Some of the 4th FG and a lot of A-2s

[Geeboo]

Is this photo, there is a 4th fighter grou

p patch which was inactivated in 1945 already [Wiki, The 4th Fighter Group;
Active = 12 September 1942–November 10, 1945], my extend Q is the production date of L2A which is "known" to be around Korean war i.e 1950-1953, this photo proofs the existence of L2A in 1945 ?

 

[Greg Gale]

Brett, that patch should look familiar to you!

@Geeboo : The 334th used the same patch in Korea, slightly altered, like the one on your picture. They even painted it on the side of their F-86 Sabres. By then they were part of the 4th Fighter Wing, not FG.

As for sleeve length: I can also imagine that at times the PX ran low on stock, and the guy just got whatever they had. I also wonder how much the mae west and parachute pulled the sleeves back up. In any case, it's not uncommon to see pictures of pilots without anything strapped on, who have their shirt cuffs protruding from underneath the knits. Like Blakeslee in his P-47, see earlier in this thread. Most knits were all stretched out seemingly without any elasticity left, having many holes too.

Peddy's shirt is also visible, and the knits are all torn up:

 

[Smithy]

Is this photo, there is a 4th fighter grouView attachment 6722 p patch which was inactivated in 1945 already [Wiki, The 4th Fighter Group;
Active = 12 September 1942–November 10, 1945], my extend Q is the production date of L2A which is "known" to be around Korean war i.e 1950-1953, this photo proofs the existence of L2A in 1945 ?

As Greg said Geeboo that's from the Korean War and that patch is actually of what was technically called the 334th Fighter Interceptor Squadron of the 4th Fighter Interceptor Wing.

 

[Smithy]

Dude of the Day...

Capt Neil "Dutch" Van Wyk of 336 Sqn

 

[Greg Gale]

Great photo! Another trim A-2, with the shirt sleeves protruding. Interesting that he had his own patch made with his own nose art rather than having a squadron patch sewn on. It also looks like service boots were the most popular footwear at the 4th - except of course for Vic France's cowboy boots

 

[Smithy]

except of course for Vic France's cowboy boots

And Blakeslee (probably)

 

[Smithy]

Dudes of the Day...

Gentile (in an A-2 and not a B-10 as so often photographed) and LeRoy Gover of 336 Sqn. Gover's story is wonderfully captured in "Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Warm Beer" which was essentially his diary from the war edited by Philip Caine and well worth reading if you haven't already.

 

[Smithy]

Dude of the Day...

Allen Bunte looking a bit windswept and interesting in his A-2 and B-3 type Mae West.

 

[gramballard]

I could really do without the AVI references on this thread.

 

[Persimmon]

I could really do without the AVI references on this thread.

?????????

 

[Smithy]

I could really do without the AVI references on this thread.

¿Qué?

Take smaller sips, that's my advice.

 

[Smithy]

Dude of the Day...

Louis "Red Dog" Norley:

And fighter pilot hands:

 

[Silver Surfer]

the sleeves are drawn up because of the gear hanging on his back. while wearing your repro a-2 load your nap sack with 30-40 lbs of stuff, heft it over you back, letting it hang down some, and stand around for 15 or so minutes for similar results. gravity sucks, and for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.....or so i am told.

 

[Kennyz]

Dudes of the Day...

Gentile (in an A-2 and not a B-10 as so often photographed) and LeRoy Gover of 336 Sqn. Gover's story is wonderfully captured in "Spitfires, Thunderbolts and Warm Beer" which was essentially his diary from the war edited by Philip Caine and well worth reading if you haven't already.

Thanks Smithy. Don Gentile is another ace that had movie star looks!

Ken

 

[Greg Gale]

the sleeves are drawn up because of the gear hanging on his back. while wearing your repro a-2 load your nap sack with 30-40 lbs of stuff, heft it over you back, letting it hang down some, and stand around for 15 or so minutes for similar results. gravity sucks, and for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.....or so i am told.

Which picture are you talking about? In a lot of these they don't have any chutes or gear on.

 

[johnwayne]

Could Louis Norley's garrison cap sit any lower to the right, looks like it's only his ear keeping it up! Great pics, hmm like Smithy I'm pondering about my Tanker, name tag perhaps? Stencil it maybe? It's a BR and wasn't cheap, hate to do a crap job and ruin it!

 

[Smithy]

Could Louis Norley's garrison cap sit any lower to the right, looks like it's only his ear keeping it up! Great pics, hmm like Smithy I'm pondering about my Tanker, name tag perhaps? Stencil it maybe? It's a BR and wasn't cheap, hate to do a crap job and ruin it!

Get a fleece ATF one JW, and try out the stencilling on that first if you're worried about your first attempt on a super expensive repro. The problem is once you start stencilling you want to stencil everything!

 

[gramballard]

¿Qué?

Take smaller sips, that's my advice.

Posts #178 and 180. Shameless shilling which have nothing to do with the content of this topic.

 

[Smithy]

Posts #178 and 180. Shameless shilling which have nothing to do with the content of this topic.

What the hell is shilling about it???!!! We were talking about the colour of a jacket in a photo looking similar to a recent jacket purchase. You could say the photo of the original had nothing to do with the content of the thread as it wasn't a 4th FG member wearing it FFS. There was another thread just recently where somebody said his GW looked the same as that worn by a bomber crew member, so do you want to get your knickers in a knot about that too? Here's a fucking newsflash, it's not uncommon for those of us who purchase repros of wartime jackets to compare them to photos of originals on a discussion board dedicated to vintage leather jackets.

Grow up and stop trying to make shit where there isn't any.

 

[Silver Surfer]

page 10 the 11th or 13th pic down, greg.