Famous People in Flight Jackets

[Big J]

The Hunters is a great film for nylon, but Savage's C/O wears a nice B-3 IIRC.

 

[Doctor Damage]

Cast members of Ocean's Eleven in A2 jackets, looking embarrassed.

 

[Trotsky]

The Air Force apparently used up every bit of the left over Army equipment. My neighbor joined in 1958, and he said he was issued Army clothing, even a wool OD Ike jacket. His first Good Conduct Medal was the Army version. Once out of boot, he did get a Dress Blue uniform.

Sort of. There was significant leeway in the transtition period. Lots of period photos show groups of airmen in mixed green/blue (Blue 84 shade) uniforms. I just picked up a Blue 84 officer's jacket that is a near copy of the of classic USAAF jacket but in, well, blue! (Size 48 as well, find another one of those!). They also produced gold USAF buttons for the green uniforms as well. At the local Museum where I volunteer there's a crusher from a Berlin Airlift vet with the gold transition buttons.

The decade after the creation of the USAF is absolutely fascinating from a uniform point of view.

 

[Stearmen]

Brigadier General Jimmy Stewart, February 21, 1966, on the tarmac at Andersen Air Force Base in Guam, and the crew of the B-52F that he had just completed his last combat mission with! Here is a little article on that mission, which did not go as perfect as SAC would have liked. http://www.historynet.com/mr-stewart-goes-to-vietnam.htm

 

[Monsoon]

Great find, Stearmen. I was talking with friends a few days ago and we'd brought up the fact that Gen Stewart flew at least one combat mission over North Vietnam.

 

[Monsoon]

Sort of. There was significant leeway in the transtition period. Lots of period photos show groups of airmen in mixed green/blue (Blue 84 shade) uniforms. I just picked up a Blue 84 officer's jacket that is a near copy of the of classic USAAF jacket but in, well, blue! (Size 48 as well, find another one of those!). They also produced gold USAF buttons for the green uniforms as well. At the local Museum where I volunteer there's a crusher from a Berlin Airlift vet with the gold transition buttons.

The decade after the creation of the USAF is absolutely fascinating from a uniform point of view.

When my dad enlisted in 1952, his flight received dress blues with standard AF insignia, but he was a PFC.

 

[Treetopflyer]

William Holden from the movie 'Towards the Unknown'

 

[Doctor Damage]

^ great

here's Stewart from that article Stearman posted above:

 

[Treetopflyer]

I'm not sure this would be considered a flight jacket, but it is being worn by Colonel Steve Austin. Plus it has NASA patches on it.

 

[thor]

William Holden from the movie 'Towards the Unknown'

Holden's brother, Robert Beedle, was a Navy pilot who was killed in WWII. As a small tribute to his brother, during filming of "The Bridges at Toko-Ri", Holden insisted on actually "piloting" the F-9F Panther jet, maneuvering the aircraft across the flight deck during close-up scenes while filming aboard USS ORISKANY.

 

[Stearmen]

The late great Frank Tallman, movie stunt pilot extraordinaire, wearing his Navy issue M442. Hes the pilot that flew the Twin Beech, through the sign in, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

[video=youtube;WlC1Fboq5vI]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WlC1Fboq5vI[/video]

 

[Treetopflyer]

The late great Frank Tallman, movie stunt pilot extraordinaire, wearing his Navy issue M442. Hes the pilot that flew the Twin Beech, through the sign in, It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World

Man, I hope I can look that cool when I am that age. He looks like what I would imagine an experienced aviator with a lot of awesome stories to be like.

 

[Doctor Damage]

 

[Stearmen]

Man, I hope I can look that cool when I am that age. He looks like what I would imagine an experienced aviator with a lot of awesome stories to be like.

And to think, he did most of it with only one leg!

 

[Doctor Damage]

Man, I hope I can look that cool when I am that age. He looks like what I would imagine an experienced aviator with a lot of awesome stories to be like.

None of us are going to look as cool as him, at any age!

And to think, he did most of it with only one leg!

What? Seriously? It's hard enough flying an airplane with all limbs working fine... wow.

 

[fukigen]

I just discovered "Jesse Stone" starring Tom Selleck. I think it is a good serie with great actor.
Tom Selleck is wearing an A-2 in the episode "night passage"

View attachment 17677
View attachment 17678

 

[Treetopflyer]

Here's one from 'Stone Cold'

 

[Stearmen]

Here is another photo of Frank Tallman. While he flew everything from a Curtiss Pusher to supersonic jets, his favorites were 20s biplanes, which he dressed appropriately for flying! Also, the take off seen from Catch 22, considered by many the most dangerous stunt ever in movies. It looks so simple, but one mistake or mechanical malfunction and there would have been a massive pile up. They didn't do mass take offs like this during the war. Most of the pilots, were not veterans, and Frank had to train them in a few days. Many of the planes had not flown in years, one, was literally pulled out of a cemetery for the movie! sadly, Frank was killed in a senseless plane crash.

[video=youtube;nLMDIlxUa58]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLMDIlxUa58[/video]

 

[Stearmen]

I know these guys are not wearing jackets, but I think it is still a cool picture. They are The 13 Black Cats, Hollywood's first professional stunt pilots.

 

[Smithy]

Here's old Monty. He might have been an army boy but that didn't stop him snaffling an Irvin!