Soldier of Fortune aviators kit bag AN-6505-1

[Carl]

Just received today another original variant of the AN6505 .
Ill get some pics posted as soon as i can

A little bit different style to the other originals i have .

 

[Carl]

Top bag is for comparison

 

[stanier]

All these bags all look so darn good !
One more thing to collect now but I’ve got to find someone to paint a repro because I have NO artistic talent what so ever.

Join the club b-man, I could wreck a nice bag in one brush stroke! The folk here make me so envious!

 

[Carl]

Here's a fake stencil I made up that actually uses the font Stencil, which always looks hokey when neatly laser-printed. It should make you imagine stupid TV theme music with lots of tubas and snare drums, and a title like Private Goofball or Operation Screwloose.
View attachment 8239

This uses a font called News Gothic Bold that actually existed in the 1940s, and could have been used for this very purpose. It shouldn't form any extraneous images in your mind, just aviator's kit bag, property U.S. Government.
View attachment 8240

@zoomer
Can you match this ??

 

[Greg Gale]

Thanks Of course it was the Missus...if I had done it it would look like a drawing in MS Paint

 

[Edward]

now I want to get one!

 

[Remote People]

Apologies if you've already seen these options... if I hadn't found the original below I would have picked one up.

https://www.wwiiimpressions.com/collections/equipment-army/products/118
https://www.wwiiimpressions.com/collections/equipment-army/products/119
https://www.wwiiimpressions.com/collections/equipment-army/products/118m
https://www.wwiiimpressions.com/collections/equipment-army/products/119p

 

[B-Man2]

Ok .. I got my hands on a flight bag today but since I don’t know much about identifying the authenticity of an original vs. a repro, I need some help. This bag looks to be in almost too good of shape for a WWII Kit Bag. It also doesn’t have the flap at the top covering the middle of the bag where the zips meet. It was sold to me as an original WWII AN6505-1 Aviators Kit Bag. Is it an original and is it WWII or post WWII.
Thanks in advance for all of your input.
PS
Tim I hope I’m not stepping on your thread, my apologies if I am.
Cheers
B-Man2

 

[Carl]

@B-Man2 looks good from here, maybe been re-zipped ?

 

[B-Man2]

@B-Man2 looks good from here, maybe been re-zipped ?

Carl
I took a close up of the stitching around the zip tape but I don’t see any indication of a replacement . Thanks for your input by the way.

 

[dmar836]

Burt, I have not studied the repros so can only look at mine. Mine both have the smaller #5 Talon zips with single row stitching. One has the AAF stamp between the handle straps on the pocketed side. Not sure why they have the reinforcement on the other side only. I think the black “assembly lines” under the handles are interesting. Neither of mine have those. Not sure if that’s evidence for a contractor made bag or that of a repro.
Anyone know how long they made this bag?
Dave

 

[Officer Dibley]

Looks good Burt. Be happy !

 

[EmergencyIan]

All these bags all look so darn good !
One more thing to collect now but I’ve got to find someone to paint a repro because I have NO artistic talent what so ever.

I’m in a very similar boat, Burt. I’m searching, a little bit, with no luck, so far.

- Ian

 

[Carl]

Carl
I took a close up of the stitching around the zip tape but I don’t see any indication of a replacement . Thanks for your input by the way.

View attachment 8804

Anyone know the zips on Burts bag ?? First time ive seen that sort on an AN6505 !

 

[B-Man2]

I’m in a very similar boat, Burt. I’m searching, a little bit, with no luck, so far.

- Ian

Ian
Hopefully one of the more artistic among us will hears our pleas for help and have a little pity on his less than artistic buds and come to our aid.

 

[EmergencyIan]

Ian
Hopefully one of the more artistic among us will hears our pleas for help and have a little pity on his less than artistic buds and come to our aid.

Fingers crossed, Burt!

- Ian

 

[Officer Dibley]

Anyone know the zips on Burts bag ?? First time ive seen that sort on an AN6505 !

Carl, they look like the zip off a sleeping bag of the period to me.
Never seen them on a bag before but everything else looks pukka....
Dave

 

[Carl]

Carl, they look like the zip off a sleeping bag of the period to me.
Never seen them on a bag before but everything else looks pukka....
Dave

Thats where ive seen them before !!

 

[Officer Dibley]

Pleased with how mine came out. Patches i've had for years. Got bags of them. Stitching them on cost me £15.
Not sure that painting a bag that would cost way more than the bag is a worthwhile thing to do for myself. A patch is quick & easy.

 

[A2 B3au]

That’s nice dibs I can’t see any stitches tho