I've been looking a bit at the vintage flightjackets of WWII on which the design for the Indy jacket is based.
Many pilots had some AMAZING batches sewn on the left side of their jackets, indicating which group they're flying for. Just for the fun of it, I've been fooling around a little, thinking what an AB batch would have looked like back then. Though my drawing skills are VERY, very poor and my drawing skills on a computer are even worse, it is far from anything professional but I wanted to share with you anyway (perhaps at least you'll get a good laugh out of it).
So here it is:
Now all I need is a flightjacket, where I can put the official logo on the left shoulder and a pin-up picture of my wife on the back (you have NO idea how "thrilled" she'll be, seeing me running around with a pin-up picture of her on my back ).
That would be so cool! But if the wife doesn't like the Pin-up, I guess she will be seeing you running around with it much more, from behind, while she's chasing you, with a mallet
I've asked Kim to make a professional version in opposite to my naive drawing. Now I need to figure, if I'll "pimp" an Indy jacket for this project or rather go with an A1 or A2.
Sounds like a cool idea. With the exception of a nIndy jacket, the coolest bomber I've ever seen has got to be Magnoli's civilian A-2. Unfortunately, its way out of my price range, but you might be able to foot it.
I think you mean "patch," and also, I think that's a pretty cool idea! I'll be interested to see if you actually make a batch of patches and to see what they look like if somebody puts one on a jacket.
Small history lesson, on the A-2 jacket on the left sleeve was either the number of the divison they were in 8th air force,12th air force or just plain army air force patch. On the left chest was the bomb group they were a part of that was usally a disk of some sort. and then they had the leather strip that was the name plate. On the back of the jacket was the name of their plane Memphis Bell or some type of pin up girl design. I'm into flight jackets and have a book that gives the descriptions of what was on the jackets,plus I'm waiting to get a whole book called the "The art of the flight jacket"gives some ofthejackets that were used and the pinup art that was painted on them. also if you go to Acmedepot.com they have a whole section on pin up art. But Ilike Mark's idea. I'm into history and just love World War II history,we owe so much to those guys. end of lesson.
'cause the hands aren't supposed to stick in your jacket while you're flying, but you still need space for a map?
Thanks for the info jacksdad! Going by your lesson, it seems like the plain AB logo on the left sleeve fits real well and then the batch for the "manufacturer gang"
During WWII, there was a B-17 and later a B-29 training base operating near my hometown, and these patches can also signify locale or region of the country, as some got their inspiration from certain 'unique' characteristics or features of the area in which they were situated.
Ah,
but do you know why the B3 Bomber jacket only had one pocket?
I understand that it was a map pocket, and the jacket didn't have side entry handwarmer pockets, nor did the A2's or any other military jackets, because they didn't want guys standing around with their hands in their pockets, unable to snap off a salute at any time.
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