Can't find my way home

[dr greg]

I won't show you all, but an 'A2' repro is listed on the bay with "maps on the lining just as the old aviator jackets did"....
I've never seen an original flight jacket with anything other than plain lining...did that ever happen or is this just a load of utter bollocks?

 

[Nathan Flowers]

Go ahead and post the ebay auction link. We've changed the rules regarding linking such a thing.

 

[dr greg]

a shameful thing

As I said, I'm just interested in the veracity of the claim that maps were printed on jacket lining during the war...I think it's not made by the real Cooper's either...I wouldn't pay $2 for it, but there's no depth to which human taste will not sink
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/Vintage-Men-...tageFashion&hash=item3a5b8c2f55#ht_600wt_1137

 

[Seb Lucas]

What I have read a few times (true or not?) is that some flight crew had hand drawn maps of the mission's geography stitched inside their lining. Not those awful maps that some companies have printed on the nylon lining to "prove" the wearer is a global adventurer.

 

[Silver Dollar]

To be honest with you, I have seen a lot of A2's and I've read a number of books about the A2 and I've never seen a map used as a jacket lining. I know there are a bunch of members here who have seen way more than I have so I'm not a bonafide expert. Many times a flyer especially in the CBI theater had blood chits or small American flags sewn onto the jacket lining to hold the chit. I have one exactly like that given to me by the owner himself. One reason why I think that the maps were not sewn into the lining was that depending on where you were going on that particular mission, you had a different map. I have a small collection of silk escape maps. One set I have for the ETO is composed of 4 maps that you can put end to end to make one much bigger map. If that were sewn down, you couldnn't use it. You'd have to keep changing the lining. The same thing was done in the PTO also. Another thing too is that an A2 never had that funny looking collar. It may be a nice jacket but if you want a really good repro, I'd stay away from this one. The good thing is that the seller does call this a tribute jacket.

 

[JanSolo]

did that ever happen or is this just a load of utter bollocks?

Exactly that!

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Right. The so-called mission maps sewn onto the lining of flight jackets would have to be changed almost on a daily basis as this is generally about how often mission targets would change.
There was in fact a fighter group, (someone else here will no doubt know the number, I forget) which had specially made A2s with an inside map pocket for their pilots that flew escort missions into Europe.

 

[Silver Dollar]

I just thought of something else. I don't know why I didn't think of this before. Every escape map I've seen is double sided. It doesn't make sense to make one side unusable.