White flieghtblouse in wear

[Ludwig]

Very nice!!! Must be very rare.

[David Fettes]

Does anybody have a white fliegerbluse that isnt a drillich?

[David Fettes]

Does anybody have a white fliegerbluse that isnt a drillich?

I am still asking! Anyone?

[Jos L C]

I think all were drillich, they're no official jackets IMO.

Jos.

[George Cone]

I know a P-47 pilot that was my brother's scout master.
He told me of a dog fight he and his wing man got into.
He said he flew so close to the German fighter that he saw the guy in the cockpit. He stated that the German pilot was wearing a white uniform. He was asking me about it. I did not know how to respond.
They flew so close that his wing man collided with the German wing man and both blew up in mid air.

[John Hodgin]

I know a P-47 pilot that was my brother's scout master.
He told me of a dog fight he and his wing man got into.
He said he flew so close to the German fighter that he saw the guy in the cockpit. He stated that the German pilot was wearing a white uniform. He was asking me about it. I did not know how to respond.
They flew so close that his wing man collided with the German wing man and both blew up in mid air.

The pilot was most likely wearing the same jacket that Walter Oesau wears here, which is far more rare than a drillich flying blouse.

[Jos L C]

It's the most rare jacket in the universe IMO, John .. as far as we know not one survived ..

Jos.

[John Hodgin]

It's the most rare jacket in the universe IMO, John .. as far as we know not one survived ..

Jos.

Have heard that one exists in an old collection Jos, but have never been able to confirm.

[Gary Cain]

Hi John,

I had heard that a Dr. Von Hungen from the Modesto or Merced area of CA had one of these in his collection...is that the same guy?


Cheers
Gary

Have heard that one exists in an old collection Jos, but have never been able to confirm.

[George Cone]

Thanks for the pic and info on the white Jacket.
I will pass the info on to Charlie the scout master.

He was an eagle scout before the war and then a scout master for years afterwards.
My 2 oldest brothers, born 1950 and 1951, told me all my life about his stories as a fighter pilot.

About 5 years ago, I was taking a Normandy frog man to be interviewed by ZDF (German TV). Waiting to be interviewed was a pilot who had a model of his P-47 named Taste of Texas with a rattle snake on the nose. We chatted and exchanged numbers. When I called him to ask to interview him, he mentioned that he had been a sout leader. When I told him my brothers were souts and where, he said they had been in his troop and he knew my dad. I knew all of Charlies stories before he could say a word....small world.

My brothers said it use to make my dad mad that the scout master told the scouts about combat and showed the films to the boys.
My dad did not like to talk about the war.

Charlie the scout master snuck some of his wing camera film out in his officer hat and still has it today.
He created some still pics to give talks at the museum.
As you see in this pic.

He has a piece of flak that went thru the side of his plane and lodged into his instument panel. It is covered in aluminum....he said the heat and speed of the shrapmel melted the side of the plane and coated the shrapmel.
He also has a 8mm bullet that they found in his parachute.

He shows pics of his unit...18 out of 25 were KIA.
One pic shows 8 white dots converging on the cab of a locomotive.
He said they are his tracers....

Interestingly enough, as with many Texas families, his family hails from Germany. He told me that after the war his grandma sent a letter to Germany to find out how the relatives faired. In the response was news that his cousin was a flak gunner that was killed by a P-47. His Oma got mad at him and would not talk to him until he made her understand that he could have been the one killed instead.

Imagine how fast they were going in the planes and to see the opponent so close as to recognize the color of his uniform.

But I digress, now back to the white jacket...very interesting indeed.

[Edgar Alcidi]

here also an interesting shot (tunic)...White or sun bleached?

[B. Dietz]

Its allways nice to learn something new.

I just wonder because the ring on the left hand

I'm confused as to why you are wondering, On his right hand he is wearing a band on his little finger (fairly common), on his left hand he has a band on his ring finger, most likely his engagement band. Once married the ring will be worn on the right hand. A much better custom IMO, and not a waste of money on diamonds.

[John Hodgin]

here also an interesting shot (tunic)...White or sun bleached?

Faded from sun and cleaning is most likely Edgar.

[Steinar]

Why is this white jacket so rare? did the pilots only use it in the first years of the war?

[John Hodgin]

Why is this white jacket so rare? did the pilots only use it in the first years of the war?

Do you mean "why do they appear to have not survived the war in any numbers?" Don't think an accurate answer to the question is known.

The jacket is a very nice one, perhaps they were worn and used up in civilian wear after the war.