-
When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Show us your redye A2s
- Thread starter P-47 thunderbolt
- Start date
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
foster
Well-Known Member
No, this was just while it was on the ground. We opened the hatch and he climbed in. We had to take the photo from the opened hatch.
Did get a nice reaction out of him for dramatic effect though...
Attachments
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
No joke, as ''he had to assume the fetal position within the turret''...
en.wikipedia.org
D
Ball turret - Wikipedia
D
mulceber
Moderator
I know it’s off subject ,
But , I just think to myself, the guys who rode in that ball turret had big balls themselves . 6 to 8 hours in that thing ?
Holy Shit !!
...with the knowledge that if the landing gear somehow failed to work and the plane had to do a belly landing, you were toast.
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
More like jam ….
mulceber
Moderator
More like jam ….
No kidding. Absolutely the worst job on a bomber.
foster
Well-Known Member
The ball turret gunners were not allowed to be in the turret for takeoff and landing, but sometimes it happened due to mechanical failure of the turret controls and hatch.
I did read one account of a ball turret gunner who wanted to be in the turret during a B-17 landing. He managed to sneak in without the knowledge of the pilots. When the plane landed, the ball turret was VERY close to the runway when the landing gear compressed, and despite the thrill of the moment he NEVER wanted to experience that again!
I did read one account of a ball turret gunner who wanted to be in the turret during a B-17 landing. He managed to sneak in without the knowledge of the pilots. When the plane landed, the ball turret was VERY close to the runway when the landing gear compressed, and despite the thrill of the moment he NEVER wanted to experience that again!
tda003
Well-Known Member
Thanks for all the information about re-dyes. Helps me learn more exactly what my jacket went through. Since the jackets can't talk to explain their histories, it's really the only way I have of learning about them and some questions may never be answered. For example, if you look at the "before" pictures of my A-2 (A-2 jackets being new territory for me), you can see that the lining was hand stitched across the bottom by the waistband. Was it during the depot rebuild or a later "homemade" repair. Who made it? What happened in its life? It's like trying to interview an aging vet who just can't remember any more. It's why I have such affection for the veteran flying jackets.
If it weren't for help and advise from the flight jacket community, I wouldn't know anything about this or most of the rest of my veteran jackets and especially about my hard worn A-2. Many thanks
P.S. Did this happen to G-1 jackets also?
If it weren't for help and advise from the flight jacket community, I wouldn't know anything about this or most of the rest of my veteran jackets and especially about my hard worn A-2. Many thanks
P.S. Did this happen to G-1 jackets also?
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
Burt, in a conversation with John Chapman about this specific Aero 21996 (the one I posted), I mentioned that I could not find the usual brushmark of a depot re-dye, in the pockets or brush marks of a rushed job. I also noticed that the thread was still in it's original color, not darken from the redye.
This is what John had to say about Aero seal color, as always it's interesting and will add to this thread about understanding the redye concept:
'' If you can believe it, that color format was done by one of the Aero-used tanneries, not by a re-dye. I think most larger contracts were serviced by 3-5 tanneries, and with Aero, there was one that liked to have a shiny reddish russet color with a dark brown applied over it. That's how Aero would have received the leather, and one could only tell the reddish base once the jacket had been worn enough to make the seal color wear. Very interesting, and I've not seen any other tannery at that time do this.''
This would certainly explain why the thread on my Aero is intact but sings of a spray of a seal pigment was done before production. Notice that there are two different thread color use on this one.
Do you also see this on your 21996?
Thank you,
Dany
This is what John had to say about Aero seal color, as always it's interesting and will add to this thread about understanding the redye concept:
'' If you can believe it, that color format was done by one of the Aero-used tanneries, not by a re-dye. I think most larger contracts were serviced by 3-5 tanneries, and with Aero, there was one that liked to have a shiny reddish russet color with a dark brown applied over it. That's how Aero would have received the leather, and one could only tell the reddish base once the jacket had been worn enough to make the seal color wear. Very interesting, and I've not seen any other tannery at that time do this.''
This would certainly explain why the thread on my Aero is intact but sings of a spray of a seal pigment was done before production. Notice that there are two different thread color use on this one.
Do you also see this on your 21996?
Thank you,
Dany
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
Foster,
It was probably a common practice to use the many bobbins available at your workstation, the color not being that important as the effort was on production within the respect of the gouv specs.
Dany
It was probably a common practice to use the many bobbins available at your workstation, the color not being that important as the effort was on production within the respect of the gouv specs.
Dany
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
In my post I also asking if your threads are in their original colors with signs of a redye...?
Thank you,
Dany
Thank you,
Dany
B-Man2
Well-Known Member
Dany
These Aero 21996 jackets do make for interesting studies . Like yourself I’ve seen several 21996s that have the Red Russett color bleeding through the redyed top coat . They have a character and color that is exclusive to that contract . Regarding JCs ideas on how these jackets were redyed , it’s an area that he would have a great deal of expertise in, and whenever he shares his viewpoints I enjoy to listening to him and try to take in all that he says or posts . The 21996 that I have looks like someone put a double coat of dye over the jacket . Its heavy and thick and I sincerely regret that I don’t think any of the actual red Russett color will ever make it through the top coat . Regarding the stitching, it’s buried under all of that dark dye and there’s no possibility of determining what color the original thread is , accept by looking at the underlying thread around the zip and lining attachment points . All those areas are matching in color . It’s always good to chat with you and to share info like this. Your jacket looks great .!
Chandler
Well-Known Member
I sure hope JC is keeping a good archive of his research -- and hope he plans to collect it for some sort of history book in the future.
Dany McDonald
Well-Known Member
If you closely look at the pocket flap you see an artifact of a possible very dark surface color applied over the initial seal spray or something else not understood (by me). I cannot find any brush marks anywhere just those localise very dark spots...
Thank you for sharing guys, it's fun and interesting!
Dany
Thank you for sharing guys, it's fun and interesting!
Dany
