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Aviation Collectables & Aviation Clothing - Stock Archive - Page 3
These are some of the SOLD items that have been listed on our website
There are a maximum of 20 items on each page - our most recent sale is listed first - this is now quite a large reference record.
If you have a specific interest, use our keyword search to search the entire stock database.
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 | Ladies CC41 'Utility Clothing' Fur Gloves - The CC41 Utility logo was a British Board of Trade requirement that appeared on footwear, utility furniture, textiles, and utility clothing for just over ten years from 1941. CC41 designated that the item met the government's austerity regulations. By 1941, with the need to produce clothing and other war essentials for the expanding armed services during the Second World War, many items were rationed. Certain raw materials could no longer be imported, and those that could were directed towards the war effort. In addition, the U boat threat and the Battle of the Atlantic resulted in shortages of both raw materials and finished goods. The scheme was therefore designed to encourage economy of production, rather than restricting commercial endeavour and encouraged manufacturers to specify a more leanly specified version.
The utility mark also meant that the item was tax free, which appealed to the public, so there was a greater incentive to produce items to this standard. The iconic logo was designed by a commercial artist called Reginald Shipp and is in the form of two 'cheeses' that look rather like the letter 'C'. A number of theories have been put forward as to what the 'CC41' stood for with some stating it stands for 'Civilian Clothing', others for 'Controlled Commodity'. The government introduced the 'Limitation of Supply Orders' that forced manufacturers to produce only a fraction of their pre-war amounts and CC41 goods represented cheap, but reliable goods.
Our gloves carry a clear CC41 label sewn into the left glove that indicates that they date from between 1941 and 1952 when the scheme was finally discontinued. Despite them qualifying as 'utility clothing ' they are actually made from very good materials including real fur inside and out with grain leather used on the palms and fingers. No size is marked but fit nicely on an average ladies hand and are both stylish and warm. The previous lady owner used them in the front cockpit of her husband's Tiger Moth but they would be equally useful in an open top classic car and of course they are perfect for a CC41 collector. Whist of a later date, similar gloves were used by RFC aviators in WWI. This pair remains are in fantastic original condition that belies their age.
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| RAF Fazakerley Ephemera and Photographs - A modest but interesting grouping! We have struggled to find much on RAF Fazakerley on line other than the name 'Fazakerley' comes from the Anglo-Saxon words 'faes', meaning border or fringe, 'aecer' meaning field and 'lea', meaning a clearing in a wood. Situated near Liverpool the Fazakerley family were the main landowners in the area, and took their name from the township. Clearly Liverpool was severely bombed in the Blitz and the camp at RAF Fazakerley, located at Field Lane, was certainly functioning as a base for No 8 Barrage Balloon Centre, in August 1940 and supported 6 flights and 8 balloons. A Royal Ordinance Factory was located close by and we suspect they had a busy war!
The grouping is made up of a hand painted card marked Royal Air Force, a Kings Crown and laurel leaf crest and Fazakerley below, picked out in yellow paint. Inside is a period wartime black and white picture of an RAF Sergeant smoking a pipe, with a wireless operator trade badge to his right shoulder The card is dedicated inside with a hand written 'Best Wishes to all' and a signature we have been unable to decipher. The Sgt has an impressive medal bar and we believe he may also have served in WWI.
The other plain card mount contains a further photograph of we believe the same gent, also with pipe and the back is dedicated 'Many happy memories' and behind the photo the card is dated 10th September 1940 and is signed Cpl Lavender, although again we are not entirely sure as the handwritting is hard to decipher. This photograph, clearly taken before he got his extra stripe, indicates a blackboard with Morse code detail so we assume at this stage he was teaching Morse to RAF radio operators. This is confirmed by two large morse tansmitters keys being located on the table infront of him.
Worthy of further research and snap shots (literally) from the Battle of Britain period from a little heard of RAF station of WWII.
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| Luftwaffe/ Fallschirmjager Parachute Carry Bag - Standard issue for both Luftwaffe aircrew and also Fallschirmjager troops and designed to carry both parachutes and harnesses. Made of coarse light brown hessian or burlap material with webbing handles and green cotton reinforced edges. These were fastened by 'Lift the Dot' fasteners that are stamped 'Zieh Hier' (literally 'Pull Here').The reverse side is stamped DRP indicating, Deutsche Reichs Patent or German National Patent. This example is also embossed to the top flap with the Luftwaffe stores reference number Fl 30220. The bag is empty and has simply been display stuffed for photographic purposes. It is generally in excellent issued condition with just minor wear to the inner green edging material but this is hidden when closed. Measures 16" x 16"x 13" (40 cm x 40 cm x 33 cm)
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| RAF Type 48 Magnetic Oxygen Mask Microphone - A standard WWII example of the type fitted to the E, E* and G pattern oxygen masks. It carries an embossed stores reference code 10A/12570 to the face plate as well as the microphone 'On' and 'Off' switch. The microphone is wired up with a wartime specification flecked short cord and a two pin female connector to plug into an internally wired RAF C, D or E pattern flying helmet. A near identical example is shown on page 46 top left of Mick Prodger's excellent Luftwaffe V RAF Flight clothing book. We discovered a small quantity of these in a forgotten warehouse and these appear to never have been issued. Other than a minor storage marks they are in near perfect condition. Interestingly the box in which this example was discovered has written outside 'checked 30/6/44' and below a further check date of 22/11/44. Like all our kit for sale as a collectable but we would not be surprised if this is not still in good working order -despite the passing of 77 years!
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| Supermarine S-6 Craftsman Made Model Aircraft - The Supermarine S.6 was designed in the 1920's by R. J. Mitchell as a single-seat racing seaplane for the RAF High Speed Flight and was built by Supermarine specifically for the Schneider Trophy races. In its first event in 1929 Flying Officer H. R. D. Waghorn flew N247 at a speed of 328.63 mph came first, in a course record time. By 1931 the British team set a new world speed record 380 mph and with a third straight win the trophy was won outright and in perpetuity. R J Mitchell used much of the knowledge gained with the S.6 in developing the Supermarine Spitfire and the rest, as they say, is history!
Our model is small but beautifully formed. It is quite clear this is a one off handmade model, probably produced in a workshop at the time utilising scrap aluminium and mounted on a display stand possibly made from Paxolin. The float struts are riveted through the wings and whilst the starboard one has a slight wobble it is absolutely fine on display The fuselage detail and open cockpit are all correct with distinctive engine nacelles designed to house the 1,900 hp Rolls-Royce R engine. The underside of the fuselage confirms the wings have been made from a separate section of metal and is bolted to the fuselage. The polished aluminium of the airframe and the stand support show some age related staining but generally it has survived in excellent original condition and the propeller still turns.
Many of these S.6 models were commercially produced as car bonnet radiator mascots. We do not believe this applies here as it is clearly handmade, as described above. It makes a very fine decorative display model today, despite being in the region of 90 years old, and representing a design that paved the way for the most iconic fighter of all time. Wingspan measures 5.75" (14.5 cm) and the model stands 4" (10.5 cm) high from base to top of the fin.
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| Cruver North American P-51 D Mustang Recognition Model - On offer is an original aircraft identification model, made by the Cruver Manufacturing Company of Chicago. These "recognition models" (also known as "ID" or "spotter" models) were developed after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbour. They were seen as critical to the war effort and helped familiarise both aircrew and ground defence personnel to recognise the outlines of planes from all possible angles. Most of these models were simply finished in black to simulate a silhouette in the night sky. The concept was copied from similar models used to train RAF and civilians in aircraft recognition and so minimise 'friendly fire' incdents.
Cruver Manufacturing Co of Chicago began making novelty objects out of plastic in the early 1900s. In 1922 the Cruver was purchased by G. M. Proud and during WWII they made precision military electronics in addition to ID models. These spotter aircraft were made from Cellulose Acetate, an early form of plastic. In the passing years since WWII many have degraded badly and at best have become distorted and at worst simply 'melted' and fallen apart. This example however has avoided this fate and remains in pristine original condition. The model is embossed on the centre bottom of the wing 'U. S. A. P51-D' and on the flap a 'C' in a circle that was the Curver Company trade mark;in addition, it is dated 4-45. The model carries a hole in the cockpit canopy so it could be suspendered to show how it would look in simulated flight. The wingspan is 6" (15.5 cm) and the model length is 5" (13.5 cm). The detail of the model is picked out in silver paint and is a fine example that would sit happily in any collection.
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| RAF War Service Dress blouse - Universally know as 'battledress' and first introduced to flying personnel only in 1941 but subsequently standardised for wear by all RAF personnel later in WWII. This example is a 'Plain Jane' in that it simply carries shoulder eagles but no other badges so would originally have been issued to an 'Erk'! It remains in remarkably good condition and seems to have largely avoided the attentions of the dreaded moth with just one or two minor nibbles but these are largely hidden when on display. The blue serge material retains its original RA blue colour and all buttons are in place. The waist belt shows some wear to the inside caused by the chromed buckle but again hidden when on display.
Inside is equally clean with just minor wear to the inside collar. The original label is still clear and this confirms War Service Dress Blouse Size 11 to fit a chap of 5' 9"-5'10", Breast 38"- 39" and waist 34". The label is Broad Arrow marked and caries a makers name W. Harmer and Co Ltd and is dated 1944. The tunic is not named so its wartime history has been lost down the years. A good clean wartime dated example and getting increasingly hard to find.
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| MG TF 1250 Classic Sports Car - Our MG TF is an original right-hand drive export model and was shipped new to Australia, with the ex-factory finish being black. At some stage she was exported to the USA and was completely rebuilt by her then owner to the current condition and the original factory colour changed to classic red. She then completed her 61 years world tour by being imported back to the UK from Arizona in 2015 by her previous owner. He then took on an E type restoration project and the MG had to go and he sold her to us in early 2016.
A total of 9,600 MGTF's were manufactured in total between 1953-1955; of these 6,200 were 1250cc versions. The remainder carried a 1500cc engine with 3,400 produced, and production of the T Type Midget finally ceased in 1955. Just 813 RHD TF's were exported to Australia, all of them 1250 cc version. Our car is one of these, being an MG TF 1250 that came off the production line on 9th April 1954 as car number HDA26/4740 and engine number XPAG/TF 34,953. Under the bonnet is the original dealers plate named to P&R Williams Pty Ltd who operated out of Sydney & Newcastle ; research indicates they were the MG importers for New South Wales and both sold cars themselves as well as supplying a network of New South Wales dealers.
Since taking ownership she has always been garaged and driven on high days and holidays and almost always only in dry conditions and always with the hood down, so the full weather equipment is in mint condition. In recent times however she has hardly been out of the garage and as such we prepared her for sale in September 2020 which included a full service and for good measure an MOT test that was issued with no advisories. Unfortunately Covid and other restrictions on travel made selling at that time less than ideal so she has been virtually unused since but is now being offered for sale via Charterhouse Classic Car auctions. The sale takes place at the amazing Haynes Motor Museum in Somerset with viewing on 2rd March and the auction on Thursday 3rd March and bidding can be done in person or remotely on line. The auctioneers sale price estimate is a modest £16,000- £18,000 so if you fancy owning a classic MG beloved by RAF pilots in the 1930's, 40's and 50's here is your opportunity! Of all the T series cars the TF is regarded by many as the prettiest, a statement I would not disagree with!
Here is a link to the auction listing www.carandclassic.com/car/C1417334
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| Air Officers Commanding Staff Car Pennant - An exceedingly scarce RAF staff car pennant, that potentially comes with very interesting and historical provenance. It came in a small collection of assorted flags and pennants that were acquired after RAF Bentley Priory closed which were bought by a collector who wanted the two large station flags that were included and we were able to purchase the pennants, including this example, from him.
RAF Bentley Priory was a non-flying Royal Air Force station near Stanmore in the London Borough of Harrow. In May 1926, Inland Area (Training Command), a part of the organisation of the Air Defence of Great Britain (ADGB) moved into the Priory from Uxbridge. In July 1926, it was renamed 'Training Command' and transferred to Market Drayton in Shropshire. The RAF then began to grow in size and so the organisational base expanded with it and the foundations were laid for an air defence system, which proved to be well in advance of the force it was shortly to oppose during the Battle of Britain. The RAF was radically reorganized with the creation of Bomber, Coastal, Fighter and Training Commands. The existing ADGB was dissolved and RAF Fighter Command emerged on 14th July 1936. It left Hillingdon House, at RAF Uxbridge and moved to Bentley Priory, led by its first Air Officer Commanding Air Chief Marshal Sir Hugh Dowding. Fighter Command Headquarters remained at the Priory until its merger with the other operational commands in 1968 and the station was disbanded and the site finally closed on 30th May 2008. Today a fine Battle of Britain Museum operates from the site (well worth a visit) including the office of ACM Sir Hugh Dowding, as final pics atttached.
Our pennant is of multi piece construction in very heavy silk weave. Finished with an RAF pale blue cloth background with a sewn on RAF roundel attached, overlayed with a yellow astral crown. These pennants were entitled to be flown only by four specific groups of senior RAF officers :
-Air Officers Commanding (AOC) and Air Headquarters.
-Commandant RAF College, Cranwell.
-Commandant General RAF Regiment (but only when visiting RAF and Army units in an official capacity).
-Director Women's Royal Air Force (WRAF) (but only when making official visits and inspections).
Staff Car pennants were never dated and it is therefore hard to prove their exact age. Seeing however this is made to the wartime specification and Dowding was appointed Air Officer Commanding of Fighter Command on 14th July 1936 and backed up by its apparent source, it is a possibility this pennant was issued to and flown by Dowding but of course this is impossible to prove. Whatever its actual history it remains in fine condition, is guaranteed original (unlike many of the fakes now appearing on E bay) and would sit very happily in a top end RAF or Battle of Britain Collection. It measures 12" x 6" (30.5 cm x 15 cm). The roundel is 4 1/2" diameter (11.5 cm).
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| Luftwaffe First Pattern M35 Map Case - A very fine issued example manufactured by Leo Schmidt, O. H. G München 15, 1935. This company made a variety of high quality leather items for the German armed forces including boots, webbing, pistol holders or as here map cases or Kartentasche. These were used by both Army and Air Force personnel including the Fallschirmjäger both pre-war and throughout WWII. In Luftwaffe use they were issued on a limited basis, to specifically designated personnel such as unit commanders, pilots, and observers.
This example is in exceptional condition with no issues and with the added bonus that the normally missing leather & plastic map holder insert, that remains within the case. The M35 map/dispatch case was based on the Weimar era Reichsheer pattern but with minor improvements incorporated. The front closure arrangement was simplified in mid-1936 with the replacement by a standard buckle and an additional small front pocket was added in 1938, although the early pattern cases continued to be manufactured throughout the war.
The case has a leather flap that is held secure by the a base metal slide in bar closure system with three slots cut in the flap to allow for the size of the contents. Inside the flap exposes 7 recesses for assorted pencils, a wooden ruler holder, an receptacles for an eraser and a map case pocket knife. Nearly always the contents is now absent as here but this is compensated for by the leather and plastic map holder that is in great original condition. Whilst the outside of the case carries the makers details as mentioned, the inside flap carries further clues to its service life with the Luftwaffe This is clearly stamped 'Kdtr. Trav' which we believe is the German military abbreviation for 'Kommandantur' meaning 'Administrative Headquarters Commandant's Office' which is over stamped 'Fl. H. Kdtr Pütniz, ' which refers to 'Fliegerhorst Kommandantur, headquarter of the Airfield' and a further stamp reads Fl. Schule Pütnitz, which translated is 'Flying School Pütnitz'. Below is a further stamp '35' which we assume confirms the 1935, manufacture date. On line research indicates Pütnitz-Damgarten was a Luftwaffe airfield built by the Wehrmacht in 1935-36 and inaugurated as a Luftwaffe Fliegerhorstkommandantur on 1 October 1936. Pütnitz was a training station for flying, navigation, instrument flight and airborne radio throughout the war. During 1944 and 1945 the station command at Pütnitz was Fl. H. Kdtr. A (o) 5/III
A similar example is illustrated in Mick Prodoger's 'Luftwaffe V RAF Flight Equipment' book page 118. It would be hard to find such a crisp original 'Kartentasche' as this, together with the added service history of the base and unit it served with lifts this example above the norm.
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| French L'Armee De L'Air Officer Superieur Winter Visor Cap - This is the 1929 pattern. The braided cap band indicates a high rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. Inside the crown of the cap is named to manufacturer G. Risacher, Master Tailor Base Aerienne 114, which is located at Aix-en-Provence. The base is situated in South of France. The cap carries winged badge to front attached by metal clips marked Deposee and fitted with a correct braided gold cord chinstrap. The leather cap band is marked with size 57. The cap is in excellent issued condition with no moth or damage to fabric. Minor age, crazing to peak. The cap is not dated but clearly style and materials indicate it is from early post war/Indochina.
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| Luftwaffe M-43 Einheitsfliegermütze Other Ranks Flight Cap - The Luftwaffe M-43 field cap was introduced for wear by all ranks on 27th September 1943 as a replacement cap for all other field caps then in use. The standard issue M-43 was constructed of Luftwaffe blue-grey wool with a rayon lining.
On offer is a very fine late war single button specification example that has avoided the attentions of the dreaded moth. The interior lining is very clean and is nicely ink stamped 56 (size) followed by 1944 and below RB Nr. 0/0375/0025. The Reichsbetriebsnummer (or RB number) is a 9 digit code introduced on 25.06.43 The prefix 0 indicates Industry and second group of four numbers represents a district code that identifies the geographic location of the company, we believe in this case Saxony. The third and last group of four is the Company code, which we have not as yet identified, so any help on this would be appreciated.
The cap carries a fine one piece Luftwaffe insignia with woven cockade below and the peak retains an excellent shape. September 1943 instructions stated if the peak got in the way when operating machinery the wearer was allowed to reverse the peak and wear back to front in the modern manner of today although we have yet to find a period photograph to prove the point! Not much else we can add other than this example meets the collectors maxim 'always buy the best example you can afford'. But don't just take our word for it and as with all our stock more detailed photographs are available by return. When new these caps were charged at 3.19 Reichmarks ;ours is now a little more but this pattern is becoming increasingly hard to find and more so in this conditionon and should prove a good investment and an excellent addition to the collection.
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| Luftwaffe Other Ranks /NCO leather belt - Fitted with original 1940 pattern die stamped, steel combat box buckle; pre-war examples featured a fully pebbled alloy buckles but these were superseded around 1939 or 1940 by the steel variant. This example features a smooth outer field with a central embossed high relief oval with pebble finish, inside a laurel leaf wreath surround. The Luftwaffe eagle, with outstretched wings clutching a canted swastika in one talon to the centre and is of the second pattern with good crisp definition. Some of the original dark field grey paint remains to the front but is largely worn away. Earlier buckles carried a short leather tab attached to the buckle roll bar to serve as a catch for the right-side ammunition pouch, but by order OTB 42, No.54 of 28th March 1942 this was abolished, as a material saving aid due to war shortages and this is correctly omitted from this buckle.
The leather belt is also in excellent issued condition. This again is the later pattern finished in black leather with a brown interior. The original owner has scratched his name into the adjustment bar leather and appears to read 'Leut'. On the opposite end to the buckle the belt clip is securely stitched in place and whilst a little indistinct the makers details are stamped on the pointed end and whilst we have not been able to decipher the manufacturer the date of 1942 is clearly shown, so aligns exactly with the specification described above. The leather belt (excluding the buckle) measures 36.5" (92 cm) so ideal dressed on a mannequin display.
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| Luftwaffe Fémáru M 37 M Pistol Holster - Fémáru P.37(u) Pistol was manufactured by Fémáru Fegyver- és Gépgyár R. T. Budapest in Hungary. The Model 37 was an updated and simplified version of the earlier blowback design, the Model 29. The Hungarian Army adopted the updated pistol in 1937, and in 1940 joined the Axis Powers and in 1941, the Third Reich contracted with FÉG for 50,000 Model 37s which were primarily issued to the Luftwaffe, with the calibre changed to 7.65 mm but to the same basic pattern but with the addition of a safety catch.
Our holster would originally have held one of these weapons and is maker coded to the rear 'cdc' indicating it was made by Kern, Klager & Cie of Berlin, who also supplied binocular cases in WWII. Below the factory code is the date of manufacture indicating 1943. Various types of holster were made for the M 37 but this German made example is all leather and carries a pocket to the front for a spare magazine and a strap and stud for securing the weapon. The leather shows evidence of service use but remains sound whilst the base metal rivets evidence some rust. The back of the holster has a loop for attaching to a belt, as well as carrying the manufacturers code as mentioned. Inside the holster it is unlined and the inner flap carries ink stamping reading 'Nur für Pistole 37 M (Ung) Kal. 7,65 m/m', which in translation means 'Only for Pistol Model 37 (Hungarian) Calibre 7.65mm'. Those owning a copy of the reference book 'Deutsche Luftwaffe ' will find an identical holster illustrated on pages 338 & 339.
A very clean example of an increasingly rare Luftwaffe holster that would of course display well with the Luftwaffe belt we are also just listing.
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| RAF Magnetic Staff Car pennant Mast - This is only the second example of one of these we have had in 20 years+ of trading. It was found in a box containing assorted RAF items that originated from Bentley Priory, including the Air Officer Commanding pennant we have just listed, so we surmise this was were it served. This would appear to be post war issue and we are told the magnetic version was used when different staff cars were used, whilst a regular staff car would have had a permanent mast bolted to it.
It is finely engineered with both the finial and mast having a screw thread to aid the attachment of and safely securing the appropriate pennant. The mast is finished in what we believe to be stainless steel and the very strong magnet is enclosed within a rubber base, to avoid any damage to the car's paintwork. We understand these portable examples were good for speeds up to 8o MPH (128 KPH) but we have not as yet tested it on our Somerset roads!
The mast measures 14" from the base to the top of the finial (35.5 cm) and the rubber base is 3.75" diameter (9.5 cm) Please note this listing is for the mast alone and the Air Officer Commanding pennant is for display purposes only, but is listed for sale separately against item 6537. Modern diplomatic magnetic flag pole masts are being advertised currently at £236.81 Ours, which was definitely RAF issue and possibly with interesting provenance, is rather more modestly priced!
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| RAF Staff Car Pennant - These were flown from official RAF staff cars of Section and Station Commanders of the rank of Wing Commander and above. It is made from woven fabric finished in RAF blue with an embroidered RAF roundel stitched to the centre. The flag staff side is reinforced with leather to prevent wear to the fabric. We understand on RAF owned staff cars the flag pole was fitted by means of a screw in the base plate that was permanently attached to the vehicle. On lease cars the flag pole was attached via a magnetic base, so it could be easily removed depending on who was being driven.
This example remains in remarkably good flown condition with just very minor age wear. Unlike most of the fake RAF ensigns currently being offered as originals on E bay we can give a money back assurance this one is the real deal so you can buy with confidence. These are difficult to date but post war examples tended to be of nylon with an embossed roundel, so we would estimate this fine example dates from circa WWII or the early post war period. The pennant is double sided and measures 12.5"x 5.75" (31 cm x 14.5 cm) and the roundel is about 4.5" diameter (11 cm). The last one of these we offered was sold back in 2014 so grab this opportunity whilst you can!
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| Wing Commander Guy Gibson D. F. C. RAF Pilot's Flying Log Book No 2 - Clearly this example is a replica, with the original held as a national archive item at the Public Records Office. Despite this, these copies are now incredibly rare and have become a sought after collector's item in its own right. This was published in a single run by 'After the Battle ' magazine in 1975 and sold out very quickly and are now only very occasionally available on the second hand market. I will certainly never be selling my own copy but we have now been fortunate enough to find a further example that is offered for resale here. This one even comes with the original paper insert order form issued with the book when first offered for sale and is now nearly always missing.
Guy Gibson's Log Book No. 2 was faithfully replicated from the original copy held in the Public Record Office, London. The first and last pages have been stuck together as in the original book. The photograph that had been inserted on the page following the entry for the Dams raid on May 16, 1943, is missing in the original and is missing here. This log book remains in excellent used condition with just minor fading to a part of the cover, (which actually adds to the authenticity in our view) and is marked 'Log Book No2' ;it is not known what happened to Guy Gibson's original log book covering the period up to November 15, 1940. The written entries end of September 15, 1944. Just Three days later, on September 19, Gibson piloted a Mosquito, acting as Master Bomber and target illumination for an attack on Bremen. At 21.53 hours he turned for home but three-quarters of an hour later crashed in flames at Steenbergen, Holland. Mystery continues to surround his loss but the current theory is he was mistaken for a Luftwaffe Junkers 88 and was sadly shot down and killed by 'friendly fire'.
Don't just take our word for it just how good this facsimile is and I quote from Amazon. com reviewer J. R. Perkins: "As an historic document, this item ranks up there with the best. Especially if you have an interest in aviation from the Second World War, as Guy Gibson is one of the best known pilots of the Royal Air Force and to have a reproduction of his Log Book is something really special. Some of his less known sorties are listed here, being his time as a night fighter pilot with 29 Squadron flying Blenheims and then Beaufighters defending the skies of England against German night bombers. Truly a very special book to own and treasure. Wing Commander Guy Penrose Gibson VC DSO DFC (12 August 1918 – 19 September 1944), was the first CO of the Royal Air Force's 617 Squadron, which he led in the "Dam Busters" raid (Operation Chastise) in 1943, resulting in the destruction of two large dams in the Ruhr area. He was awarded the Victoria Cross and died later in the war. He had completed over 170 operations at the age of 24. "
One personal and emotive entry in the log book, made on 21st November 1940 and is featured in our attached photograph. Gibson met Eve Moore, a show dancer and actress, in December 1939 when she was performing in the revue'Come Out To Play' at the New Hippodrome Theatre, Coventry. Gibson proposed to Eve in October 1940 and she accepted and on 21st November he flew down to Cardiff in a Blenheim and the log book connotation reads under 'Duty'section:'To Cardiff -To be Married!
This edition is not to be confused with modern copies that have recently been offered from Holland and is from the original one off limited edition 'After the Battle' print run. We did however spot one offered on UK eBay that sold on 1st November 2020 for £350 plus delivery; ours is rather more modestly priced!
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| French Armée de l'Air Adjudant-Chef Tunic - A good original example with gold bullion wing badge to the chest indicating the original owner was a 'Flying Mechanic' which we understand in RAF terms would be a Flight Engineer. Below on the right breast pocket is a corresponding metal trade badge that picks up the same trade motif ;this could be a later addition. The cloth shows signs of service wear but is generally in very good condition and retains the dark navy blue colour characteristic of French Air Force uniforms. Rank bars are sewn to the shoulders and arms. Theses indicate the tunic is badged to a senior NCO with the rank of 'Adjudant-Chef', the senior of the two Warrant officer grades in the Armée de l'Air, with the rank indicated by a gold ribbon with a middle stripe of red; the junior grade of warrant officer carried a silver ribbon with a red stripe. Standard brass buttons are fitted with the Air Force logo and maker marked A. M & Cie Paris.
Inside is equally clean with no damage to the lining. The tunic carries a cloth badge with a name hand written 'Goudel Jacques Gerhas' which we believe would be the original owner rather than the manufacturer. We can not find any other identifying marks and as it is not dated our best guess is it probably originated in the late 1940's or 1950's but we stand to be corrected by all you French Armée de l'Air experts! No sizing is shown but we estimate it would be a good fit on a chest size of 39"-41" (99 cm -103 cm) An unusual tunic not often seen this side of the English Channel and seeing it is modestly priced would be a welcome addition to a collection but seeing the condition it would also suit a reenactor or something completely different for a fancy dress party.
Please also see the two period French visor caps we also currently have listed elsewhere in the 'Aeronautical, Headgear Other' section.
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| Framed Photograph of a Luftwaffe Administrative Officer - This clearly shows rank badges for a Hauptbrandmeister and to the base of the photograph is embossed "Photo-Wiebeche". Below is a set of fabric Luftwaffe national emblem badge with evidence of original stitching together with a cloth Reichskokade. The grouping is mounted in a more recent frame measuring 28 cm x 13 cm (11.5" x 5.25").
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| Adler-Liederheft Feldpostausgabe des Liederbuchs der Luftwaffe On offer is an original copy of an Adler Luftwaffe songbook published in Berlin 1939, then priced at a modest 20 Pfg! The literal translation of the booklets title is 'Adler-Liederheft Field post edition of the Luftwaffe songbook' and the cover shows a trio of JU 87 Stuka dive bombers in flight, as well as a Luftwaffe eagle and swastika set against an inverted sword. Inside it carries 8 black and while photographs and drawings showing the Luftwaffe in action and alongside a range of no doubt patriotic songs and the accompanying music. The booklet has 31 pages in total and despite now being 82 years old (this is not a reprint) it remains in remarkably good overall condition, with just light wear to the covers. Booklet measures 6.25"x 4.50" (16 cm x 11 cm)
Pages: 31
Cover: Soft
Author: Adler-Liederheft
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