Some of my flight helmets and oxygen mask set ups

[Edward]

and to hijack yet another thread and to show just out of hand I'm getting I picked up a decent shape B-4 Two Suiter. now I can keep my WWII underwear somewhere authentic LOL! its missing the hanger but I was able to locate one for ten bucks! should be here this week.

 

[Edward]

If you ever want to part with that !! Let me know !! Its right up my street as i collect AAF stationery !

interesting... I just bought some AAF stationary last night.
4 sheets of this:

and this 1943 Flight pack!

 

[Carl]

Dont start me on letterheads Edward !! I have a few to say the least !.
That B4 case is the later type , being made from all canvas construction and the AAF contract beginning with 33-038 .
Hangars should be a wire constructing type i think there should be 4 or more ??

 

[Edward]

Do you know What year is my B-4 case is from?

 

[Brent]

That B-4 bag is amazing. I had no idea they existed. Please keep sharing your collection guys.

Regards,

 

[Carl]

Do you know What year is my B-4 case is from?

Like i said Edward it is the later variant , here is the listing of the contract

 

[Carl]

@Brent , @Edward A few pics of the 2 B4 bags i have , both are named and one still has the correct original hangars in place .

The B4 produced by Canvas Products Corp details

The B4 from Lite MFG is a little bit more tricky to date as it only shows the order # and not the contract #
But ! knowing what the item is and its similarities to the one i can positively identify im pretty sure its from this contract ,

 

[Edward]

Like i said Edward it is the later variant , here is the listing of the contract
View attachment 8186

so my bag is 1944/45 ? thats still war time! I was afraid you were going to tell me it was 1947 lol!

 

[Carl]

so my bag is 1944/45 ? thats still war time! I was afraid you were going to tell me it was 1947 lol!

Thats ok !! dont panic !! it is wartime !!

 

[Edward]

great bags Carl! now I know what to look for. the one I have is very common but usually in rough shape. So I was glad to have found a nice one albeit without the hangers.

 

[Edward]

Thats ok !! dont panic !! it is wartime !!

LOL! if you had told me 1947 it would have went straight back to eBay! LOL!

 

[Carl]

great bags Carl! now I know what to look for. the one I have is very common but usually in rough shape. So I was glad to have found a nice one albeit without the hangers.

they are 2 super bags Edward , especially being named

 

[Carl]

LOL! if you had told me 1947 it would have went straight back to eBay! LOL!

 

[Carl]

@Edward lets have a look at your A11 helmet, see if i can get some info on that for you

 

[Edward]

@Edward lets have a look at your A11 helmet, see if i can get some info on that for you

here are some pics:

 

[Carl]

SELBY SHOE AC 3172 that contract was between 6/44 and 11/44 value of $804k ! and knowing that the A11 was procured at a price of $10 a piece in 1943 . That makes around 80,400 produced ! It was there biggest contract for the A11 . They had 3 contracts in total ( that im aware of )

 

[Edward]

nice! I figured it was the more common one. wish it alone was worth $804k! lol!

 

[Carl]

Most A11's you see are Selby , but there are other makers J G Menihan , in my eyes the best made A11 of the lot , Swan Shoe , Bradley Goodrich ,Manchester Helmet , and Slote and Klein ( only the one contract )

 

[Carl]

I did compile some photos showing the differences between 3 of the makers Edward .

 

[Edward]

I did compile some photos showing the differences between 3 of the makers Edward .

awesome! I started by going to http://www.303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear2.html to check out variations and and period gear. they don't have everything but it was a nice starter page for me. helmets here: http://www.303rdbg.com/uniforms-gear5.html