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.
They were actually used quite a bit. I am at work right now, but at home I have quite a few good photos of aircrew wearing unmodified B-15Ds. All are of course Bomber aircrew, but I have seen one or two fighter pilots wearing them. The mouton collars just restricted their view too much to use in fighters.
I'll try and find the photos I have tonight and post unless someone else has these same photos and posts them here.
Here is a photo of a B-58 crew. I thought I had more stored on my computer. I'll have to scan some really nice ones from a huge book on the history of Strategic Air Command. I know there are a few more crew photos in there with unmodified B-15Ds.
seems a personal preference thing almost like the recall for modding was occasionally ignored if it suited the owner. the tanker and hunting boots on the crewmen all allude to a degree of lattitude in dress.