Article about: I've always wanted a flight jacket, ever since I was little, but the \\$2,000+++ price tags made them seem unattainable for me. This year was different though. After working overtime for month
I've always wanted a flight jacket, ever since I was little, but the $2,000+++ price tags made them seem unattainable for me. This year was different though. After working overtime for months, and amassing a huge part of my collection for sale at the show, I was determined to finally get one.
Friday, I set up at the show with my tables, and Saturday after several sales, I bought my first DD M35. Then, after nearly selling everything I had brought, I counted my money. $6,000. That's enough for a jacket, right? So then I began my hunt. I had a criteria. It had to be painted. It had to be ID'd. It had to be nice. That weeded out a few that I saw for sale.
After a while of looking, I found a nice CBI jacket, that belonged to an H.P. Thomas, of the 425th Bomb Group. The CBI and Tiger patches were rough, but still there. The 425th patch was faded, but still there as well. The A-2 was altered, having a liner from a B-10 sewed inside. Everything appeared to be period however. It's an uncommon alteration, but it did happen. After some negotiating, I finally was the proud owner of my first bomber jacket, and somehow I had enough money for something else!
After mulling over a nice Heer Oberlutenant uniform, I wasn't too sure if that was the right one for me. I walked around a bit longer, and came upon a jacket. It was beautiful, and I immediately fell in love with it. It had a nice patch on the front, was named, and had a hand painted pin-up girl on the back. It was checking every box, except my price box. It was $1,000 over what I had. I had to have that jacket though. I needed it!
I walked over to my table, with what little it had left on it, and began my campaign. Sell everything, every last bit, and I had four more hours to do so. The show ended at 2:00pm, so that was my time limit. At 1:30, I made my last sale. I quickly counted my funds, and was delighted to see that I had more than enough to be able to get the jacket! I made a mad dash for the table it was sitting on, and was horrified when I didn't see it. I went over to the seller and asked if anyone bought it. "No, I just have it packed, I'm starting to get ready to call it quits".
I then asked if he'd be willing to get it back out, because I wanted to buy it. After a nice bit of negotiating, I was able to get it for a reasonable price, and I was beamin' ear to ear! I just about floated off that floor. I got a brilliant ID'd bomber jacket from the ETO!
Miller Vliet (Fourth guy from the left, standing in the back) was a tail gunner in the B-24, "Parsons Chariot". The Liberator flew with the 466th Bomb Group, 786th Squadron. So far, I don't know much of anything about him or Thomas, but I can't wait to start my search.
Painted/named A-2 flight jackets! CBI, ETO
.
Bookmarks