WWII USAAF GROUPING 64TH BOMB SQ - 43RD BOMB GROUP \"KEN’S MEN\" TYPE B-10 JACKET For Sale

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WWII USAAF GROUPING 64TH BOMB SQ - 43RD BOMB GROUP \"KEN’S MEN\" TYPE B-10 JACKET:
$31500.00

Gentlemen,

Offered here is this ONE-OF-A-KIND grouping from WWII. The main piece here definitely is an original example of the Type B-10 flight jacket made by L.S.L. GARMENT CO.

The Type B-10 was developed as an intermediate flying suit for cold weather by wearing it in combination with A-9 trousers, cold gloves and cold shoes. This type was the first flight jacket made of cloth fabric shell with alpaca lining. It was standardized in 1943.

This jacket belonged to Russ Burnett, he was a flight engineer on the B-24 “Cocktail Hour”, from the 64th Bombardment Squadron in the famed 43rd Bombardment Group, an unit that was known as “KEN’S MEN” serving in the Pacific Theater during WWII.

This example is in amazing condition. All parts are original to the jacket. Knits are in great shape with only couple small holes, that might have been caused by wearing a web belt that caught on the material. Conmar zipper is working perfectly, mouton fur collar and lining are intact.

Upper left breast depicts a leather name tag strip, embossed “Russ Burnett”.

Left chest depicts the first style patch of the 64th Bombardment Squadron.

Right chest depicts a large painted insignia for the 5th Air Force.

Left shoulder depicts a color printed ARMY AIR FORCES logo in great shape retaining its original colors.

The back of the jacket has a multi-color image of a B-24 Liberator which carries the number “428” on its tail, while the nose of the plane has the Indian insignia, as well as the names “Jane” and “Cheryl”, the name of the pilot’s wife and daughter respectively. The talented artist who painted this even created a shadowing on the plane with two colors of paint and even rendering the squadron insignia in miniature on the nose of the plane!

Most of the nose art in the 43rd Bomb Group was created by the legendary Staff Sergeant Sarkis Bartigan, raising the possibility that this jacket may have been an example of Bartigan’s work on a smaller scale. In fact, the B-24 that carried tail number 428 in the 64th squadron was named “Cocktail Hour” and carried an amazing (and very risque) example of nose art that was done by Sergeant Bartigan himself. The B-24 that is on this jacket not only has the number “428” of “Cocktail Hour” on it’s tail, but it has the same diagonal black line on the tail and the red and white tail rudder as were carried by “Cocktail Hour”. The artwork on the nose of the plane on the jacket is not that of “Cocktail Hour”, but is instead the Indian squadron insignia with the names “Jane” and “Cheryl” added to it. However, “Jane” was the name of the wife of Russel Burnett, who owned this jacket, and “Cheryl” was his infant daughter. It is probable that Burnett had the jacket painted to substitute the very racy nose art of “Cocktail Hour” with the squadron insignia and the names of his wife and daughter, these modifications making the jacket much more acceptable to be worn in the company of his young family when he got home.

As part of this grouping is Burnett’s original Type B-4 flight bag. It is in amazing condition and has the same 5th Air force insignia and first style squadron insignia painted on the top of the bag as appear on the front of the jacket. On one side of the bag is stenciled Burnett’s name and service number while the other side shows the painted designation “KEN’S MEN 43Rd BOMB GROUP(H)”.

It’s hard to believe this grouping has survived over 75 years old.

This would be a great addition to any WWII display.

Finding a B-10 in any condition is really hard nowadays, but this one is on ANOTHER LEVEL. One-of-a-kind opportunity here.

Let me know if you have any questions.

All sales are final.

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(Over 500 jackets in my collection and posting every week)

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