WWII Crusher and Garrison Caps

[Spitfire]

Re. Garcia

It seems like everybody has experienced something bad with Garcia. So here is something new!
A year ago I ordered a (vintage) parachutebag - 75,00$. Some weeks later I recieved a bag. It was large, old and had names and numers all over it - but it was NOT a parachutebag!
When I emailed Jeff Garcia about the problem and the pain in the ... of returning the bag from Denmark to Arizona once again, he mailed me back: "It's our mistake. You get another, original one - no charge. And you can keep the first one."
Two weeks later I got an original, WWII Parachutebag.
(And my son is still using the first one for his footballgear.)
Nice service!!!!!!:eusa_clap

 

[Gray Ghost]

It seems like everybody has experienced something bad with Garcia. So here is something new!
A year ago I ordered a (vintage) parachutebag - 75,00$. Some weeks later I recieved a bag. It was large, old and had names and numers all over it - but it was NOT a parachutebag!
When I emailed Jeff Garcia about the problem and the pain in the ... of returning the bag from Denmark to Arizona once again, he mailed me back: "It's our mistake. You get another, original one - no charge. And you can keep the first one."
Two weeks later I got an original, WWII Parachutebag.
(And my son is still using the first one for his footballgear.)
Nice service!!!!!!:eusa_clap

That is great. I have had some problems, but he has alway been very nice to me and I have not had any problems if I needed to do a return. Was the first bag a B-4 bag?

Gray Ghost

 

[Spitfire]

Don't know about B4 bags...I think the first bag was more like a "taylormade" bag made up locally for the major.
It's quite long and has a zipper running on top and a zipperopening in one end.
The handle is made of same material as used on parachuteharnesses.
On a huge pice of white clothe - sewn onto the bag - one can read:
LEONARD J COYNE
MAJ
0305247
AX-B119-RR-C/A/

 

[Powerhouse]

depends on size...anywhere from $15 to well up there if it's a larger size...7.5

 

[Fletch]

This hat looks just like one I found on eBay a couple years ago. IIRC, it was a post-WW2 enlistee's dress hat. Apparently they kept the rough wool crown but added a woven band like the officer version.

Then again, Army officers in the OD era had a certain latitude in their dress. Some officers in the ground forces would wear a rougher wool version of the Ike uniform, and presumably could have a dress hat made to go with it. So...???

 

[DanielJones]

Crusher Cap Images

Sorry the images are a tad late. But like they say, better late than never. These were taken on Halloween. The crusher cap came from the very kind offerings of silhouette53. It's a Lancaster. The fit is perfect and it feels very natural to wear. The shirt is from What Price Glory. The jacket is a Schott Bros. I got back in 86'. Supprisingly it still fits, abet a tad snugger, but mofement wasn restricted.

This made for a fun day and night on Halloween.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

Looking sharp!

For some reason though, those shades just don't seem to "work" with the rest of it. Not really sure why.

 

[Baggers]

Looking sharp!

For some reason though, those shades just don't seem to "work" with the rest of it. Not really sure why.

Yeah, it's a great outfit, but you need to find a pair of Ray-Ban aviator style sunglasses to top it off. The modern ones just don't cut it.

Also, to help "fine tune" your impression the next time you wear it, the branch and rank collar devices are not angled the way you're wearing them. They need to be centered on the collar with the tops parallel with the line created by the top of the collar and the leading edges 1/2 inch (I think; I haven't got my '42 edition Officer's Guide handy) from the edge.

Otherwise, you're lookin' good! That Lancaster fits you to a "T."

Cheers!

 

[alphonse capone]

Army Air corp pictures.

I have a dear friend I've known since I was young he served in the Army air corp during the big one, WWII. He was a Major & a B-24 pilot 1941-1946 with 52 combat missions in the Italitian campagine, 460th Bomb Group bomber base at Spinazzola. He was also a flight instructor at the beginning of the war, ploesti oil fields & the like. His vast collection of photos contains varing avation styles through the years. If you need to see any of them let me know those photos are a true tresure of a past era! He's 85 & still smart as a whip I see him just about everyday at my Barbershop.
Tim

 

[DanielJones]

I had to make do

I know my impression isn't spot on but this was a bit of a rush job. I had to use my Marine Corps manual (yes I still have mine from the 80's) for collar devise placement. So they were more in line with my E-5 stripes than anything else. Sorry gents. Also. I'm missing my rang insignia, there was no time to get a proper pair. I was lucky enough (and happily supprised)to be able to get the Lancaster in time. Funny thing too, the tie arived the day before as well, so everything came together supprisingly.
The sun glasses were my everyday Ray-Ban Titaniums, for that day they were close enough. But all in all it was a load of fun to dress like that, it almost felt second nature.

Alphonse: I would love to see those pictures. I've been starting a small collection of pictures of air crews off of internest searches in the hope to be able to identify & display them. Their pictures & stories are a true treasure, but unfortunately they are slowly dissappearing. I certainly hope that you are recording his stories in one way or another. It would be a shame to lose such memories, so much could be learned from them and their generation.

Cheers!

Dan

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Here's saluting you DJ!...

You're looking 'swell hogan', fella. Now get those collar insignia right or I'll call your C.O.!!

...as y'all was!
Dixon Cannon

 

[Julius Xavier]

Speaking of lapel items...

Does anyone happen to have an extra "US" they are willing to part with. I ordered mine from Garcia Avaition and they sent me two propellers instead and they are a hassle to deal with. I ordered the Capt. rankings and a nametag from them at the same time and they sent me the rankings and the rank rubbed right off the leather square it was printed on and for some reason they thought it would be a good idea to put Sgt. in front of my name on my nametag... maybe to go along with the shotty "CAPT." ranking they sent me... (idoits) So I called them back after I received the bad items in August and the new ones finally arrived in the begining of December.


So if anyone by chance has and extra "US" pin I'll trade you a propeller or something along those lines?


-JX

 

[Joel Tunnah]

officer's crusher - sizing?

It seems from searching the archives that the consensus is the wwiiimpressions officer's crusher cap is the most accurate. I want to order one, in the "chocolate" elastique... but how accurate is the sizing?

If I'm a 7 3/8 long oval, would I be best off ordering a 7 1/2? Is there any shrinkage with these types of hats?

Thanks for any help!
Joel

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I am not sure about WWII Impressions sizing in particular, but I know that they can be downsized a bit with the "lampshade trick." It seems to take off about 1/2 a size (essentially making in an in-between size)

 

[Zemke Fan]

Joel...

I have had a LOT of trouble with vintage fedoras fitting my 7-3/4 in. head, but the WWII Impressions crusher fits perfectly. Go with your regular size and send it back if it's not right. -- Col. Z.

 

[Joel Tunnah]

Thanks guys.

Joel

 

[Dixon Cannon]

You're always better to buy one slightly larger, then stuff the sweatband with cardboard. If you get it, even slightly, too small, you'll feel the pinch everytime you wear it.

-dixon cannon

 

[Hondo]

If I'm a 7 3/8 long oval

Well I'm a 7 3/8 but more like bowling ball size lol
Seriously take the 7 3/8, depends how offen you plan to wear it,
It it does shrink, you'll be glad you did

 

[drjones]

WWII Crush caps

I dont know if this is the correct forum or not. Please move this post if it isnt. But I found a GREAT crush cap and what I believe to be a decent Indy shirt at USWings website.

Shirt - http://www.uswings.com/khakis.asp

Crush cap - http://www.uswings.com/crushcap.asp

Just thought I would share my find.

DRJONES

 

[scotrace]

I think you may find that several members will have opinion regarding that cap.