WWII Uniforms and Flight Gear (3)

WWII Uniforms and Flight Gear
Ed Nored Private Collection
photos copyright ©2006-2008 by Ed Nored, used by permission
Photo Shoot F-2 Booklet F-3 Booklet Fighter Pilots
Bomber Crews 1 Bomber Crews 2 Bomber Crews 3 Bomber Crews 4

(3-1) Page 2 from the F-2 Heated Suit Instruction Booklet. Compare to the photo below.

(3-2) Above is a recreation of the illustration found in the F-2 Instruction Booklet. I have left out the wool shirt and long underwear. Also, where the A-12 mittens are shown, I used the more correct A-9 mittens. The A-12 mittens may have been a mistake of the creator of the booklet since in the F-3 Booklet they show the A-12 mittens, but describe them as the A-9

(3-3) The photo above shows the connecting points from the F-2 pants to the inside of the F-2 jacket.

(3-4) Here is an original "Air Poster" from the "Training Aids Division" dated July 1944. Many posters were created, and then posted where air crews would be assembling. Shown below the poster is an example of where the air crew plugged in their heated suits. It is also depicted in the poster. The small F-2 pamphlet is shown as well as another pair of A-6 boots (not previously photographed) with leather name tags and other F-2 components you should be well acquainted with by now.

(3-5) Above on the left is a 100% complete F-2 heated jacket liner. It's a very hard item to find with its wires and connectors all intact. Most have been "demilled," de-militarized or gutted, of its wiring. The F-2 jacket liner on the right (missing 2 buttons) has been demilled. I have also noticed that for F-2 liners the buttons are inside but on the F-2A liners the buttons are on the outside

(3-6) Shown above are two examples of F-2 outer jackets for officers, based on the material from which they were made. An excellent 303rd BG photo showing crew members wearing examples shown above and below are on Lead Crew #265. Sometimes officers wore F-2 jackets that had white shearling collars. See the excellent photo on Lead Crew Mission #323 and look at 2Lt Caldwell. You can't define rank based on the collars presence or absence. I have seen photos of officers wearing the lighter shade EM grade F-2. I think in many cases men were issued what was available and what would fit them correctly.

(3-7) Shown above are two examples of the F-2 outer jacket for the enlisted men, based on the material and, in the case of the one on the right, its color. An example of one of the 303rd men wearing the lighter shade F-2 and the F-2 felt boots can be seen in this photo of a wounded man on a stretcher.

(3-8) Shown above are three examples of ID markings found on the F-2 jackets. On the far left is a white cloth name tag with name stenciled. On the remaining two, numbers have been painted on to keep track of the item.

(3-9) Shown here are two more examples of ID markings used on the F-2 pants. Also notice the label for the heated liner for the pants and another label for the outer pants. Note how the heated pant liner is buttoned into the outer pants. As far as I can determine, the black and white suspenders are the more correct ones for the F-2.

(3-10) Shown above is a pair of the heated shoe inserts that connect to the F-2 and F-3 heated suit. In photo the F-2 pant connector is on the left and the F-3 is shown on the right.

(3-11) The cord used to plug into the extension cord (not shown) and then into the plane is the same in all 3 heated suits. Shown left to right are the F-1, F-2 and F-3.

(3-12) The connector to the gloves has torn loose on one of the sleeves on an F-2 heated jacket and I'm able to show you the wired liner inside. As you can see, the wires are themselves sewn into a white material that make up another jacket all its own. Think about the production cost on this suit. Quite impressive!

(3-13) Top left is another example of the A-6 boot compared to the F-2 felt boot. This A-6 boot is made by the Bristolite Company. The F-2 boot is made by the Little Falls Felt Shoe Company. I have seen examples of the F-2 boot with the AAF logo applied. Examples of the F-2 boot being worn can be seen at Lead Crew #325 on 2Lt Mauger. On Lead Crew #334, T/Sgt Bostick is wearing a B-10 over his F-3 suit and F-2 boots. See the glove connector hanging from the cuff. The 3rd example is of T/Sgt Joe Vieira, shown here in his first tour on Lead Crew Mission #126, and during his second tour on Lead Crew Mission #345.

(3-14) Shown above is the heated shoe insert placed inside the F-2 boot. Note the shoe label and label on the insert.

(3-15) The uniform shown above is based on T/Sgt Joe Vieira in Lead Crew Mission #267. It shows the F-2 uniform with a light summer weight AN-H-15 flight helmet with either B-7 or AN-6530 goggles. The two types of goggles are nearly identical. In the crew shot of Vieira, the bag at his feet is the M-1936 Musette bag. This photo includes a navigator's briefcase. T/Sgt Joe Vieira flew two tours and it is worthwhile doing a search of this man's record here at the 303rd site.

(3-16) Above are two examples of the B-6 helmet. The one on the left is how most B-6 helmets were issued. At some point earcups were added to hold the receivers. Snaps also had to be added to fasten the oxygen mask.

(3-17) Here are two more examples of the B-6, each shown with 2 different types of receiver cups. There is a third method of mounting the receivers to the helmet. The same large rubber ear pads used on the headsets were also sewn onto the A-9 helmet (not shown) and the B-6. Examples of the B-6 helmet with rubber ear pads sewn on can be seen on Lead Crew Mission #65.

(3-18) These helmets are the same ones shown previous, with a better shot of the left helmet's leather name tag and the AAF decal applied to the one on the right.

(3-19) Shown above is a typical 8th AF crewman. This man wears the B-6 helmet with rubber cups attached to hold the receivers. His B-10 has no AAF symbol applied to the shoulder. His A-3 harness looks brand new. The goggles are either the B-7 or AN6530 type.

(3-20) Shown above on the left is the RAF C type helmet. On the right the American A-11 helmet. An A-14 O2 (oxygen) mask lies in front. To see an example of a crew member wearing the C-type helmet, see Lead Crew #159 and the 360th Christian Crew.

[photos and comments copyright and courtesy of Ed Nored]

The uniforms and gear presented here are from the private collection of Ed Nored. Any reproduction or other use of these photographs is strictly forbidden. 303rdBG.com was granted exclusive rights to these photographs solely for historical purposes. These items are not for sale on eBay or elsewhere.