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Genuine WWII USAAF Type B-4 Life Preserver -- the legendary 'Mae West' -- of the standard regulation type intended for Army Air Forces aircrews, also issued to airborne troops on the occasion of Operation Neptune.
Manufactured by United States Rubber Co. on December 28, 1942.
Quite good, worn condition; retains all straps, rubber hoses, and both emplacements for CO² cartridges; the right-hand strap has come apart from the assembly.
Snap hook is in working order.
Product Details
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Rheostat, Heated Clothing, Type Q-1C, 28 Volts, USAAF
Genuine post-WWII US Air Force Type Q-1C rheostat for heated clothing (28 volts, 100 watts), manufactured by Ohmite Mfg. Co. in Chicago, Illinois. In excellent condition.

Goggles, Flying, Polaroid, Type B-8, USAAF, in Box
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Jacket, Flying, Irvin Type, Royal Air Force
Amazing genuine WWII British flying jacket, of the Irvin type issued to Royal Air Force aircrews. Officially adopted by the Air Ministry in 1938 under designation 22C/98 , along with matching trousers ( 22C/99 ), this jacket was constructed from heavy sheepskin with thick fleece inner lining and outer hide coated in brown waterproof dye. It soon became popular with all aircrews, particularly fighter pilots, due to the warmth and comfort provided in flight. However, from 1943 onwards, it was officially made available to bomber crews only because of its high cost of production. The present jacket is in very good, worn condition, showing a nice leather patina and a well preserved fleece; all zippers are in working order. Belt missing. Height: 80cm Shoulder length: 53cm Sleeve length: 63cm Armpits: 55cm

Preserver, Life, Type B-4, USAAF, 1943, 467th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion
Nice genuine WWII USAAF Type B-4 Life Preserver -- the legendary 'Mae West' -- of the standard regulation type intended for Army Air Forces aircrews, also issued to airborne troops on the occasion of Operation Neptune. Manufactured by The Firestone R. & L. Prod. Co. in 1943. Very good overall condition; retains all original straps, rubber hoses and both emplacements for CO² cartridges. Mention and initials have been written on the front, indicating that the present life jacket once saw service with the 467th Parachute Field Artillery Battalion.

Helmet, Flying, Type A-11, Large, with ANB-H-1 Receivers, USAAF, 1944
Nice genuine WWII USAAF Type A-11 leather flying helmet, manufactured by Consolidated Slipper Corp. Contract is dated 1944. The Army Air Forces markings are clearly visible. Size: Large. The present flying helmet is in quite good overall condition and retains its chinstrap. Comes along with a pair of ANB-H-1 receivers manufactured by Shure Brothers , with wire and PL-354 jack plug.

Instructions, Electrically-Heated Clothing, USAAF, 1942
Genuine WWII USAAF instruction sheet for use of electrically-heated clothing, dated March 16, 1942. Good overall condition; shows a few wrinkles but no tear. Dimensions: 6in x 9in.

Chin-Cup, Leather, B-5 Flying Helmet, USAAF
Genuine WWII USAAF B-5 flying helmet chin-cup, made in sheep leather. Good overall condition.

Preserver, Life, Type B-4, USAAF, 1943, Named
Great genuine WWII US Type B-4 Life Preserver -- the legendary 'Mae West' -- of the standard regulation type intended for Army Air Forces and Navy aircrews, also issued to airborne troops on the occasion of Operation Neptune. Manufactured by United States Rubber Co. on July 3, 1943. Good overall condition; retains all straps, rubber hoses, and both emplacements for CO² cartridges; the snap hook is in working order. Name Leonard A. Muse has been inked on the front. Leonard Anandale Muse was born on November 23, 1918 in Washington's Birthplace-Colonial Beach, Virginia and joined the Air Corps on December 18, 1941 (ASN 13033524). He was discharged in November 1945, and passed away on October 22, 1978. https://aad.archives.gov/aad/record-detail.jsp?dt=893&mtch=1&cat=all&tf=F&q=13033524&bc=&rpp=10&pg=1&rid=690710 Illustration documents available in digital format only.

Goggles, Flying, Type B-7, USAC, AMERICAN OPTICAL CO.
Nice genuine interwar period USAC Type B-7 flying goggles, intended for Air Corps, Navy and Marine pilots and aircrews, yet also used by armored crews. Manufactured by The Chas. Fischer Spring Co. , Brooklyn, New York and fitted with green glasses hallmarked American Optical Co. Quite good, worn condition. The elastic band is still flexible.

Vest, Life Preserver, Mae West, Cpt. Burton Andrus, Jr., 783rd BS, 465th BG, 15th Air Force, USAAF, MTO
Great genuine WWII USAAF Type B-3 Life Preserver -- the legendary 'Mae West' -- of the standard regulation type intended for Army Air Forces aircrews. Very good overall condition; retains all straps, rubber hoses, and both emplacements for CO² cartridges; the snap hook is in working order. The following inscription has been stenciled on the front: Capt. B.C. Andrus, Jr. O-24057 . Burton Curtis Andrus, Jr. was born on September 21, 1917 in Buffalo, New York. He was graduated from West Point in 1941 and was awarded his pilot's wings in March 1942. He went on to deploy to the MTO, serving as commanding officer of 783rd Bomb. Squadron, 465th Bomb. Group, 15th Air Force. A recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross, he retired as a Colonel, and passed away on April 20, 2004. http://465th.org/History/PDFs/783rd%20History.pdf https://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient/recipient-34860/ https://www.armyaircorpsmuseum.org/nara-award-cards/andrus-burton-a5107-distinguished-flying-cross.cfm https://fr.findagrave.com/memorial/19085962/burton-curtis-andrus Illustration documents available in digital format only.

Vest, Life Preserver, Mae West, Type AN6519-1, USAAF, 1945, with Dye Marker
Genuine WWII USAAF & USN Type AN6519-1 life preserver, of the standard regulation type intended for pilots and other aircrews -- the legendary 'Mae West'. Manufactured by United States Rubber Co. on July 26, 1945. In good overall condition, the present life jacket is complete with straps, both emplacements for CO² cartridges, and its scarce sea-marker packet, introduced in August 1943; when dissolving in water, the yellow-orange powder (fluorescein dye) contained in the pouch would mark the area around personnel who had fallen into the sea.

Helmet, Flak, M3, USAAF
Nice genuine WWII USAAF M3 Flak helmet, intended for bomber aircrews. Because of the immediate need for a flyer's helmet, the T2 received extended service tests and was standardized in December 1943 as Helmet, M3. From December 1943 to April 1945, some 213,543 helmets were produced. Good overall condition; retains its cotton web suspension and canvas chinstrap, but only one of the two felt discs, which has come apart.

Helmet, Flying, Summer, Type A-8, USAAF, Medium, with Type R-14 Receivers,
Genuine WWII USAAF Type A-8 summer flying helmet, made in khaki gabardine. Label is still clearly legible. Standardized on October 12, 1933 and featuring a leather chin cup, this helmet was also worn by paratroops on training and in actual combat conditions, as seen in pictures taken during various campaigns -- Sicily, Italy, Normandy and Holland. See D-Day Publishing books: Carentan , pp. 80-81, Sainte-Mère- É glise , p. 117, Bridges Are Ours p. 900... Good overall condition; comes with a pair of R-14 receivers, complete with wire and PL-54 plug.

Genuine WWII USAAF Type B-4 Life Preserver -- the legendary 'Mae West' -- of the standard regulation type intended for Army Air Forces aircrews, also issued to airborne troops on the occasion of Operation Neptune.
Manufactured by United States Rubber Co. on December 28, 1942.
Quite good, worn condition; retains all straps, rubber hoses, and both emplacements for CO² cartridges; the right-hand strap has come apart from the assembly.
Snap hook is in working order.
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The historical artifacts for sale at PARATROOPER’s are intended for collectors, history enthusiasts, historians and museum curators.
These items do not glorify or promote any of the political, ideological or racial opinions related to the global conflicts that bathed the 20th century in blood.
Besides, we remind you that Article R.645-1 of the French Penal Code establishes fines applicable to fifth class contraventions (except in the specific cases of a filming, show or exhibition which refer to historical events) for any individual who wears a uniform, insignia or symbol reminiscent of those worn by members of the various organizations declared criminal in application of Article 9 of the Charter of the International Military Tribunal annexed to the London Agreement of August 8, 1945 – SS, SD, Gestapo, Nazi leaders (the Führer, the Reichsleitung, the Gauleiters and their main collaborators, the Ortsgruppenleiter, the Zellenleiter and the Blockleiter), or reminiscent of those worn by any person found guilty, by a French or International Jurisdiction, of one or several crimes against humanity established by Articles 211-1 to 212-3 or mentioned in Law No. 64-1326 of December 26, 1964.
The Code provides additional penalties, including the confiscation of the items used or intended for committing the offence.