COOL

[Chandler]

Found this one buried on an old hard drive -- wanted to share.

Some very new, smooth looking A-2s, graduating class?

I particularly like the gentleman standing, second from the left. That collar looks like it will take flight on its own!

When my ELC RWs were new, their collars felt like this one looks.

 

[Silver Surfer]

based on the pocket flaps, and collar size, I would be dollars for donuts, its a monarch.....same for the jacket worn by the guy on the far right [standing]

 

[Chandler]

based on the pocket flaps, and collar size, I would be dollars for donuts, its a monarch.....same for the jacket worn by the guy on the far right [standing]

I'll bow to your eye on that, but I was only comparing it to my ELC RWs in the new stiffness of the collar.

 

[B-Man2]

Changing gears, if we talk about the fit . Those jackets look perfect on most of the guys in the back row , but change one thing like putting them in a T shirt instead of a long sleeve dress uniform shirt and a tie and then the jackets would look big on them . My point is that, the perfect fit we always discuss changes with what you wear under the A2 jacket .

 

[Chandler]

Changing gears, if we talk about the fit . Those jackets look perfect on most of the guys in the back row , but change one thing like putting them in a T shirt instead of a long sleeve dress uniform shirt and a tie and then the jackets would look big on them . My point is that, the perfect fit we always discuss changes with what you wear under the A2 jacket .

Looie standing on the far right seems to have a tight fit across the chest. But it shows how different the fits were from different manufacturers on different individuals.

How about a fit across a sweatshirt with the sleeves cut down?

 

[Kermit3D]

First Officer Maureen Dunlop (1920 - 2012), of the ATA (Air Transport Auxiliary), exits a Fairey Barracuda torpedo bomber, September 1944. ATA pilots are trained to deliver newly manufactured aircraft from the factory to military airfields. The Barracuda is on its way to a British Naval Air Station.

 

[Kermit3D]

This Bf 109G-14 pilot definitely has a badass look... (if we disregard the badges on the jacket, which I preferred to blur, because really very visible )
He is the Lieut Hans Ulrich Jung. I don't have more information about this pilot, except that he died on January 1st 1945... at 22 years old.
Note the nice Hanhart/Tutima chronograph.

 

[Chandler]

This Bf 109G-14 pilot definitely has a badass look... (if we disregard the badges on the jacket, which I preferred to blur, because really very visible )
He is the Lieut Hans Ulrich Jung. I don't have more information about this pilot, except that he died on January 1st 1945... at 22 years old.
Note the nice Hanhart/Tutima chronograph.


View attachment 84534

I think Malcolm McGregor used this pic for one of his uniform illustrations in one of Andrew Mollo's books.

Love the watch.

 

[Kermit3D]

I think Malcolm McGregor used this pic for one of his uniform illustrations in one of Andrew Mollo's books.

Love the watch.

Good point !
I never made the comparison, but I'm sure you're right.

 

[Chandler]

Good point !
I never made the comparison, but I'm sure you're right.

View attachment 84535

That's the one -- pose is the same, but the face looks different. I'm pretty sure he mixed and matched the pictures he used.

Isn't that Trevor Howard's face?

Maybe another pic of the same flyer at a different moment -- McGregor even has the ring on his finger.

 

[Smithy]

He is the Lieut Hans Ulrich Jung. I don't have more information about this pilot, except that he died on January 1st 1945

He was a Staffelkapitän (so the equivalent of a squadron leader/commander) with 10. Staffel of III/JG 3. He was killed during Operation Bodenplatte (the Luftwaffe's last big attempt to have a decisive victory over the Allied air forces stationed on the Continent) when his Me109 hit a power cable at very low level. He had 10 victories.

 

[Tattoo A2]

By that time in the war the Germans were short on pilots, planes and the AAF and RAF were bombing them day and night. Hitler was more interested in sending bombers to England than letting the fighters defend the fatherland.

He was a Staffelkapitän (so the equivalent of a squadron leader/commander) with 10. Staffel of III/JG 3. He was killed during Operation Bodenplatte (the Luftwaffe's last big attempt to have a decisive victory over the Allied air forces stationed on the Continent) when his Me109 hit a power cable at very low level. He had 10 v

 

[ausreenactor]

Changing gears, if we talk about the fit . Those jackets look perfect on most of the guys in the back row , but change one thing like putting them in a T shirt instead of a long sleeve dress uniform shirt and a tie and then the jackets would look big on them . My point is that, the perfect fit we always discuss changes with what you wear under the A2 jacket .

These gentlemen were lean, mean fighting machines though!

 

[Grant]

Accompanying photo from an article published in yesterday's New York Times. Pilot 1st Lt William Montgomery (bottom row second from right) saved the lives of seven of his crew before losing control of their damaged B-24 and crashing near Arundel; perhaps some of our UK members are familiar with the area. Remarkable story of how his remains and personal effects were just recently discovered. Montgomery is the coolest of the cool my book.

https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/20/...8hoaaHbu9WSp2T7MXA6jqV6WpEkptg&smid=url-share

 

[Blackboxr1200S]

Cool picture.. sad story
The P-51 Mustang of 1st Lieutenant James H. Brandenburg, S/N 43-6641, was hit on 21 March 1944 over Carpiquet, Normandy, shortly after 3 pm
Brandenburg jumped using his parachute but his altitude was too low and he did not survive the landing.
His body was found by the Germans and buried in Caen. 1st Lt Brandenburg's body was repatriated to the United States after the war.

His remains now rest in Berea Cemetery in Kentucky, USA.

 

[Grant]

Now that warmer weather is coming on, who says we can't wear an A-2 with shorts?
Cool photos but with a rather a tragic story behind them:
The Tiger Moth was piloted by Captain James J. Bevlock of the 36th Fighter Squadron/ 8th Fighter Group. BEvlock was giving S/Sgt Herman Weiss a joy ride when they collided with a P-39 Airacobra and lost control crashing into Halifax Bay. S/Sgt Weiss was able to parachute out and survived, but Bevlock's body was never recovered.

 

[Pa12]

Now that warmer weather is coming on, who says we can't wear an A-2 with shorts?
Cool photos but with a rather a tragic story behind them:
The Tiger Moth was piloted by Captain James J. Bevlock of the 36th Fighter Squadron/ 8th Fighter Group. BEvlock was giving S/Sgt Herman Weiss a joy ride when they collided with a P-39 Airacobra and lost control crashing into Halifax Bay. S/Sgt Weiss was able to parachute out and survived, but Bevlock's body was never recovered.

View attachment 104857

View attachment 104859

Interesting. I wonder how he got his hands on a British tiger?

 

[Grant]

Apologies for not the best photo quality, but check out the unusual use of epaulets!

 

[Chandler]

Apologies for not the best photo quality, but check out the unusual use of epaulets!

View attachment 118445

Is that like the practice of lacing one tag on to each boot? But that was trying to beat the odds of losing both legs in a blast... not sure about both shoulders.

 

[Dumpster D]

Woah!! TONS of missions on that JAcket!!!