Item Description
Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is an exceptional A2 leather flight jacket issued to a member of the Mighty 8th Air Force, 448th Bombardment Group, 715th Bomb Squadron.
The 715th Bomb Squadron was activated in mid-1943 as a B-24 Liberator heavy bomb squadron, trained under Second Air Force. Deployed to England in the European Theater of Operations (ETO) during November 1943, assigned to VIII Bomber Command as a strategic bombardment squadron. Participated in the air offensive over NSDAP Germany and Occupied Europe until German capitulation in May 1945. These bombing missions were a mixture of strategic ones over Germany, which aimed to destroy vital industrial sites and aircraft bases, and tactical ones over France, which supported the invasion and advance east of ground forces. Personnel demobilized in England and returned to the United States; squadron reassigned to Second Air Force and re-equipped with B-29 Superfortresses, being trained for deployment to Pacific Theater. Japanese capitulation canceled deployment and was assigned to Fort Worth AAF, Texas as Continental Air Forces, later Strategic Air Command squadron.
Overall condition of the jacket is excellent and in a extra large size (44). The leather is still supple. The lining is original as are the cuffs and the waist band and show minor wear and deterioration. The zipper is marked on the slider and pull with CROWN, a known maker of quality zippers.
The original tag is still intact:
DWG. NO. 30H1415
ROUGH WEAR CLOTHING CO.
MIDDLETOWN, P.A.
The most notable aspect of this jacket is the exceptional hand painted artwork. The left front chest bears the an incredibly rare 715th Bombardment Squadron hand painted leather patch. This patch features a superhero rabbit with a lightning bolt on his chest riding a missile. The right front chest features 36 hand painted flags. These flags represent bombing missions. Nine flags are French (when they bombed occupied territory in support of ground invasion troops), twenty four flag are NSDAP which represent missions flown over Germany and one flag is the Netherlands. The flags are in excellent vibrant condition.
The reverse of the jacket features a Might Eight Air Force insignia contained within a U.S. flight star with a mythical man bird creature flying through. There is also the outline of a naked woman in heels. The details, colors and quality of the art are incredible. This exceptional A-2 jacket is sure to be a focal point of any WWII collection!
- This product is available for international shipping.
- Eligible for all payments - Visa, Mastercard, Discover, AMEX, Paypal & Sezzle
YOU MAY ALSO LIKE
