General Chennault's A-2

[442RCT]

I've seen many photos of Gen. Claire Chennault's A-2, but until recently, never saw the blood chit sewn inside.

On the Smithsonian's NASM website, there is a kewl photo and a little history. The A-2 was donated by Max Chennault.

http://www.nasm.si.edu/collections/artifact.cfm?id=A19781378000

 

[Marrk]

Great post.

Do we know which contract/manufacturer on that jacket . . . ?

 

[deeb7]

Do we know which contract/manufacturer on that jacket . . . ?

Aero 16160 ...

http://www.goodwearleather.com/pages/a2_acme16160.html

 

[Jaguar46]

Great post.

Do we know which contract/manufacturer on that jacket . . . ?

This link says it was made by Aero Leather Co.

http://www.dmairfield.org/people/chennault_cl/index.htm

 

[Marrk]

Thanks.

 

[CBI]

this would be an easy jacket to replicate

 

[Hamsterbear]

this would be an easy jacket to replicate


Yes, it is.....
This is my "Chennault" Flying Tigers jacket, also an Aero Leather (of Scotland):

 

[sealbeachbum]

Here's a picture I took of his jacket a few years ago.

 

[zoomer]

Pardon the digression...but I happened on this while searching Corbis.com today and couldn't resist sharing. It's not Chennault's A-2 as above, but it is Chennault in an A-2.

"Claire Chennault and his two wingmen, Luke Williamson and Billy McDonald, of the Flying Trapeze, an Army precision-flying team, at an airshow in Miami." January 11, 1935.

From the San Diego Air Museum on Flickr. Obviously a Werber 1729. It sure would be neat to see that patch in more detail.

Three Men on the Flying Trapeze aerobatic display team was organized in 1932 at the US Air Corps Tactical School at Maxwell Field, Ala., and flew P-12 pursuit aircraft. The team was formed by ex-Three Musketeers member Capt. Claire L. Chennault and was disbanded in 1936 while all pilots went to China early in World War II and served with the Flying Tigers. [...] From these four years of Three Men on the Flying Trapeze team existence they performed in about 50 airshow in front of more than 50,000 peoples.

 

[Hamsterbear]

My favorite picture of Chennault:

 

[Marrk]

zoomer, thanks!

Nice to see them wearing their jackets long — which is how I like to wear my A-2s.