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20FG gold leaf jacket art

Tante Mu

New Member
Dear all,

has anyone here ever come across an original 20th FG jacket with similar artwork on it as seen in the picture of Jack Ilfrey in his A-2?

http://veterantributes.org/Photos/JackMIlfrey.jpg

JackMIlfrey.jpg


I communicated a bit with Jack back in the 90s and he told me that his and other, similar "winged 8" emblems were done in a combination of paint and gold leaf (!)
His jacket was stolen on the troopship taking Jack home. In some group pictures of 20FG pilots, you will see others wearing this sort of individualized winged-8 artwork, although I have yet to find one as large as Jack's.

Was this a unique thing to the 20th? or did other units have similarly elaborate, gold or silver leaf artwork applied?

Best regards, Thies
 
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Tante Mu

New Member
I have a signed print of that photo, it is profesionally framed, so a scan might have too much reflection from the glass and I am reluctant to tear the frame assembly apart. I will try though. Also, I did back then, make a sketch of the artwork based on the picture and sent it to Jack for info on what was what color. (That's how I first learned they were done with gold leaf. I ended up making Jack a leather patch version of the artwork with gold paint instead of gold leaf back then.) I will do some digging, maybe I can find the sketch somewhere...
 
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Tante Mu

New Member
Alright, I did find the note I had sent jack for info on his patch in 1992. Her is a scan including his remarks. It was on this occassion that I learned that his original A-2 was "liberated" from him in '45 and decided to try and send him a patch version of it. He ended up putting it on a mall A-2 he had. Below is a scan of a polaroid he sent me of himself wearing it. Note that red as a color used was a result of my "guesstimation" and that me reproduction turned out somewhat larger overall than the original artwork.

I have over the past days found out the names of two indivuals from the 20th FG that had similar artwork on their A-2s. Wallace "Lucky" Lowman and Joe Peterburs, both from 55th Squadron. Lowman is still alive and kicking, I have contacted his grandson, maybe his jacket still exists or he can confirm/correct the color choice...


20FG winged8 artwork info Ilfrey.png



Jack Ilfrey modern A2 with patches.png
 
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