WWII Pilot gear

[p51]

I started collecting WW2 AAF stuff as far back as the late 80s. I’ve done plenty of airs how events dressed in my AAF bomber/fighter crew impression for several years. All of it is original except the A-2 (I have original ones but don’t wear them due to the value). I also painted jackets for people for years. I still have all my AAF stuff but stopped wearing it once I quit looking like a WW2 pilot once I hit 40. I’m also a life member of the 91st Bomb Group Association, and have flown on several WW2 aircraft, including B-17s, B-24, B-25, T-6 and a few other lesser-known birds…
These photos were taken right before a P-51 ride in formation with a B-17 and a B-24 to Panama City, Florida (NO, I’m not kidding on this):

At a gathering on 2003 for one of the B-17s used in the “Memphis Belle” movie, the only F-model they used in the film, now in Seattle. In the group shot, I’m kneeling front row, far right:

Me, far right:

And a photo I took from a B-24J:

As for 101, well, I did a RJTC rotation with 2nd Brigade at Ft Polk but have never considered doing it as an impression, certainly not after the “Bandwagon of Brothers” phenomenon hit the hobby. Before that series came out, next to nobody was doing 101st. But afterward, I think every re-enacting organization in the world has at least one 101 unit, and of course most of those are 506th. Yeah, tell me they didn’t jump in that bandwagon… I was doing Airborne stuff (82nd) long before it was considered the only US impression to wear. I stopped wearing jump suits once everyone else was doing it. These days, I have one of the best War Correspondent collections within the re-enacting hobby and actually am a writer for WW2 re-enactors magazine…

And this is my “ride” when I do events, a 1944 Willys Jeep:

 

[sebastian]

Awesome pics. Especially love the Indy crew.

As for WWII, my next project for that era is a mechanic. Give me an excuse to look for an jeep to work on.

Cheers

Sebastian

 

[Friskythehutt]

Are you wearing a flight suit under your a-2 in those photos? I bought one from WPG and it's so so. I want a OD green flight suit only problem is trying to find one that fits me.

You get to ride in that B-24 with the B-17 on the wing?

 

[Friskythehutt]

If you have anymore photos of you pilot gear please post them.

 

[DivineHeresy]

And a photo I took from a B-24J:

Love that photo!!
Would love to take a flight in a classic war bird.
Man...you're lucky

 

[p51]

Are you wearing a flight suit under your a-2 in those photos? I bought one from WPG and it's so so. I want a OD green flight suit only problem is trying to find one that fits me.
You get to ride in that B-24 with the B-17 on the wing?

Yes, I had an original A-4 flight suit on under the A-2, life vest and parachute. There was a well-known mail order seller of WW2 US stuff in my hometown and I always got to go through his ‘new’ stuff before the catalogs came out. The flight suit was a size 46! I was very thin when I got into this stuff but knew I wouldn’t stay that way forever and that larger sized stuff is always more valuable. Of course I still have all that and would never dream of selling any of it.
As for the plane rides, luck had nothing to do with it. The Collings Foundation guys would come though my hometown in Florida each spring (which always had very poor turnout, I never understood why they’d land there), and I’d volunteer a lot of time to wipe stuff down, turn props, man the souvenir stand, stuff like that. The first few years I’d watch them fly off to the next display site but after a while, they’d take me with them when they had an open seat. The Mustang ride came from the paying rider being hurt and not being able to go and no time to find someone else. I’d offered to paint a A-2 for the pilot and the owner in exchange for a ride. The odd thing was, I gave him my contact info and he never called or wrote, so I never had to do anything to compensated them for it. I’ve been on three different B-17s. I live south of Seattle now, the home of the B-17 and I know I’ll never get another free “volunteer” ride again.
I spent two weeks with the main B-17 used in “Memphis Belle” the spring after it got back from England and was still wearing the movie paint job:

And a few random shots of me and my stuff at WW2 events locally over the past few years if anyone cares:

Here I am with Don Malarkey, formerly of E/506. This was I think the last time I ever wore any Airborne stuff. I got to spend over an hour talking with him and his family. Such a great guy, have talked with him on more than one occasion:

I’ve also met many of the Band of Brothers vets, most of them long before the TV series came out.
Also, I’m a staff writer and cartoonist for WW2 re-enactor’s magazine, a publication out of England: http://www.reenactingww2.co.uk/

 

[tavrikgannon]

Small world, man.... that big guy in the center is my roommate, the buddy that I was referring to that does WWII reenacting!

- Bill

 

[p51]

Small world, man.... that big guy in the center is my roommate, the buddy that I was referring to that does WWII reenacting!

He'd probably remember me, I hung with his group at the Astoria Ft Stevens event last July and wrote that article for the magazine about it, using half my photos of his group...

 

[tavrikgannon]

He'd probably remember me, I hung with his group at the Astoria Ft Stevens event last July and wrote that article for the magazine about it, using half my photos of his group...

I showed him this thread and I said, "hey dude, that looks like you." He said, "it is me! Yeah, I know that guy."

Like I said, small world!

- Bill