Original 31st Bomb Sq A-2s

[Weasel_Loader]

Finally had a friend of mine get photos of the two A-2s that are at the squadron orderly room display cabinet here at Edwards AFB. Wish I could have taken the photos myself, but these are not too bad. As some might know, this unit was at Pearl Harbor on 7 Dec '41 and then deployed soon after and spent the entire war in the Pacific. One of my favorite units since it was the last unit I served with before my retirement (now named 31st Test & Evaluation Sq).

Interesting flight helmet. Not sure what kind it is.

 

[unclegrumpy]

Thanks for posting these pictures!

The flight helmet is a U.S. Army Air Corps 1 A Flying Helmet made by Western Electric. It came out in 1918, and was the first helmet that had built in ear cups for gosport or later radio receivers.

 

[Weasel_Loader]

Thanks for the info. Very interesting.

 

[767fo]

Thanks for the pictures Daniel!!!

 

[better duck]

Thanks for posting Dan!
What do you think has been done to the second jacket: looking at the back panel, it looks like someone went at it with a steel brush!

 

[Weasel_Loader]

That is very bizarre. Not sure what could have caused it. The jacket sure has been beat to death.

 

[dujardin]

splendid photos for two splendid jackets

thanksssssssssss

i wonder too what happen to this jacket

i have an idea.....probably stupid.... but who knows....
i think that after war, this jacket was ''painted'' in black and that well after, he try to bring it back in original state
and yes, use a brush to clean the leather

just my two; no, one cent

 

[Peter Graham]

Thanks for those Danny. That must be one of the coolest of all squadron patches. I'll wager, judging by the large AAF stamp on the inside that the second jacket is a depot re-dye that someone tried to remove for some reason.

 

[Phantomfixer]

Could they be brush strokes FROM the redye as apposed to the redye being removed? I do not know how the redye was accomplished, brushed, dipped, sprayed, or wiped???

 

[ScottoLaw]

WOW! That's awsum. Thanks for the pics.

 

[Roughwear]

Could they be brush strokes FROM the redye as apposed to the redye being removed? I do not know how the redye was accomplished, brushed, dipped, sprayed, or wiped???

The re-dye would have been done with a paintbursh.