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

[B-Man2]

Damn!!
Now that’s........ a short sleeve.

 

[Greg Gale]

And how thick his wrist was - at least on that picture!

Here's one with him and Rickenbacker:

 

[Smithy]

I'll second the tanker jacket! Far more common with the 9th AF guys than the 8th, but I've seen a couple lately when looking for pictures of the 56th FG, amongst other.

Now that could be a fun little project with a tanker repro, stenciling a 4th FG boxing eagle and name on one .

 

[Greg Gale]

Isn't this also a tanker jacket? Or is he wearing his pink shirts with nothing else on top of it?

 

[Cocker]

Now that could be a fun little project with a tanker repro, stenciling a 4th FG boxing eagle and name on one .

Indeed, that could be pretty cool and original! I'm on holiday starting tomorrow evening, I think I'll give a shot at a 4th FG stencil. This could get a bit challenging due to the amount of details of the eagle.

 

[Smithy]

Hi Greg,

That's definitely not a tanker jacket. The tanker is part of the winter combat uniform and although it was meant for ground forces, they were used by aircrew as well. Grant posted a thread with photos of P-38 jockeys wearing them awhile back and IIRC there was also a thread with B-26 or B-25 guys wearing them. There was an early pattern and a later pattern, the main difference being the pockets.

Here they are in their natural element:

 

[Smithy]

Indeed, that could be pretty cool and original! I'm on holiday starting tomorrow evening, I think I'll give a shot at a 4th FG stencil. This could get a bit challenging due to the amount of details of the eagle.

I'm doing the 4th FG eagle on my aviators kit bag when it arrives

 

[Greg Gale]

You're right, that's just a pink shirt...I've read about these tanker jackets, many pilots and bomber crewmen preferred it over the A-2 due to it being warmer and more comfortable, when B-10s weren't in service yet.

 

[Cocker]

@Greg Gale This one looks like a tan flight suit to me. If you look at his arm hold the canopy, you can see the sleeve is "opened" along the length of the forearm.

 

[Smithy]

Found one of the threads with aircrew wearing tankers...

https://www.vintageleatherjackets.org/threads/p-38-pilots-with-tanker-jackets.20239/

 

[Cocker]

Nice!

Here are a couple from the 56th FG:


Last row, standing in the far right:

A LOT of tanker:

Bud Mahurin with a Tanker:

 

[Greg Gale]

Look at how many of those 56th pilots are wearing an escape whistle on their A-2! It certainly wasn't so common in the 4th. I wonder why.

 

[Smithy]

@Greg Gale This one looks like a tan flight suit to me. If you look at his arm hold the canopy, you can see the sleeve is "opened" along the length of the forearm.

There's one thing though, the A-4 summer flight suit (which would be the most likely candidate) doesn't have a shirt cuff which you can see with the sleeve and sleeve opening above.

This is another press shot and I think Blakeslee could be just wearing a regulation shirt and he's thrown some flying kit on and jumped in the cockpit for the benefit of the visiting press.

It's a great photo though and one where Blakeslee doesn't look like he wants to clobber the press photographer!

 

[Smithy]

Those photos are brilliant Cedric, thanks for posting them!

 

[Cocker]

Here's another still of the same shoot:

Looks like a shirt indeed, the collar is a dead giveaway!

 

[Smithy]

I'm really starting to think an ATF tanker painted up might be the go. I'll see how I get on with the kit bag first but all going well and if I enjoy doing it, a tricked up tanker might be on the cards. Maybe something 56th just to vary things a little

 

[DJS48]

Great pictures............thanks for posting. They are a treat!
Don

 

[Persimmon]

I'll second the tanker jacket! Far more common with the 9th AF guys than the 8th, but I've seen a couple lately when looking for pictures of the 56th FG, amongst other.

Is the chap ( Mark Stapleton ),second on the left wearing a tanker ?
If not what is it - the cuffs intrigue me.

 

[Persimmon]

Some days all is well with the world ..

 

[Cocker]

Yup, that's a 2nd model tanker jacket!