Original Items: Only One Available. This is a wonderful custom tailored uniform set consisting of a tailored Class-A uniform coat and Officers’ Peaked Visor. The uniform belonged to a US Army Air Corps Aircraft Observer, only known to us as 1st Lieutenant Haucke from the partial name and laundry number that is barely legible.

The front left chest features a beautiful Aircraft Observer badge that is marked on the back with “Sterling” and has the New York Meyer Shield insignia next to it. The badge was issued to co-pilots, navigators, and flight support personnel (as air observer) who had received a variation in the training required for the standard Pilot's Badge. By the time of the United States' entry into the Second World War, three Observer Badges were authorized by the Army Air Forces. The first was the Combat Observer Badge: in appearance an Aviator Badge with a large 'O' in the center like this example. For Balloon Observers, a separate badge was created: the Observer Badge augmented with a balloon insignia.

The ike jacket itself is in wonderful condition and appears to have started its life off as a regular Class-A uniform coat, which was then tailored most likely in England, replaced the button closure with a hidden zipper front and then replaces all other brass/gilt buttons with regular plastic ones to mitigate any shine. The tailoring process was masterfully done and has stood the test of time. The left shoulder features a beautiful US Strategic Air Forces “USSTAF” patch. The United States Strategic Air Forces was a formation of the United States Army Air Forces. It became the overall command and control authority of the United States Army Air Forces in Europe during World War II. The right shoulder has an equally beautiful, English made 8th Army Air Force felt and bullion embroidered patch. Other devices featured at Silver 1st Lieutenant bars on each shoulder strap, “US” designators on each upper lapel with a small Officers’ “Winged Prop” Aviation insignia on each lower lapel.

The peaked visor in this grouping is in very nice condition though the sweatband has become completely detached from the visor. Both the chinstrap and the rear adjustment straps are present, which is a rarity in itself. The top celluloid lining does show age, wear and has turned to a beautiful orange color. Luckily, the manufacturer information is still visible on both the top lining as well as the embossed distributor on the sweatband.

Manufacturer label reads as:

PREMIER
KNOX
FIFTH AVE. NEW YORK

The leather sweatband reads as:

LEDER BROS.
Holly Ridge, Nor. Car.

This is a wonderful pair of items that display very well together. Comes more than ready for further research and display.

Approximate Measurements:
Collar to shoulder: 10"
Shoulder to sleeve: 25”
Shoulder to shoulder: 17”
Chest width: 18.5”
Waist width: 17"
Hip width: 17”
Front length: 23"

The Eighth Air Force (Air Forces Strategic) is a numbered air force (NAF) of the United States Air Force's Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC). It is headquartered at Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana. The command serves as Air Forces Strategic – Global Strike, one of the air components of United States Strategic Command (USSTRATCOM). The Eighth Air Force includes the heart of America's heavy bomber force: the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, the Rockwell B-1 Lancer supersonic bomber, and the Boeing B-52 Stratofortress heavy bomber aircraft.

Established on 22 February 1944 by the redesignation of VIII Bomber Command at RAF Daws Hill in High Wycombe, England, the Eighth Army Air Force (8 AAF) was a United States Army Air Forces combat air force in the European Theater of World War II (1939/41–1945), engaging in operations primarily in the Northern Europe area of responsibility; carrying out strategic bombing of enemy targets in France, the Low Countries, and Germany; and engaging in air-to-air fighter combat against enemy aircraft until the German capitulation in May 1945. It was the largest of the deployed combat Army Air Forces in numbers of personnel, aircraft, and equipment.

During the Cold War (1945–1991), 8 AF was one of three Numbered Air Forces of the United States Air Force's Strategic Air Command (SAC), with a three-star general headquartered at Westover Air Force Base, Massachusetts commanding USAF strategic bombers and missiles on a global scale. Elements of 8 AF engaged in combat operations during the Korean War (1950–1953); Vietnam War (1961–1975), as well as Operation Desert Storm (1990–1991) over Iraq and occupied Kuwait in the First Persian Gulf War.