To all A2 & military jacket collectors.

[rocketeer]

I was interested in how many collectors of original clothing are interested in the jackets wartime history.
In the early 1980s I bought my first original A2, a Pacific theatre jacket. My second was a 15th AAF jacket I have posted on here. Now, back then there were hardly any copies as only very few people collected the jackets seriously. Then, the emphersis was on squadron, group and base history.
During those years I visited & photographed many former bases in East Anglia, discovering a few small museums usually set up in control towers with bits of wreckage of both allied and axis aircraft plus a few former veterans possessions including a few uniforms and leather jackets.
Do any members here follow up histories of their items an if possible visit an airfield? Including training stations 'back home'.
Unfortunately for me, visiting the origins of my jackets are a little out of the way being in Australia and I believe the Middle East.
Do I have an airfield visit I would love to go no? You bet! Tinian, where they flew to bomb Japan, the runways still intact, easily distinguishable on Google Earth.
So I ask, as well as zips and collars and pockets and....... Does this sort of thing interest you?
John

 

[rocketeer]

No interest here after over 100 views, I shall re-post this in the WWII section.
I guess contract variations and pocket flaps have more interest than the men and hardware associated with what the garments were intended for.
John

 

[aswatland]

I am extremely interested in the history of USAAF and RAF jackets/uniforms. It is very important to know the past history of jackets in one's collection. I too visit RAF and former USAAF airfields in the UK.

 

[rocketeer]

I am extremely interested in the history of USAAF and RAF jackets/uniforms. It is very important to know the past history of jackets in one's collection. I too visit RAF and former USAAF airfields in the UK.

Thanks Andrew, I thought I was the only one here with interests in this area. When I started collecting jackets, labels and thread, how big a collar was were not usually discussed, even when I met up with other A2 owners.
I have lots of books on WWII air warfare, usually filled with men in their jackets and the bases all over the world. But nothing beats standing on the runway on a lonely cold and windy day imagining what when on at that place so many years ago.

These days no one seems to care! Especially those that stole the large bronze memorial from Mendlesham airfield near the A140, probably for scrap value.

 

[majormajor]

Hi Rocketeer

Hobbies mean different things to different folks.

I have been very interested in A2s and Nose Art for at least 25 years. I bought one of Gary Eastman's first (not very accurate) A2s. And as the son of a D-Day vet, I have the greatest respect for the immense sacrifices made in WW2.

However, I, for one, have NO wish to stand on a disused airfield.

I also have a keen interest in old Gibson Guitars and the engineering works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

But I don't intend to visit Kalamazoo in Michigan - or stand on derelict Railway Stations.. Collecting stuff and reading Books are my bag.

More power to your elbow, my friend, in pursuing your hobby. But different folks care in different ways, I guess

 

[Peacoat]

Maybe I have my units confused, but I thought the 8th AAF was in England, the 15th was in the Mediterranean theater, and maybe the 13th and 14th in the Pacific? But to answer your question, yes I have been to East Anglia and visited one of the abandoned airfields in East Dereham, just outside of Norwich. Not because of a flight jacket, however. By the time I came along all of my flight jackets were nylon.

The airfield itself has become a turkey farm. The runways are still there, and evoke memories of those long ago crew members who made their final takeoff from those small strips of asphalt. There is a park at the entrance of the airfield with a very nice monument to all of the 8th AAF crew members who never returned from their last mission. Their names are engraved in the granite. It is quite touching. Proceeds to fund the monument and the park were raised from the locals in and around East Dereham. The park is meticulously maintained by the locals. One of the men I was visiting is the chairman of the park committee. Even though he is too young to have any memories of WWII, he takes his job very seriously. The finest people in the world live in that area.

 

[Aerojoe]

However, I, for one, have NO wish to stand on a disused airfield.

I'd really like to go to an abandoned airfield or one of those plane graveyards in the USA

 

[DJH]

Growing up in East Anglia, we often used to drive around on Sunday afternoons to watch the big old US Air Force planes taking off and landing at places such as Lakenheath, Mildenhall and Bentwaters.

Also I remember sitting scared to death in the back of the car while my mother practiced driving around the taxiways at RAF Langham.

I still like to browse over at the Control Towers UK site. Sad how all this history is being demolished.

 

[rocketeer]

Maybe I have my units confused, but I thought the 8th AAF was in England, the 15th was in the Mediterranean theater, and maybe the 13th and 14th in the Pacific? But to answer your question, yes I have been to East Anglia and visited one of the abandoned airfields in East Dereham, just outside of Norwich. Not because of a flight jacket, however. By the time I came along all of my flight jackets were nylon.

The airfield itself has become a turkey farm. The runways are still there, and evoke memories of those long ago crew members who made their final takeoff from those small strips of asphalt. There is a park at the entrance of the airfield with a very nice monument to all of the 8th AAF crew members who never returned from their last mission. Their names are engraved in the granite. It is quite touching. Proceeds to fund the monument and the park were raised from the locals in and around East Dereham. The park is meticulously maintained by the locals. One of the men I was visiting is the chairman of the park committee. Even though he is too young to have any memories of WWII, he takes his job very seriously. The finest people in the world live in that area.

Yes the 8th was based in England and the 15th in the med, I doubt I could persuade the Mrs that a holiday in whatever country to look at old airfields would be worthwhile though but I can wish. Anyone do package holidays to Tinian and the Mariana's
Not been to East Dereham but it is near to a relative so may make the journey one day. The Turkey farm probably belongs to the Bernard Mathews company.

Hi Rocketeer

Hobbies mean different things to different folks.

I have been very interested in A2s and Nose Art for at least 25 years. I bought one of Gary Eastman's first (not very accurate) A2s. And as the son of a D-Day vet, I have the greatest respect for the immense sacrifices made in WW2.

However, I, for one, have NO wish to stand on a disused airfield.

I also have a keen interest in old Gibson Guitars and the engineering works of Isambard Kingdom Brunel.

But I don't intend to visit Kalamazoo in Michigan - or stand on derelict Railway Stations.. Collecting stuff and reading Books are my bag.

More power to your elbow, my friend, in pursuing your hobby. But different folks care in different ways, I guess

What I was originally asking was:
Who collects flight jackets and IS interested in airfield archeaoligy/history, linage etc

Growing up in East Anglia, we often used to drive around on Sunday afternoons to watch the big old US Air Force planes taking off and landing at places such as Lakenheath, Mildenhall and Bentwaters.

Also I remember sitting scared to death in the back of the car while my mother practiced driving around the taxiways at RAF Langham.

I still like to browse over at the Control Towers UK site. Sad how all this history is being demolished.

Thanks for that link, I'll spend a few hrs looking at that.
Yes it is sad that all this is being demolished but that is part of our future I'm afraid. Soon there will be no more veterans to visit these relics of past wars and people will wonder why we keep these swathes of concrete just to remind of a war fought a long time ago.

 

[2jakes]

This topic reminds me of the bases , Bergstrom , Chanute & Castle in the U.S. that I was stationed during Vietnam.
I found out that they were shut down in the 90s. I don't know about the ones over in Guam.