Original Rough Wear 16159 534th BS

[PickerWilly]

Hi all, figured I’d share some pictures of my original RW 16159 named to Robert Scholze, a pilot who flew with the 534th BS, 381st BG…

This jacket the the most been-there-done-that A-2 I’ve owned. The 534th patch is the silver-backed Akron Felt and Chenille style which is most common among the 381st. The patch has been shifted down a half inch or so which I reason was done because it obscured part of where Scholze painted his a nickname “Slitz” below the name tag. The wear and tear makes you wonder how much “seat” time this jacket had with Scholze.

Robert Scholze flew with the 534th in the latter stages of the war, accumulating 35 missions according to his obituary which is corroborated by his Air Medal award card. Scholze was 20 when he finished his tour. This jacket is particularly special to me because Scholze flew with the 534th at the same time as another pilot named Fred Fink who I came to know in the latter years of his life. His stories about his time at the controls of his B-17 sparked my interest in history, and it is incredible that his path crossed with that of Scholze at one point.

The well-worn broken grain on this one is stunning and the leather is supple. Had to combat some mildew in the pockets, but nothing that couldn’t be solved with some q-tips and a diluted vinegar solution and some sunlight. Sorry for the watermarks, but don’t want this jacket being posted by those annoying scammers in Facebook groups!

 

[CK90]

Thanks for sharing this one PickerWilly, cracking bit of history and there’s nothing like an original Rough Wear. The patch is wicked and the hide, the highs and lows of the patina are just beautiful, what an example!

 

[caddyd]

Stunning original Rough Wear with a tough connection.

 

[ludospeed]

Nice treasure.

 

[mulceber]

Gorgeous! Thanks for sharing - both the jacket and its connection to you.

 

[warguy]

Very. nice jacket thanks for sharing. Love these originals!

 

[Silver Surfer]

outfriggnstanding! super nice catch. and...it looks to be in rock solid, even wearable condition. ya dun gud.

 

[flyincowboy]

ANOTHER GEM !

 

[B-Man2]

Good find . Great provenance !
Well done !

 

[Jtrob]

Beautiful jacket, thanks for sharing!

 

[Lorenzo_l]

That is one beautiful jacket, @PickerWilly , and with provenance at that. Thanks for sharing!

 

[Micawber]

Very nice, one of my favourite patches too.

 

[Flightengineer]

It’s wonderful, doubly wonderful that you know the pilot’s story

 

[Grant]

Thanks for sharing photos and history. That rare Rough Wear contract and the personal connection makes the jacket very special.

 

[Jennison]

The jacket is indeed a gem. What I find equally interesting is the fact that he was only 20 when he finished his combat tour, a testament to the relaxation of qualifications for becoming a wartime aviation cadet. Prior to the War, a flying cadet had to be between19 and 25 years of age, with at least two years of college or three years of science/tech education. He had to have finished in the top half of his high school class and have taken a certain number of math c lasses. By early 1942, you had to be 18 with a high school diploma and score sufficiently high on an aptitude exam. Lt Scholze, clearly a product of the relaxed qualification standards, still had to go through 30 weeks of flight training, through the process of assignment overseas, and more training when he got to his overseas station. That he finished a 35 mission combat tour at 20 means he was one of the younger pilots in a very young Air Corps. Amazing stuff!

 

[Grant]

The jacket is indeed a gem. What I find equally interesting is the fact that he was only 20 when he finished his combat tour, a testament to the relaxation of qualifications for becoming a wartime aviation cadet. Prior to the War, a flying cadet had to be between19 and 25 years of age, with at least two years of college or three years of science/tech education. He had to have finished in the top half of his high school class and have taken a certain number of math c lasses. By early 1942, you had to be 18 with a high school diploma and score sufficiently high on an aptitude exam. Lt Scholze, clearly a product of the relaxed qualification standards, still had to go through 30 weeks of flight training, through the process of assignment overseas, and more training when he got to his overseas station. That he finished a 35 mission combat tour at 20 means he was one of the younger pilots in a very young Air Corps. Amazing stuff!

Yeah, my dad was only 22 after he finished his tour in Korea and flying for Air America in French Indochina! Crazy what these young guys did!

 

[blackrat2]

That is a great RW and as has been said made all the better with the history you have of its owner