Warbird Information Exchange

Perfect for your ride with the CF guys!
Very cool but should be in a museum..............
http://cgi.ebay.com/WWII-USAF-Nine-O-Nine-B-17-Flight-Jacket_W0QQitemZ110050719247QQihZ001QQcategoryZ4729QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

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Don't touch my junk!!

Great artifact. I wonder what the reserve is.

Nice to see the actual vet is going to get some of the money.

Thanks for the link Jack. I saw this listed on ebay as well and was surprised that nobody had snatched it up yet considering the provenance of the jacket and the fact that a lot of these A-2 jacket collectors have some pretty deep pockets.

Either way I hope it ends up in a museum or on display somewhere so others can enjoy it.

John

Do A-2 jackets typically command prices like that?

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Ain't no sunshine when she's gone!

Some of the A-2 jackets on ebay that are in good condition, have unit patches, nose art on the back or front breast, and have some sort of provenance go for some big $$$'s

Most hover around $1,000-$2,000, but I have seen some really nice ones go even higher. The jackets that go the highest are the ones with the beautiful old original nose art painted on the back and some sort of documented proof of provenance (pictures, etc). I admit that this particular 9-0-9 jacket is a bit overpriced in my view, but considering the history I wouldn't be surprised if somebody eventually snatches it up.

John

Thanks, Jack.

I sincerely doubt that the jacket will sell for $5,000, much less whatever the Reserve is. Hoo boy, heck yes, it's a nice lot, but for crying out loud, it's not the long-lost fuselage section of 42-31909 herself pulled out of a famer's barn located near Kingman, AZ!

The condition of the jacket looks to be fair, which greatly affects value. I'm surprised to see that they didn't mention that Tony Starcer (probably) painted the jacket. He did do a lot of jackets as well as over 100 91BG noses. A friend of mine was a plankowner of Hi-Ho Silver, a fellow 91BG, 323BS B-17G, and his Starcer-painted jacket is now on display at a museum I convinced him to loan it to. He said he wore the jacket while going to college after the war, and his jacket looks almost identical in condition to the one in the eBay auction.

Yes, I'd LOVE to have it myself as a collectible, but I doubt they are going to get what they are asking.

I say all this as a big "Nine-O-Nine" fan - it's always been my 'favorite' B-17, and will end up in paint soon, I hope (I've had it listed as an upcoming project for a while). I made a special side trip to Bassingbourn a while back and took pictures of what remained of the steeplechase area that served as the 323rd BS's dispersal stands.

The current motorway running along the main gate entrance divides the main base from the 323rd's wartime dispersals. You drive past the main gate on your left and just past the last C-hangar you can see how the airfield peri-track comes right at you and just "stops" at the current motorway. Look across the roadway and the gate on the other side was the "entrance" to the 323rd BS parking area. Back then, all 323rd BS planes taxiied back and forth across the (existing then, but closed to public traffic, I assume) roadway. To know I was standing where Nine-O-Nine and Hi-Ho Silver, along with oh-so-many others actually taxiied gave me quite a charge. Later, during a personal tour of the existing airfield, I wondered how many of those loop-hardstands I was standing on saw the last bootprints on this earth for many youngsters before they "climbed aboard".

Wade

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Website: http://www.wademeyersart.com
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Mine's "The Lady Satan" of the 452nd BG.

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Don't touch my junk!!

Nice art on that plane, if it's the one I'm thinking of. Got an image for us - like I don't know the answer to THAT question?

You know, Jack, I do accept "the payment plan" for commissions. Matter of fact, all but one of my larger canvases/commissions have been/are being purchased this way.

Speaking of spending a little money, here's a nice photo of Don Gentile and Johnny Godfrey - don't *cough* look at the price with food in your mouth (it will fall out all over yer keyboard)!

http://www.leisuregalleries.com/gentilegodfrey.html

Wade

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Website: http://www.wademeyersart.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/Wade.Meyers.Studios

I'd love to see a B-17 painted with "The Fickle Finger of Fate" (388th B.G.) which shows a mans arm raised and giving the "bird". I'd also like to see "Suzy Sag Tits" but I'm sure both of these would probably offend somebody out there at air shows.

John

I do but my scanner died...I guess I worked it to death!!
How many pictures would a painting cost me? I'm not sure I want to know???

http://www.heinzknokewebsite.com/B-17_42-39917.htm

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Don't touch my junk!!

Cool - that's not the one I was thinking of!

Email sent.

Wade

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Website: http://www.wademeyersart.com
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buying on ebay can be a tough gig when it comes to these jackets. ive been trying in vain to buy a decent b3 jacket for a while now,but always seem to come up a bit short thanks to the "snipers" out there. doesnt seem to matter what i bid ive been getting beaten at the last second by one of these guys time after time. if anyone out there has a decent b3 in at least a size 42 please let me know. cash awaits. im not a pro, just a little guy with a real interest in buying a jacket. also a mask to fit an a9 helmet, a pair of goggles,and some boots. hope this isnt against the rules here just looking for some help. thanks .sim.

I've been down this road as well. I spent the better part of 3 months trying to purchase a B-3 bomber jacket and I'd always get outbid at the last minute by some guy in Japan or the Netherlands, etc. Some of these plain jackets with no artwork or patches are going for over $600 or more which is outragous. It seems there are a lot of collectors located outside the U.S. that are snatching this stuff up no matter what the cost.

John

if it's really the real deal, i'll bet it goes for the reserve, if not for more. i'm big into antiques of this nature. in recent years the japanese have more than proven that they will pony up the money, & not just for ww 2 pacific oriented stuff.

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tom d. friedman - hey!!! those fokkers were messerschmitts!! * without ammunition, the usaf would be just another flying club!!! * better to have piece of mind than piece of tail!!

I just remembered to go back to check this auction-

One bid for $5000, but that didn't meet the reserve and so the jacket did not sell.

http://cgi.ebay.com/WWII-USAF-Nine-O-Nine-B-17-Flight-Jacket_W0QQitemZ110050719247QQihZ001QQcategoryZ4729QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem