Nice period photos of A-2's

[Greg Gale]

Looks like a Dubow to me...but so dark! Or is it just the kodachrome?

 

[mulceber]

Looks like a Dubow to me...but so dark! Or is it just the kodachrome?

The stitching appears to be the same color as the leather, so my guess is it's a depot re-dye. Otherwise, I agree - Dubow.

 

[Kermit3D]

 

[Kermit3D]

 

[Kermit3D]

 

[Kermit3D]

A great link to beautiful painted jackets :

Bomber Jackets

The personnalized leather jackets of bomber crews.

www.flickr.com

 

[Kermit3D]

For you @VeraVoulik

 

[VeraVoulik]

This pictures serie is quite famous, most of them from 401st BG. I'd love, one day, to paint the whole serie!

 

[Kermit3D]

 

[Kermit3D]

 

[flyincowboy]

 

[Chandler]

Looks like a beer mat in his right hand. A *German* beer mat.

 

[flyincowboy]

A2 nose art

 

[ausreenactor]

For you @VeraVoulik

Looks better in 'full colour' from Vera!

 

[Grant]

Great photo of a famous 308thBG 14th AF B-24 "The Goon" and her crew. Her top turret gunner T Sgt Arthur Benko (fourth from left standing) was credited with 16 confirmed kills (seven in one mission). Benko, a full-blooded Native American from Arizona and champion skeet shooter belted his own ammunition forgoing the use of tracers. The Goon had a close call in December 1943. With two engines out and facing a mountain range, the crew was ordered to bail out. Benko and the waist gunner were captured and executed by the Japanese.To this day, Benko is still credited with the highest number of confirmed kills by a gunner.

View attachment 74723

 

[Grant]

Kermit,
Thanks for posting this great National Geographic photo of a famous 308th BG 14th AF B-24 "The Goon" and her crew. Her top turret gunner T Sgt Arthur Benko (fourth from left standing) was credited with 16 confirmed kills (seven in one mission). Benko, a full-blooded Native American from Arizona and champion skeet shooter belted his own ammunition forgoing the use of tracers. The Goon had a close call in December 1943. With two engines out and facing a mountain range, the crew was ordered to bail out. Benko and the waist gunner were captured and executed by the Japanese.To this day, Benko is still credited with the highest number of confirmed kills by a gunner. Here's a photo of Benko taken a month before he was killed.

 

[VeraVoulik]

Nice one with internal pockets added. I wonder if a patch is worn, under the a2 on a sweater?

 

[Ed Rooney]

One for the NCOs

 

[Wedge417]

Looks like a beer mat in his right hand. A *German* beer mat.

I'm actually intrigued by the thing attached to his zipper pull?

 

[Wedge417]

Interesting whistle. I'm relatively new to the A-2 historical photo hunt, but I don't think trench/police whistles were that popular? I tend to see ACME's sport whistles more.