AVG 'Blood Chits'

[Edward]

Doing a bit of research and trying to find out which design of Blood Chit would be correct for an AVG 3rd Pursuit (Hell's Angels) jacket.

The first pattern Blood chit on which the painted-leather back-patches were based is this:

The second run added the characters for "American", thus:

The painted leather backpatches that (some of) the AVG added to the back of their jackets as an alternative to stitching the silk blood chit to it (which I gather some also did?) would have copied from the 'real thing'. I know the US flag was a much later addition (post AVG, worn by US fliers in the CBI theatre), but I'm not clear when the original two were issued. I'd like to get it reasonably 'right' as I want to put one on an AVG themed jacket I've long been planning.

(Pictures linked to above from here: http://www.cbi-theater.com/bloodchit/bloodchit.html ).

 

[Cheuk-Yin To]

Hey Edward, did you ever find an answer for this? I'm trying to figure out the same thing myself.

 

[Edward]

Hey Edward, did you ever find an answer for this? I'm trying to figure out the same thing myself.

It's tricky, but as best as I can make out from what I can find and from the period photos, only the first type was in use among the AVG. Makes sense: the leather chits they painted and sewed on jackets were copies of the issued silk piece, and officially the US maintained the line that the AVG were ex-USAAF mercenaries who had chosen to go to China and fight Japan off their own back (of course, not how it quite was in truth, but...). The 'American' characters were, I believe, added after the US officially entered the war. They didn't last long after that as backpatches, the nationalist flag proving problematic if an airman was downed over an area held by the Maoists.

 

[Cheuk-Yin To]

It's tricky, but as best as I can make out from what I can find and from the period photos, only the first type was in use among the AVG. Makes sense: the leather chits they painted and sewed on jackets were copies of the issued silk piece, and officially the US maintained the line that the AVG were ex-USAAF mercenaries who had chosen to go to China and fight Japan off their own back (of course, not how it quite was in truth, but...). The 'American' characters were, I believe, added after the US officially entered the war. They didn't last long after that as backpatches, the nationalist flag proving problematic if an airman was downed over an area held by the Maoists.

That makes sense, thanks for the info! How did your jacket turn out? Would love to see it. I’m putting one together myself at the moment, just need to find someone I trust to stitch everything together nicely.

I believe the majority of authentic jackets had the patches sewn through both the outer leather and inner lining as well, correct?

 

[Edward]

The project is on hold, I'm afraid - got a flat to clear out and redecorate (including a new bathroom) and our wedding to fund by end 2019, so it's got to wait for a while.

I've yet to see a patch on an original USAAF / USN jacket that wasn't sewn through both shell and lining; I presume it was the only prcticalway to do it on an already complete jacket. Certainly, if you were machine sewing I see no other way.