Sabrejet

[Lee Ragan]

Didn't CAP use some silver officer style & EM style winged propellors?

 

Yes, Civil Air Patrol used all silver winged prop officer insignia the whole time they wore Army style officer uniforms. Official dates of use were from July 1942 to Jan. 1955.

[Zingo]

Hi. Do you happen to know the working title / author of this expected publication. I visited the Schiffer and Amazon websites but various "USAF" searches didn't throw anything up. Thanks.

 

Sabrejet

 

 

http://schiffermilitary.com/whatsnew.htm

[Sabrejet]

http://schiffermilitary.com/whatsnew.htm

 

 

 

Found it..thank you. I look forward to getting myself a copy. A book dealing with this general area of collecting is well overdue! Schiffer usually do a good job so it should be worth the wait.

 

Ian :thumbsup:

[Bebel]

Blue serge or blue worsted with black/silver metallic piping for winter wear, khaki or "silver sand" worsted with the same piping for summer wear. Officers' caps, being privately purchased, tend not to have dated labels like Airmen's flight caps, so it can be difficult to date them precisely.

 

Thank you!

Franck

[notinfringed]

I just picked up this transitional Ike jacket, dated 1950. I was quite excited to find that it was made in Japan.

 

 

 

Levi

[Sabrejet]

That's a really neat find! Now the quest should be on to track down a suitable theatre-made patch for it, along with some period USAF collar insignia and a ribbon-bar reflecting service in the Pacific theatre. Good hunting!

 

Sabrejet :thumbsup:

[astra44]

Found this group shot on USAF site. Seems they got these folks together earlier this year to depict changes in AF uniforms over the decades.

 

Everything seems authentic -- except the footwear!

 

(If anybody wants to see a more detailed view, let me know and I'll send over the original very large-size picture.)

[astra44]

Not all of these are transitional, but are AF chevron variations thru the years, and all obsolete now.

 

Starting at bottom left, counter clockwise:

 

1. Theater made subdued, Vietnam era. Can anyone tell me when subdued chevrons were first officially approved? Seems like a lot of guys had them made before USAF got around to supplying them.

 

2. Bullion, formal dress. 50s? 60s? 70s?

 

3. Prop & Wing, 1930s/1940s era. I understand that various branches of the army had insignia on their chevrons, but heard this was frowned upon by the time WWII broke out. However, been told that some AAF guys continued to wear this type.

 

4. Yellow on red, transitional? Never seen any reference to these. But they feel right, smell right to me. Someone suggested they were proposed for use on USAF Fire Protection uniforms??

 

5. "Vandenberg" style horizontal, early 50s, never officially issued.

 

6. Apparently another transitional prototype, utilizing the AAF colors. Were these ever used? Again, never seen any reference to these, but they feel right to me: cut-edge, old looking manufacture.

 

7. White on white, formal dress. Year first worn? Last used?

 

Please shed some light on use (or non-use) of any of these chevrons !

[louie]

Not all of these are transitional, but are AF chevron variations thru the years, and all obsolete now.

 

Starting at bottom left, counter clockwise:

 

1. Theater made subdued, Vietnam era. Can anyone tell me when subdued chevrons were first officially approved? Seems like a lot of guys had them made before USAF got around to supplying them.

 

2. Bullion, formal dress. 50s? 60s? 70s?

 

3. Prop & Wing, 1930s/1940s era. I understand that various branches of the army had insignia on their chevrons, but heard this was frowned upon by the time WWII broke out. However, been told that some AAF guys continued to wear this type.

 

4. Yellow on red, transitional? Never seen any reference to these. But they feel right, smell right to me. Someone suggested they were proposed for use on USAF Fire Protection uniforms??

 

5. "Vandenberg" style horizontal, early 50s, never officially issued.

 

6. Apparently another transitional prototype, utilizing the AAF colors. Were these ever used? Again, never seen any reference to these, but they feel right to me: cut-edge, old looking manufacture.

 

7. White on white, formal dress. Year first worn? Last used?

 

Please shed some light on use (or non-use) of any of these chevrons !

 

On number 3 I have maybe 5 or so uniforms w/ the wing and prop from WW2 so they did use them, but not that much.