Flying Tigers Jackets from the 1942 film

Havana · May 11, 2006

I finally got to see one of my favorite old films, The Flying Tigers with John Wayne, on DVD recently. This is the first time I have really been able to see a truly sharp version of the film. I paid close attention to the jackets and saw that like the real Flying Tigers the actors wore a variety of interesting jackets both leather and fabric. John Wayne's A-2 didn't appear to be like any issued A-2 that I have seen. It didn't have snaps on the collar but had a single snap at the top and bottom of the storm flap. The snap heads were exposed through the front pocket flaps. It clearly had an interior pocket but no handwarmers. Two other characters wore identical jackets but one had a fur collar sewn on. From observing the creases and arm wrinkles, I would guess these were made of horsehide or cowhide. One character also wore a plain cuffed civilian motorcycle jacket. This variety of jackets seems to match the photos I have seen of the real Flying Tigers. The Tigers were issued an early version of the G-1, the M-422, but these came late and most didn't make it to the pilots' hands before the AVG Tigers disbanded. For the most part, they provided their own jackets which were A-2's, Navy M-422's and any number of civilian jackets. Has anybody here made a replica Flying Tigers jacket? Any comments on the film?
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/templr/cap074.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/templr/cap093.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/templr/9425092f.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/templr/cap091.jpg
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e397/templr/cap078.jpg

Doctor Strange · May 11, 2006

Re the funky jackets, remember that it's just movie wardrobe - nobody at the time *cared* about accuracy the way that we do!

Pretty enjoyable film, though.

Speaking of John Wayne, I saw a new 90-minute episode of American Masters on PBS last night about the fascinating joint career of Wayne and director John Ford (they made something like 14 or 17 films together). This show is a must-see for anyone into westerns, Wayne, Ford, and old Hollywood. Great insights, great interviews, and great sequences from some mega-great films... Highly recommended!

Wild Root · May 11, 2006

Yes, there were some Hollywood liberties in the wardrobe but, the real AVG did wear a lot of weird things‚Ä¶ they took what ever they were given! They were lucky to get the proper parts for their P-40‚Äôs! Yes, accuracy wasn‚Äôt something on the list for most films of the war years but, the brave men of the ‚ÄúAmerican Volunteer Group‚Äù wore what ever they could.

I for one love that photo of ‚ÄúThe Duke‚Äù in a double breasted Palm Beach suit! I love how he just ditched the suit coat, and then threw on the leather helmet, goggles and the leather flight coat.

The first time I saw it was a very bad colorized one on VHS. I‚Äôd love to see a nice clean crisp black and white copy!

=WR=

Absinthe_1900 · May 11, 2006

Wild Root said:
Yes, there were some Hollywood liberties in the wardrobe
=WR=

Not to mention the fake P-40s.

Bonus points if you recognize the Capelis XC-12.

http://www.aerofiles.com/_ca.html

http://www.aerofiles.com/capelis.jpg

It would be nice to see a good clean B&W print of the film.

Havana · May 11, 2006

I see Absinthe has an eye for rare planes! I think that prototype turns up in several Republic movies and serials through the 50's. I think they eventually cut it up and made a set out of it but I could be wrong. I think they did an amazing job with the P-40 mockups and model photography. I'd rather see the skillful use of model planes over a modern CGI cartoon (Pearl Harbor) any day.

Wild Root · May 11, 2006

What I'm I supposed to see on the first link? I'm not seeing anything...

It's been a few years since I saw that movie, but I could swear there were a few P-40's in there... at least some real footage of some. [huh] What planes did they use if they weren't early model P-40's?

=WR=

Absinthe_1900 · May 11, 2006

You have to scroll down to Capelis on that first link.

The P-40s used on the ground were studio mock-ups, supposedly Curtiss supplied some landing gear & propellors, but whole P-40s were out of the question at that stage of the war. (The same landing gear and props were said to be re-used in Tora Tora Tora)

Wild Root · May 11, 2006

Well, I saw the twin engine plane, but was the first link to the planes they used in place of the P-40's?

It makes sense that the movie industry would get no P-40's in 1942, the US needed all the P-40's they could spare for duty.

=WR=

Absinthe_1900 · May 11, 2006

The first link was for the odd looking twin used in the movie, (And a few other films as well) The history of that strange bird was quite interesting.

Some of the other early W.W. II films had to make due with models, and other obsolete aircraft like the B-18 Bolo, and a couple of early B-17's, until production got really ramped up.

It's hard to imagine today, just how tight things were that first year of the war.

Wild Root · May 11, 2006

Oh, ok, I got ya! That is such an interesting plane!

Not only was production low, the Government was not cool with movies showing off they're new planes that were considered classified in the early stages of the war.

=WR=

Maj.Nick Danger · May 12, 2006

The A.V.G.

The volunteers were a military secret and had to travel under false credentials posing as teachers, missionaries, and etc. It would follow that U.S. issued uniform items would be forbidden. Uniforms were provided by the Chinese airforce, but a flight jacket could have very well been any sort of private purchase style. At least early on, until the Japanese figured out that it was us.

SGB · May 12, 2006

AVG website

If you want any info about the AVG, go to the official AVG website:
http://www.flyingtigersavg.com/

SGB

Wild Root · May 12, 2006

Maj.Nick Danger said:
The volunteers were a military secret and had to travel under false credentials posing as teachers, missionaries, and etc. It would follow that U.S. issued uniform items would be forbidden. Uniforms were provided by the Chinese airforce, but a flight jacket could have very well been any sort of private purchase style. At least early on, until the Japanese figured out that it was us.

You know, that's what I was thinking! It makes total sense!

=WR=

HermannHKG · May 12, 2006

The Flying Tigers

Ah yes, John Wayne's the guy who beat the Japs all by himself on the silver screen.

From
The Flying Tigers,
Flying Leathernecks,
Sands of Iwo Jima,
In Harm's Way,
Back to Bataan,
They Were Expendable,
and The Fighting Seabees, to name but a few.

GUNG hO !

HermannHKG

jake431 · May 12, 2006

Maj.Nick Danger said:
The volunteers were a military secret and had to travel under false credentials posing as teachers, missionaries, and etc. It would follow that U.S. issued uniform items would be forbidden. Uniforms were provided by the Chinese airforce, but a flight jacket could have very well been any sort of private purchase style. At least early on, until the Japanese figured out that it was us.

Almost 50% of the AVG group came from the Navy (or Marines) and many of them took their Navy issue flight jackets (either M-422 or M-422a models). A lot of the gear the AVG wound up with was navy. Even after the AVG became the CATF, then part of the 14th AF, there was still a lot of in theatre stuff, including putting mouton collars on their A-2's - although I've only seen that in photos done by guys in Europe. There are a few books on the subject that show how prevalent the navy flight jackets were. Pretty ubiquitous. In any event, seeing as how it wasn't until 1991 the members of the AVG even got veterans benefits (they were classified as Mercenaries, which, strictly speaking, they were, but still), it's not surprising that in 1942 they would not be portrayed in US military livery - even aside from Hollywood costuming departments not caring at the time.

-Jake

jake431 · May 12, 2006

HermannHKG said:
Ah yes, John Wayne's the guy who beat the Japs all by himself on the silver screen.

From
The Flying Tigers,
Flying Leathernecks,
Sands of Iwo Jima,
In Harm's Way,
Back to Bataan,
They Were Expendable,
and The Fighting Seabees, to name but a few.

GUNG hO !

HermannHKG

It's too bad he couldn't man up and really fight like many other actors did. Gimme Jimmy Stewart any day. Hell even Clark Gable went on combat missions, and he was what, 42, 43 at the time?

-Jake

Havana · May 15, 2006

Not to go too far off topic here but Wayne's wartime record should be made clear. He was within draft age (34) at the time of Pearl Harbor but was classified 3-A (deferred for family dependency -- he was divorced with four children). He also had a severe knee injury from his football days. Wayne was eventually reclassified as a 2-A (deferred in the national interest). He first acheived his super star status in making these gung-ho wartime films and there was no way that the War Department was going risk having him killed in action. It was decided, and I think rightly so, that he served the cause better by appearing in inspiring pro-war films. In later his later years, Wayne often lamented be stuck in the 2A classification. I think he's still a hero and no less of a hero than those who served because he was an outspoken pro-America, pro-military and pro-veteran advocate his whole life (especially during the dark Vietnam years). He was the only actor ever awarded a Congressional Gold Medal for service to his country and won the Presidential Medal of Freedom which is the highest award given to a civilian.

Wild Root · May 15, 2006

jake431 said:
It's too bad he couldn't man up and really fight like many other actors did. Gimme Jimmy Stewart any day. Hell even Clark Gable went on combat missions, and he was what, 42, 43 at the time?

-Jake

Well, James Stewart did do some great things for the war department. He made some short films with the AAF that helped in recruiting.

Clark Gable was with the 8th for a little bit... not for very long at all.

=WR=

CiscoKid · May 30, 2006

Very cool discussion on the AVG. I watched "The Flying Tigers" a couple of months ago, courtesy of netflix, and noticed some of the same things in wardrobe. Still, classic John Wayne and it's an interesting film historically in spite of its flaws.

DiabolicalAngel · May 30, 2006

The AVG was the best $8 million the Chinese Govt. spent during the war I was told.

Big respect to the Flying Tigers and John Wayne !! :eusa_clap

Flying Tigers Jackets from the 1942 film

One of the Regulars

I'll Lock Up

Gone Home

One Too Many

One of the Regulars

Gone Home

One Too Many

Gone Home

One Too Many

Gone Home

I'll Lock Up

One of the Regulars

Gone Home

New in Town

Practically Family

Practically Family

One of the Regulars

Gone Home

New in Town

One of the Regulars

Similar threads

Log in

Forum statistics