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VMA-212 Werber G-1

Stony

Well-Known Member
Just acquired this 7823 Werber with a VMA-212 "Devil Cats" and Saufley Field patches on it. VMA-212 flew combat during the Korean War in F4U Corsairs. Saufley Field was a training facility near Pensacola and the patch has a silouette of either a F6F Hellcat or a F8F Bearcat in the middle. The name plate doesn't have any rank on it and you can see the stitch holes from a previous nameplate. I don't know the era of the Saufley Field patch, so any help with that is appreciated. It's a size 44 and is in pretty good shape. There is some mild scuffing to the leather on the shoulders and I believer the zipper has been replaced at some time as it has "Talon" on the front and "Canada" on the back of the pull. Anyone seen that before?

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Silver Surfer

Well-Known Member
that is one kickass g-1. size 44? looks smaller due to the size comparison to the pockets. perhaps a popsicle delusion.
 

Stony

Well-Known Member
size 44? looks smaller due to the size comparison to the pockets. perhaps a popsicle delusion.

There's also a size tag in the right pocket with a "44" on it.
 

Maverickson

Well-Known Member
Hi Stony,

Nice jacket!

This USN jacket comes from is one of my most favorite G-1 makers. I've got several of these same Werber G-1 jackets. All are in this same size 44.

I've found that these size 44 Werber jackets can vary quite a bit in size from one to another. Some have 19" shoulders and others have 20". Not to mention, the pits can also vary a good inch to an inch in a half from one jacket to another.

That Talon zipper looks correct to the jacket. Those fine toothed Talons use a much more noble metal than the Conmar used on the majority those jackets from this same 7823 (AER) series 1951 to 1960 G-1 run.

Cheers, Dave
 

Stony

Well-Known Member
This USN jacket comes from is one of my most favorite G-1 makers. I've got several of these same Werber G-1 jackets. All are in this same size 44.

I've found that these size 44 Werber jackets can vary quite a bit in size from one to another. Some have 19" shoulders and others have 20". Not to mention, the pits can also vary a good inch to an inch in a half from one jacket to another.

That Talon zipper looks correct to the jacket. Those fine toothed Talons use a much more noble metal than the Conmar used on the majority those jackets from this same 7823 (AER) series 1951 to 1960 G-1 run.

Thanks for the info Dave, much appreciated.

I will take measurements and post them later today. As for the zipper, it looked a bit different, and with the "Canada" on the backside, I thought it might be a replacement. I also take some pics of the pull and the teeth for reference sake.
 

Maverickson

Well-Known Member
Hi Stony,

All three of my Werber jackets have Talon on the front & Canada spelled out on the backside of their pullers.

Another oddity worth mentioning about this jacket is the type of thread that was used to stitch these Werber jackets together. That thread is a OD colored nylon and not unlike that same thread used on Air Force nylon jackets.

Cheers, Dave
 
I have done, what seems like a thousand, touch and go's at Naval Outlying Field (NOLF) Saufley when I was in Primary flight training. I am pretty sure that it has always been a training facility. So, my presumption is that the owner of the jacket may have either been an instructor at one of the training squadrons based out of Saufley, or he was a student there. As for the nametag, not sure why he would have removed the wings from it. Unless he was not an aviator and received the jacket second hand.
 

Stony

Well-Known Member
I have done, what seems like a thousand, touch and go's at Naval Outlying Field (NOLF) Saufley when I was in Primary flight training. I am pretty sure that it has always been a training facility. So, my presumption is that the owner of the jacket may have either been an instructor at one of the training squadrons based out of Saufley, or he was a student there. As for the nametag, not sure why he would have removed the wings from it. Unless he was not an aviator and received the jacket second hand.

The wings weren't removed from the name tag, it was sewn over the stitch holes of another name tag. Maybe he had it made after he retired and didn't want to wear the "official" one. One can only make an educated guess. Since he flew combat during the Korean War, he might have been an instructor before and/or after.
 

bebel

Active Member
Great jacket, Stony.

"Talon Canada" zippers are often seen on some USAF G-4A and G-4B anti-g flightsuits. I didn't know that they were used on some G-1. And I don't either know why "Canada"...

Franck
 

Stony

Well-Known Member
Per Dave, the "Canada" on the pull is correct.

All three of my Werber jackets have Talon on the front & Canada spelled out on the backside of their pullers.
 

dujardin

Well-Known Member
Stony said:
the patch named Saufley, is it for USS Saufley (DD-465) or for Saufley airfield ??????????????

Saufley Field.

sometimes, i have stupid question. :lol:
of course it's the name of the airfield, DD-465 have no plane embarked

thanksssss
 
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