WWII Painted A2 Jacket – GONE FISHIN’

Product Description: We are pleased to be able to offer this fantastic WWII Painted A2 Jacket  for a B-17, that could absolutely serve as a collection centerpiece. It is a wonderful example of the most iconic pieces of flight gear of WWII. The back of this jacket has hand painted art work of 22 bombs and written Gone Fishing’.  The painted art shows some age and wear, but remains beautiful and intact. The chest is adorned with a hand painted leather 533rd Bomb Squadron, 381st Bomb Group patch featuring a Skull wearing a roman style helmet with a bomb falling behind. Above is a painted bombardier wings with the name ‘Smitty” above.  On the shoulder, there is an 8th Army Air Force Insignia.  This beautiful painted A2 jacket is in very good condition overall, showing lots of honest wear, but retaining nearly all of the original finish to the supple leather. The knit cuffs and waist band show some small, pencil eraser sized holes and fraying, but are intact. The liner has very light soiling and wear that matches the exterior, with some areas around the collar worn through some fraying and smaller holes in the silk liner. The original tag is still present inside, and is hard to read from wear. Accompanying the jacket is a letter and some photos from Sgt. Smitty. This WWII Painted A2 Jacket is in excellent condition.

Historical Description: Flight crew of the US Army Air Force wore a wide variety of uniforms and equipment, from standard Army dress and service uniforms, to specialized gear intended for the demands of their specific tasks. The service uniforms were the typical ones used by all Army soldiers, with distinctive unit insignia showing the specific Army Air Force unit to which the airman was assigned. Officers typically had to obtain their own uniforms, which were generally custom tailored. In their aircraft, airmen wore flight gear, which included a variety of uniform types including the wool ETO jacket, the F-1 “Blue Bunny” heated suit, the heavy leather shearling B-3 jacket, and the iconic A2 leather flight jacket that is what most people think of when they envision a WWII flight crew uniform. The airmen were also equipped with specialized gear such as the B-3 or B-4 life vests, leather pants and gloves, heated shoes, parachutes, headsets, and other equipment to help them perform their duties in the incredibly challenging environment of aerial combat. Headgear worn by Army Air Corps members ranged from the classic officer’s “crusher” visor cap, to the leather B-2 baseball cap, various flight helmets and even the steel helmet. Ground crew typically wore HBT coveralls. The achievements of the US Army Air Force in WWII are legendary, and the uniforms and equipment worn by the airmen are extremely sought after by collectors.

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