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unkown US Flight Jacket WW2?

Isonzofront.de

New Member
Dear Collectors,

I am Andi from Germany. My main interest is the Isonzofront in WW1, if you need any help or information in this please feel free to contact me. How ever i have a question in your branch of collecting.

A friend of me has a leather flight jacket from his grandfather. His grandfather served with the US Air Force in WW2 at the Pacific theater. We know that he left the Air Force directly after WW2. However after he died my friend recieved his Jacket. But we dont know if it is a after war purchase or his real WW2 jacket. I would like to hear your opinions about it and maybe you can give me some information on that Blood Chit inside. I really appreciate your help!

Thank you very much in forward! I am very sorry but right now i only have those poor pictures.

Best wishes from Germany!

Andi
 

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Brettafett

Well-Known Member
Welcome to the group. Yes, private purchase almost certainly, but without a label or pocket tags, close-ups photos of the zip etc its really hard to tell.
Its no WW2 contract that's almost for sure.
I must say, to me, this resembles a more modern 'bomber' jacket. Especially the two panel back sleeve and the two panels on the back... Perhaps it was a post war purchase that had the wings and chit added...
I doubt his grandfather was issued this jacket during WW2. I may be totally wrong.
 

mulceber

Moderator
Welcome aboard. I agree with what others have said, and would add that there were some pilots who wore private purchase jackets instead of the flight jackets they’d been issued. It’s possible that was the case here.
 

Isonzofront.de

New Member
Thank you very much for all your opinions! I will try to get better photos of some more parts of this jacket. Unfortunately we can not ask him anymore when he bought this jacket. Does the blood chit looks like a ww2 original?

Greetings!

Andi
 

B-Man2

Well-Known Member
Hi
Your jacket is definitely NOT an original WWII US Military jacket. The original A2 jackets all were made with a one piece back . Yours has a 2 piece back with a seam across the rear shoulder area. So that tells me that it is a private purchase jacket. The next question is wether your jacket is a wartime private purchase jacket or a post wartime jacket . My first thought is that it is a post WWII jacket . However if you would take some photos of the zipper puller and also look for any tags inside of the pocket flaps that would be helpful in making a firm determination as to about when it was made. Lastly the Blood Chit on the inside of the jacket is not something I’m good with as far as determining its authenticity, so hopefully someone will come along shortly who knows more about that item.
Cheers
 

Silver Surfer

Well-Known Member
agreed with the above the jacket is a private purchase. the wings? radio operator possibly. the round pin may be post wwll.the. blood chit looks like a silk Chinese made and looks like well silk chits that I have seen all in all its a little inconclusive without some provenence....and a close up pic of the zipper and blood chit would help to date the jacket.
 

Tom Bowers

Active Member
It's probably made in the 1950s, the wings are Air Force wings not WWII. The Pin is from the American Legion a veteran's group. This is probably a jacket worn by a veteran but not one he was issued in WWII. The Blood Chit sewn to the lining looks good so it might be one he was issued in WWII and sewing them to the lining was done during the war
 

Ed Rooney

Well-Known Member
Those wings are USAF Bombardier/Navigator wings, which were issued after 1951, replacing the Bombardier wings and Navigator wings with one badge. He would have been an officer to be awarded either rating. If he left the USAAF after WWII, possibly it was a case of him wanting to have something to wear to the American Legion and buying the closest thing, probably from the back of some Aviation magazine.
 

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