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Repro Crushers

warguy

Well-Known Member
Five years waiting for a Society brand, wow! That kinda crushed my hopes of getting one this Fall when he returned from deployment.
 

warguy

Well-Known Member
The cap I listed in post #9 is currently listed on eBay and can be found here:


I wrote the seller about the cap and this was his reply:


Good morning Kevin,

Thank you for your enquiry. The caps are my own brand and have been on the market for about 2 years now.
They are hand made and generally made to order and available in officer or enlisted versions in the following fabrics:-

Olive Drab (Dark Shade 51) 21oz 100% wool (Elastique)
Drab (Light Shade 54) 'Pink' 21oz 100% wool (Elastique)
Drab (Light Shade 54) 'Pink') 16oz 100% wool (Barathea)
Khaki (Shade No.1) 8oz 100% wool (Tropical Worsted)
Khaki (Shade No.1) 8oz 100% cotton twill
Olive Drab (Shade 33) 100% wool serge - Special Order only


The visors are 2 ply (lined with suede) as per the majority of Flighters and are flexible.

Waiting time is around 4-6 weeks due to other orders.

I do not currently have a website.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Mike

The cap from the photos looks high quality and I love the lower crown and crusher look. I took a leap of faith and hit buy it now for the one in the eBay listing as it was my size. The eBay sale indicates I shouldn have the cap by August 27 with International shipping. Once I receive it I will do a review here. I know it was pricey, but still much less than the Society brand. I would have waited maybe for a Society brand as they use the Bancroft labels, but after hearing there might be a five year wait, I decided to take a chance on this one. Hopefully this might help others who are looking for what appears to be a quality repro.

Anyway, here are photos of other hats available the seller sent:

58789100-E506-4B75-AECB-D5CAED3A55A9.jpeg
34DF5AD4-10B6-44F9-9457-63EFDDC88FD0.jpeg
58789100-E506-4B75-AECB-D5CAED3A55A9.jpeg
A4198A2B-B0C8-42EA-90B0-FD9088517A0E.jpeg
A4198A2B-B0C8-42EA-90B0-FD9088517A0E.jpeg
1DB8AC23-3632-45E2-BB9F-9EA3201BB25F.jpeg
43D417EA-B346-4A73-A55B-00ECAE085203.jpeg
 
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Micawber

Well-Known Member
I wonder where all the original Bancroft Flighter's that I owned over the years are now, plenty of other makes too. Don't forget that most crush caps were ordinary service visor caps with the crown ring / grommet and sometimes the insignia backing removed and then worn to death / under headphones etc. It's a Holywood myth that everyone walked around in caps with a soft peak designed with the 50 mission crush look right out of the box.

Another things, it's too damned cold at 30,000 ft over Festung Europa just to wear a flimsy cloth cap that only covered the top of your noggin anyway, save the posing shots for the lower altitude training and Stateside flying.
 

Micawber

Well-Known Member
I am still genuinely curious about the interest in repro crushers, do you guys wear these things on a day to day basis? I can wear and go about my business wearing my repro A2 and B10 / 15 jackets and they are generally just seen as short jackets by Joe Public but slap on a 50 mission crusher is taking it to an entirely different level.
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
The cap I listed in post #9 is currently listed on eBay and can be found here:


I wrote the seller about the cap and this was his reply:


Good morning Kevin,

Thank you for your enquiry. The caps are my own brand and have been on the market for about 2 years now.
They are hand made and generally made to order and available in officer or enlisted versions in the following fabrics:-

Olive Drab (Dark Shade 51) 21oz 100% wool (Elastique)
Drab (Light Shade 54) 'Pink' 21oz 100% wool (Elastique)
Drab (Light Shade 54) 'Pink') 16oz 100% wool (Barathea)
Khaki (Shade No.1) 8oz 100% wool (Tropical Worsted)
Khaki (Shade No.1) 8oz 100% cotton twill
Olive Drab (Shade 33) 100% wool serge - Special Order only


The visors are 2 ply (lined with suede) as per the majority of Flighters and are flexible.

Waiting time is around 4-6 weeks due to other orders.

I do not currently have a website.

Hope this helps.

Best wishes,

Mike

The cap from the photos looks high quality and I love the lower crown and crusher look. I took a leap of faith and hit buy it now for the one in the eBay listing as it was my size. The eBay sale indicates I shouldn have the cap by August 27 with International shipping. Once I receive it I will do a review here. I know it was pricey, but still much less than the Society brand. I would have waited maybe for a Society brand as they use the Bancroft labels, but after hearing there might be a five year wait, I decided to take a chance on this one. Hopefully this might help others who are looking for what appears to be a quality repro.

Anyway, here are photos of other hats available the seller sent:

View attachment 64866View attachment 64867View attachment 64866View attachment 64868View attachment 64868View attachment 64869View attachment 64870
OR Crusher. Had a DD but sold it on to Korea. Then refunded the entire purchase price.. buyer never returned an email asking for the money back...
 

ausreenactor

Well-Known Member
M
I am still genuinely curious about the interest in repro crushers, do you guys wear these things on a day to day basis? I can wear and go about my business wearing my repro A2 and B10 / 15 jackets and they are generally just seen as short jackets by Joe Public but slap on a 50 mission crusher is taking it to an entirely different level.
Mannequin wears mine EVERY day!
 

warguy

Well-Known Member
Steve, you ask a fair question. I do not intend to wear my crusher out and about, except for perhaps a costume party at Halloween. I might be inspired to plop it on when watching Masters if the Air next year, but I am not sure my wife would stick with me. I have just always loved the look of them, and I own a few originals that will remain on my mannequins. I wear a lot of hats, mostly baseball style to cover my baldness as I grow old. I have always loved hats, jackets and leather bags, and I can’t explain why. So in the end I can’t really tell you why I want it and likely won’t wear it a lot, just something tugs at me. Maybe I will get a coat rack someday and drape one of my A2’s on it and rest the hat on top. Kevin
 

Cocker

Well-Known Member
Would be very interesting to see how yours turns out, @warguy ! I might be interested in getting one of these.

@Micawber, this might also be useful for those of us into WW2 reenactment. If you're on a budget, or not willing to commit your original WW2 outside, a GOOD repro crusher is usually the way to go.
 

Thomas Koehle

Well-Known Member
I'm also pretty curious how the crusher finally looks like "in the flesh" - at least on those photos the caps look pretty decent

and i would also wear one for rides on my 48 PAN
 

busdrivermike

Well-Known Member
Depending on how accurate you want to be you can look at
The guy who made my u-boat hat , an option for a more
Relaxed look.
He does them in old leather and old duffel bag material
And can be made to preference

01E77753-EBCE-49E5-8A86-5267DAB54E6D.jpeg
24CB55EF-73C9-4A5B-A99D-1FD99D472B6B.jpeg
 

foster

Well-Known Member
I bought DD's crusher cap operation. I have made a few repros, but to be honest I have almost completely lost interest in making them.
 

Brettafett

Well-Known Member
Id love a Summer khaki crusher, but cant find my way paying $100s for it. If anything it would hang on the wall next to one of the planes...
 
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