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Flying jackets at Wight-Patt museum today

Micawber

Well-Known Member
Re. The P R Taylor [gunner] A2. He was with the 323rd Sqdn 91st BG H and reported for duty Aug 20th 1943.

Re. The Wabash Cannonball A2. That a/c served with the 322nd Sqdn 91st BG H [and other groups]. Survived the war, scrapped.

Wabash Cannonball.jpg
 

Officer Dibley

Well-Known Member
Thanks for taking and posting these excellent photo's.

As you are at W-P one thing that I am curious about is the possible
survival of a prototype and/or Goldsmith jacket.

My theory being that some of these jackets were loaned out to makers, returned back
then stored and forgotten about. If so then the place they most likely are/were is W-P.

Any general enquiry about old odd looking jackets or old stores would be appreciated.

This is a real off the wall idea!

Thanks
Geoff

Great idea Geoff but alas i am in class all week and rather than talking with a weekend volunteer / greeter, i’d need to speak with a conservator. And one who was a jacket fan. There are probably not more than 2 or 3 people max who could answer that question and none are probably that aware of the importance of such articles -at least to a few geeks here and i am not one who could be that bothered even had i the time. Not my hobby/obsession.
However, i’d recommend reaching out to the museum. They are very friendly ! Then get yourself out there.

Dave
 

falcon_ib

Well-Known Member
Thanks for the great photos OD!

I knew I recognized Col. Davis' G-1 from somewhere - here he is wearing it as CO of the 58th Fighter Bomber Wing in Korea, 1953:
430thFBS_Col. Joseph Davis Jr.  copy.jpg

And the jacket from your first post:
C71E51C8-EA2B-4F29-8612-CED2F94FA544.jpg

Check out the reflection in the top right corner - it's from the museum's F-84E Thunderjet which is painted up like the F-84G he flew in Korea.

100210-F-1234O-003.jpg

100610-F-1234S-002.jpg


https://www.nationalmuseum.af.mil/V...2/leading-from-the-front-col-joseph-davis-jr/
 

2BM2K

Well-Known Member
Great idea Geoff but alas i am in class all week and rather than talking with a weekend volunteer / greeter, i’d need to speak with a conservator. And one who was a jacket fan. There are probably not more than 2 or 3 people max who could answer that question and none are probably that aware of the importance of such articles -at least to a few geeks here and i am not one who could be that bothered even had i the time. Not my hobby/obsession.
However, i’d recommend reaching out to the museum. They are very friendly ! Then get yourself out there.

Thanks anyway, I thought it worth asking.

It's not just a geeky thing, any such surviving jacket would be of historical interest, may be unique and probably worth a lot of money.
It's not really possible for me to go there and so it is more about finding the right contacts.

Geoff
 

Micawber

Well-Known Member
Thanks anyway, I thought it worth asking.

It's not just a geeky thing, any such surviving jacket would be of historical interest, may be unique and probably worth a lot of money.
It's not really possible for me to go there and so it is more about finding the right contacts.

Geoff

In a word networking, while at the same time going to the top of the tree. Does that make sense?
 
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Officer Dibley

Well-Known Member
Thanks anyway, I thought it worth asking.

It's not just a geeky thing, any such surviving jacket would be of historical interest, may be unique and probably worth a lot of money.
It's not really possible for me to go there and so it is more about finding the right contacts.

Geoff

Tried contacting the museum directly yet ?

All i wanted to do was share some photos with the forum........
 
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zoomer

Well-Known Member
It's not just a geeky thing, any such surviving jacket would be of historical interest, may be unique and probably worth a lot of money.
The museum's mission is to preserve what is most significant to the nation about that history. As far as artifacts go, that means things used by notable wartime airmen, in wartime.

I hope you can understand that from that point of view, interest in the very first A-2s a decade before US involvement in hostilities would indeed be "geeky," or beyond geeky.
 

2BM2K

Well-Known Member
The museum's mission is to preserve what is most significant to the nation about that history. As far as artifacts go, that means things used by notable wartime airmen, in wartime.

I hope you can understand that from that point of view, interest in the very first A-2s a decade before US involvement in hostilities would indeed be "geeky," or beyond geeky.

It has never been just about the jackets, it is about the airmen who wore them.

The prototype jackets were worn by very famous airmen and Arnold wore a Goldsmith. These airmen were central to modernising the Air Corps
and laying the foundations for the Air Force. Many of them went on to serve as high ranking officers in the war.
 

Officer Dibley

Well-Known Member
It has never been just about the jackets, it is about the airmen who wore them.

The prototype jackets were worn by very famous airmen and Arnold wore a Goldsmith. These airmen were central to modernising the Air Corps
and laying the foundations for the Air Force. Many of them went on to serve as high ranking officers in the war.

Absolutely. And in reality the jackets played zero part in their deeds and careers. Yet we don’t covet their shirts, watches and socks in quite the same way :D
 

johnwayne

Well-Known Member
Interesting that Col Davis jacket is a G1, a 'Navy' jacket yet I assume by his blue garrison cap he was in USAF? I am aware of course that this occasionally happened, most notably I believe with early 23rd FG in China where some wore M422's.
Great pics nonetheless, many of which I've not seen before despite having most of the 'jacket books' out there!
 
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