Decal roundels for USAAF

[Officer Dibley]

People either like a patched or painted jacket or they don’t.
I doubt 99.99% of jacket wearers who like paint actually care what is painted on a jacket as long as it is painted.
I’m still trying to get my head around buying jackets with re-sale value in mind. Or buying and never wearing.
Horses for courses and shows how diverse opinions can be on something as narrow as repro flying jackets

 

[Grant]

Vic did a killer job applying the white line variant decal to my old ELC Perry B3.

 

[jack31916]

I have a question: What's the difference between the white and coloured roundel (apart from the colour...) ?

 

[JonnyCrow]

I have a question: What's the difference between the white and coloured roundel (apart from the colour...) ?

Ditto Jack, what was the most frequently seen, the coloured or the white

 

[Flightengineer]

Hi,I'd like to finally clarify for myself the following question.
The AAF decal was put on the A2 in 1944, was it only with redyed (reissued) jackets? Or was there an order from the Air Force obliging to apply this AAF decal of a single sample to all jackets (it is clear that this was determined by the availability of decals at a particular theater, etc.)? After all, the jackets were essentially the property of the AAF.
Could it be that those issued in 1941-42-43 "clean" jackets still used by crews was forcibly "glued" with AAF decals - or was this done only for newly issued jackets before being issued to the crews?

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

Hi,I'd like to finally clarify for myself the following question.
The AAF decal was put on the A2 in 1944, was it only with redyed (reissued) jackets? Or was there an order from the Air Force obliging to apply this AAF decal of a single sample to all jackets (it is clear that this was determined by the availability of decals at a particular theater, etc.)? After all, the jackets were essentially the property of the AAF.
Could it be that those issued in 1941-42-43 "clean" jackets still used by crews was forcibly "glued" with AAF decals - or was this done only for newly issued jackets before being issued to the crews?

I found this video clip on YouTube years ago. This gentleman was a ball turret gunner , he keep his issued A2 jacket for 75 years. In the video, he never mention AAF ordered them apply the AAF decal On the jacket. On his own jacket, it’s a hand painted 8th AF roundel (See pic), you may see other details on attached files.

 

[Flightengineer]

I found this video clip on YouTube years ago. This gentleman was a ball turret gunner , he keep his issued A2 jacket for 75 years. In the video, he never mention AAF ordered them apply the AAF decal On the jacket. On his own jacket, it’s a hand painted 8th AF roundel (See pic), you may see other details on attached files.

View attachment 108185

Thanks, but that doesn't explain much. I have a large archive of photos and books about A2, but I've not yet found clarity on this issue. Maybe more informed members know more.

 

[Shanghai-Mayne]

Thanks, but that doesn't explain much. I have a large archive of photos and books about A2, but I've not yet found clarity on this issue. Maybe more informed members know more.

I know you want official document, sorry I can’t help.

 

[Flightengineer]

I know you want official document, sorry I can’t help.

Thank you...well, if not a document, then at least someone who just knows about it

 

[Flightengineer]

There are many ambiguities in this matter. For example, in Maguir's book there is a photo of Bronco A2 owned by ace Fred Christensen. It also says that he joined the "Wolf Pack" in August 1943 (and received the jacket probably earlier), but there is an AAF decal on it.
And there are many such stories.

 

[mulceber]

Hi,I'd like to finally clarify for myself the following question.
The AAF decal was put on the A2 in 1944, was it only with redyed (reissued) jackets? Or was there an order from the Air Force obliging to apply this AAF decal of a single sample to all jackets (it is clear that this was determined by the availability of decals at a particular theater, etc.)? After all, the jackets were essentially the property of the AAF.
Could it be that those issued in 1941-42-43 "clean" jackets still used by crews was forcibly "glued" with AAF decals - or was this done only for newly issued jackets before being issued to the crews?

Actually, it was in July of '43. Eastman's A-2 guide has a whole section on the roundel, including pictures of some of the documents:

 

[Flightengineer]

Actually, it was in July of '43. Eastman's A-2 guide has a whole section on the roundel, including pictures of some of the documents:
View attachment 108211

Thanks Jan. I didn't even think to look there!

It is interesting that the regulation required a distance of 1/2 inch from the shoulder seam, but historical photos show a complete disregard for this , more often it was 1 inch (as the Japanese MASH suggests in they instructions for the decal) and more than 1 inch judging by the photos of the originals