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Subject: Bomber-jacket leather and our law
From: (Michael) Date: 9/23/03 7:01 AM Pacific Daylight Time So how did it work? Was every flyer in your group issued a heavy sheepskin jacket? And would they have gotten it stateside before they shipped out or when they arrived at their assigned group? It seems like an A-2 or B-10 jacket or B-11 parka over a flight suit and wool uniform was the most common outfit worn by B-26 crews, even during the winter. ~Michael Every flier in the group was issued sheepskin pants and jacket, quilted long Johns, electric suit and 4 pairs of gloves. They were issued to us in England. The clothing you describe would only be worn in summer. And we were never issued a parka of any kind. It would have been useless. Imagine a chute harness over a parka for example. During the bitter record setting winter of 1944 ( Battle of the Bulge) we flew in the sheepskins and after the missions we kept them on and slept in them to keep from freezing. The electric suits were of limited use since if it was really cold on the ground you couldn't bail out in an elctric suit. You would freeze to death. Also the electric suits had "hot spots" in them. After a while they would burn under the armpits and behind the knees and elbows and they had to be turned off until those areas cooled. And by the time they cooled the rest of you was shivering. So you would fly missions in an electric suit turning it on and off and on and off all the way out and back. Arthur Kramer 344th BG 494th BS England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany Visit my WW II B-26 website at: http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer |
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Subject: Bomber-jacket leather and our law
From: (Michael) Date: 9/23/03 7:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time Message-id: e9a6fbc9.0309231826.6513df5 Thank you for taking the time to discuss this stuff with me. I really appreciate it. My pleasure. Ask away. Oh and I forgot to mention the big fat heavy sheepskin flying boots that we wore all that winter.I was never so cold in my life before or since. If I could bother you with one other question which I've always wonder about (but nothing is ever written)... what was life like between missions? i.e. What responsibilities would aircrew have between missions? What did they do to fill up the day when they weren't flying? Thanks, ~Michael Michael go to my website and read a story called " THE RAIN AT PONTOISE" to get an idea what it was like when we weren't flying. Arthur Kramer 344th BG 494th BS England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany Visit my WW II B-26 website at: http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer |
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(ArtKramr) wrote in message ...
Subject: Bomber-jacket leather and our law From: (Michael) Date: 9/23/03 7:26 PM Pacific Daylight Time Message-id: e9a6fbc9.0309231826.6513df5 Thank you for taking the time to discuss this stuff with me. I really appreciate it. My pleasure. Ask away. Oh and I forgot to mention the big fat heavy sheepskin flying boots that we wore all that winter. Yeah, the A-6s. Did you wear just the boots themselves, or were they big enough to be worn over a pair of shoes? Michael go to my website and read a story called " THE RAIN AT PONTOISE" to get an idea what it was like when we weren't flying. So on non-flying days (rain or shine) aircrews were pretty much left to find whatever to occupy their time? Thanks, ~Michael |
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![]() Yeah, the A-6s. Did you wear just the boots themselves, or were they big enough to be worn over a pair of shoes? Ah, that takes me back! In basic training I was issued a pair of overshoes (galoshes, if you prefer) so large that when I walked they never left the ground. In the interest of the Company's rank in the climactic Speed March, we wore the galoshes all day, every day. Mine never left the ground, or more accurately: mud. all the best -- Dan Ford email: www.danford.net/letters.htm#9 see the Warbird's Forum at www.warbirdforum.com and the Piper Cub Forum at www.pipercubforum.com |
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Subject: Bomber-jacket leather and our law
From: Cub Driver Date: 9/30/03 2:29 AM Pacific Daylight Time Message-id: 15jinvk4e04p44ult8tiln4fielnhoefrk Yeah, the A-6s. Did you wear just the boots themselves, or were they big enough to be worn over a pair of shoes? We wore those big sheepskin lined winter flight boots over regular boots. If you didn't the boots would snap off when your chute opened and you would land barefoot in the winter snow. Arthur Kramer 344th BG 494th BS England, France, Belgium, Holland, Germany Visit my WW II B-26 website at: http://www.coastcomp.com/artkramer |
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