FLIGHT JACKETS, CRUSHER HATS, OH MY!

Rick Blaine · Post by **Rick Blaine** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:47 pm

"Derailing" isn't the word for my dilema. I go to a vintage clothing show, I want 1930's clothes, I go to a gunshow I want an Indy S&W, I go to FS and I want a flight jacket, and that is the main thing at the moment, but it doesn't end there...

Now I find myself studying the history of the WW2 crusher caps (and I just got one on ebay).

My thanks to _, Dave Marshall, Rundquist, and Sergei for getting me hooked on these things.

It started out as a simple love for the USN Navy G1, and now it has grown to the A2, the B3, the squadron patches, Am I alone? or are there others that have bit by the "horsehide bug"

Pyroxene · Post by **Pyroxene** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:50 pm

Ok. I'll ask. Can you show me what is a crusher cap?

Cheers,
Pyr.

Minnesota Jones · Post by **Minnesota Jones** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 2:52 pm

Here ya go.....

They used to wear their headphones over the hat while flying, so they got "crushed." It became a symbol of a "seasoned" pilot. Green was more associated with the European theater and Tan I think was more with the Pacific theater.....

Sergei · Post by **Sergei** » Fri Apr 11, 2003 3:42 pm

Pyroxene wrote:Ok. I'll ask. Can you show me what is a crusher cap?

Cheers,
Pyr.

Think, Col. Hogan!

auntsugar · Post by **auntsugar** » Mon Apr 14, 2003 8:14 pm

Actually, they called it a "crusher" cap because you could fold it up "crush" it, and put it in a large pocket or under the belt.
The officer version is what you posted, there was also an enlisted version with the round emblem on the front.

JPdesign · Post by **JPdesign** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 11:23 am

I've got one I picked up at an estate sale along with the Lt.'s leather Document pouch and a photo of him in uniform. The sweat band can't crush. Just from sitting on a shelf it has taken the collapsed shape of Col. Hogan's cap.

Rick Blaine · Post by **Rick Blaine** » Tue Apr 15, 2003 11:40 am

You're both right.

If you go on www.acmedepot.com and follow the appropriate links it talks about the history of the "crusher" caps.

There were two reasons this hat was called the "crusher" the first was what was said earlier about the pilots taking out the stiffiner ring inside the cap so they could comfortably wear their headphones while flying with their cap on, eventually the sides developed memory and remained in their "crushed" position.

Originally it was against military protocol to wear your visor cap without the ring stiffiner but so many pilots adapted their hats to be crushers that the military changed their policy for the Army Air Corps, because of this they contracted a few companies (Bancroft, Luxenburg etc) to make crushable hats that look identical to the early war models except the bill and body of the hat are flexible to fit into a pocket.

The version that I purchased was a modified crusher from a gentlemen who was flying for the Army Air Corps before the Bancroft "flyers" were made. I am on the look out for the actual Army Air Corps crushers but they go for a considerable amount of money,

and as JPdesign pointed out, any enlisted man's, or officer's dress bill cap can be made into a crusher simply by pulling out the inner metal stiffiner putting a rubber band over felt (to protect the wool) that will make it permenantly crushed, what I am doing (while waiting for my officer's crusher to come) as take my mint enlisted man's cap and wearing my cd headphones over it (while I am typing at this moment) and eventually it will maintain it's "crushed" position.

Sincerest Regards.

Dan

P.S. that link I posted above can be found in the Indygear links section on the main site and has A2 jacket info, plane info, and various other WW2 memorabilia.

Rick Blaine · Post by **Rick Blaine** » Sat Apr 19, 2003 1:38 am

WHEN WILL IT END!

I just bought another crusher cap! and I'm still hunting for an A2..... errrrrr.

but I like it