Air Force Museum: Aviator jackets (photo diary)

Ojibwa for Kossack Air Force

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Saturday May 28, 2022 · 1:00 PM PDT

2022/05/28 · 13:00

One of the displays in the National Museum of the United States Air Force in Dayton, Ohio features aviator jackets.

According to the museum:

World War II USAAF aviators often personalized their flight jackets (usually the popular leather A-2 jacket), using such painted decorations as unit insignia, artwork that appeared on their aircraft or a personal design. The extent of decoration varied, sometimes consisting only of a series of bombs or other symbols -- one for each mission. Other examples of jacket art were more elaborate. The wearer might paint the artwork himself or hire someone more talented. Today, the original, decorated jackets are highly prized artifacts. Displayed are examples of USAAF jacket art from the museum's collection.