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My AAF Collection
- Thread starter dmar836
- Start date
bombs away
Member
Re: New Zippers on the "War Room"
Dave,
I hope there are some stickers with my name on them, sticked on some items for next Christmas...
More seriously, this room looks like a fantastic treasure room to me. :shock:
Thanks for sharing your beautiful collection.
Tim.
dmar836 said:Guests can actually see in there now!
Dave
KC, USA
Dave,
I hope there are some stickers with my name on them, sticked on some items for next Christmas...
More seriously, this room looks like a fantastic treasure room to me. :shock:
Thanks for sharing your beautiful collection.
Tim.
Two of my favorite group photos.
Top is of the 504 PIR(I think - can't read the guidon very well).
The lower is of the 501 PIR.
The 501 PIR photo was from my parents back in the 90's. They found it in an antique shop while on vacation. Risky as it is, buying for a collector and not knowing much about the stuff, they bought it. Mom called and said, "You may not even want this photo we found, we paid only $35 for it so it won't hurt our feelings."
Well, I was shocked. First from the subject and then that there were "notes". The owner wrote in ball point pen all the officers and names of members. And on the back how he was associated(shown photocopied) - I have yet to figure out which one he was but I bet I could with the info provided.
Then the very sobering part. In earlier markings of fountain pen ink are notes showing the fate of each member.
For $35 I think they did pretty well!!
Top is of the 504 PIR(I think - can't read the guidon very well).
The lower is of the 501 PIR.
The 501 PIR photo was from my parents back in the 90's. They found it in an antique shop while on vacation. Risky as it is, buying for a collector and not knowing much about the stuff, they bought it. Mom called and said, "You may not even want this photo we found, we paid only $35 for it so it won't hurt our feelings."
Well, I was shocked. First from the subject and then that there were "notes". The owner wrote in ball point pen all the officers and names of members. And on the back how he was associated(shown photocopied) - I have yet to figure out which one he was but I bet I could with the info provided.
Then the very sobering part. In earlier markings of fountain pen ink are notes showing the fate of each member.
For $35 I think they did pretty well!!
bombs away
Member
Hello Dave,
Very interesting as usual.
I like the picture of Rickenbacker's book on the Goodwear.
I have Gabby Gabreski's bio signed by him, I should try to reproduce this idea.
This picture brings us back to the sad reality of the fate of this brave men.
Thanks for sharing.
Tim
Very interesting as usual.
I like the picture of Rickenbacker's book on the Goodwear.
I have Gabby Gabreski's bio signed by him, I should try to reproduce this idea.
dmar836 said:Then the very sobering part. In earlier markings of fountain pen ink are notes showing the fate of each member.
This picture brings us back to the sad reality of the fate of this brave men.
Thanks for sharing.
Tim
Thanks. There is concern as to weather the 44 pattern "C" is in this case post war. Late models had the provisions for internal wiring(and came that way), the elastic chin strap, and enclosed O2 mask hook on the right side. I have seen period pics where I swear the hook was internal so..............
Anyway, thanks Marcel,
Dave
Kansas City
Anyway, thanks Marcel,
Dave
Kansas City
bombs away
Member
dmar836 said:
Hello Dave,
This pattern is easy to find on wartime pics...
.. but beware of the leather backstraps !
3 straps : your helmet is ww2
5 straps : your helmet is post war.
So many late patt. type C helmets are sold as wartime when they have 5 straps... :evil:
Tim
Andrew
Well-Known Member
Hi Dave, as Tim said, the post WWII's had additional comms straps.
Here's a shot of a post WWII followed by a Wartime one. BTW, I don't have proof but i suspect this rig that I have was used by an American, mainly to the fact I bought it from the States as a complete set with Type G mask in not terribly good dirty condition, plus it's painted front and back. It wasn't common for Commonwealth Crew to paint their helmets, but I do have a beautifully painted UK example i'll post soon.
Here's a shot of a post WWII followed by a Wartime one. BTW, I don't have proof but i suspect this rig that I have was used by an American, mainly to the fact I bought it from the States as a complete set with Type G mask in not terribly good dirty condition, plus it's painted front and back. It wasn't common for Commonwealth Crew to paint their helmets, but I do have a beautifully painted UK example i'll post soon.
unclegrumpy
Well-Known Member
That yellow X is neat! I have seen yellow stars the same size painted on the tops of helmets as well, and have read this was done early on by bomber crews to try to increase the visibility of crewmen in their various positions.
bombs away
Member
Hello,
Nice helmets !
In the same thema, here is a early RAF type C, painted on the top and with earcups field modified by an USAAF airman. Unfortunately, I'm not able to identified it.
Tim
Nice helmets !
In the same thema, here is a early RAF type C, painted on the top and with earcups field modified by an USAAF airman. Unfortunately, I'm not able to identified it.
Tim
Andrew
Well-Known Member
That's pretty cool Tim, and quite rare.
With regard to the fixing point of the internally wired loom, the one on my painted helmet's not correct as the fixing tabs and binding have been removed as the loom's been replaced at some time. This picture shows how it should look- there should be two leather tabs that poke out the back and the loom is sandwiched between them and bound tightly with thick cotton thread.
Unclegrump, thanks for that bit of info, I didn't know that but it makes a lot of sense and add weight to it possibly belonging to a US Crewman. Wouldn't be a lot of need for that at night time.
With regard to the fixing point of the internally wired loom, the one on my painted helmet's not correct as the fixing tabs and binding have been removed as the loom's been replaced at some time. This picture shows how it should look- there should be two leather tabs that poke out the back and the loom is sandwiched between them and bound tightly with thick cotton thread.
Unclegrump, thanks for that bit of info, I didn't know that but it makes a lot of sense and add weight to it possibly belonging to a US Crewman. Wouldn't be a lot of need for that at night time.
unclegrumpy
Well-Known Member
I am pretty sure that the helmet with the X was used by a crewman in the AAF. That shade of yellow was a stock AAF color, and one that was commonly used to mark things like bombs and equipment. The other colors that would be typically around to mark things besides yellow, were limited to red, black, and white. These would all be good quality enamel oil paints.
They would also have zinc chromate green for the inside of the planes and other shades of green for the outside, but those would all be flat paints and not adhere well to things like leather flight helmets and other gear.
Tim's helmet with the skull is interesting in that the insignia is in white, red, and black, which are all again colors someone in the AAF would have easy access to. This helmet looks to me to either be a squadron or a pilots personal insignia, rather than an identification marking like Andrew's. I'd bet Tim's is someone's personal insignia, and would further bet he was a fighter pilot. Sorting out who's it was will be difficult, but maybe someday something will surface to identify it.
I do want to add that I do not know enough about the RAF to know what colors and types of paint that they might typically have around. They probably had a shade of yellow as well, but I bet it was different in some way.
They would also have zinc chromate green for the inside of the planes and other shades of green for the outside, but those would all be flat paints and not adhere well to things like leather flight helmets and other gear.
Tim's helmet with the skull is interesting in that the insignia is in white, red, and black, which are all again colors someone in the AAF would have easy access to. This helmet looks to me to either be a squadron or a pilots personal insignia, rather than an identification marking like Andrew's. I'd bet Tim's is someone's personal insignia, and would further bet he was a fighter pilot. Sorting out who's it was will be difficult, but maybe someday something will surface to identify it.
I do want to add that I do not know enough about the RAF to know what colors and types of paint that they might typically have around. They probably had a shade of yellow as well, but I bet it was different in some way.
Andrew
Well-Known Member
This is the front view of the same helmet. The "D" appears to be in a reddish orange, not a colour typically used on aircraft. It's a bit rough and not as nice as the top.
Taking over Dave's thread a bit but this is my favourite at the moment. A recent aquisition and i'll post a separate thread later. This one is almost certainly RAF.
Taking over Dave's thread a bit but this is my favourite at the moment. A recent aquisition and i'll post a separate thread later. This one is almost certainly RAF.
