AVG Patches

[Edward]

Among other projects, I am presently idly toying with finally getting around to putting together an AVG-inspired M442a replica. The jacket won't be hard to source.... it's the leather patches (AVG/ CBI theatre / Hell's Angels / Blood Chit) that aren't so readily available. To buy the four from Gibson and Barnes would cost me USD365 - before shipping and the inevitable tax / VAT sting! Is that normal? I'm not knocking the level of skill and effort that goes into producing these, just loathe to spend as much as the value of a used jacket on patches if I can avoid it!

 

[Smithy]

Among other projects, I am presently idly toying with finally getting around to putting together an AVG-inspired M442a replica. The jacket won't be hard to source.... it's the leather patches (AVG/ CBI theatre / Hell's Angels / Blood Chit) that aren't so readily available. To buy the four from Gibson and Barnes would cost me USD365 - before shipping and the inevitable tax / VAT sting! Is that normal? I'm not knocking the level of skill and effort that goes into producing these, just loathe to spend as much as the value of a used jacket on patches if I can avoid it!

Crikey that's a fair whack I would've thought! I've seen some of these patches come up on eBay Edward - although that's probably a fat lot of use for advice

I would do some extensive searching via Google, etc as I would have imagined that there'll be other crowds out there doing them and possibly for more wallet-pleasing sums.

Look forward to seeing the jacket,

Tim

 

[B-24J]

Patches

Why not ask FL member ZIGGY?

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/show...MC-RAF-etc.)&p=1617501&highlight=#post1617501

Check out his samples.

John

 

[Edward]

Thanks - is he the guy who (I think I read in an old thread) does them for Eastman and also trades on eBay?

 

[Stearmen]

Among other projects, I am presently idly toying with finally getting around to putting together an AVG-inspired M442a replica. The jacket won't be hard to source.... it's the leather patches (AVG/ CBI theatre / Hell's Angels / Blood Chit) that aren't so readily available. To buy the four from Gibson and Barnes would cost me USD365 - before shipping and the inevitable tax / VAT sting! Is that normal? I'm not knocking the level of skill and effort that goes into producing these, just loathe to spend as much as the value of a used jacket on patches if I can avoid it!

You do not want a CBI patch, that came after the AVG disbanded. Their Blood Chit was different from the latter ones to!

 

[SIGGY]

NO I'm not the guy mentioned in your post for Eastman or E bay , I only do custom order work .
SIGGY
I can make you the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Pursuit Sqd's they AVG flew under, I don't do the Blood chit's sorry , but I don't have paypal or credit card set up , but have a person who can work the $ exchange if you decide to order from me .

 

[Edward]

You do not want a CBI patch, that came after the AVG disbanded. Their Blood Chit was different from the latter ones to!

Ah! I'm finding it really difficult to locate decent photos of original AVG jackets for patch placement etc... Essentially, then, there should be no US markings at all? Which makes sense, of course, given that they were officially mercenaries....

So instead of a CBI shield on the left arm, a Chinese Nationalist star would be appropriate? (I do like that design).

NO I'm not the guy mentioned in your post for Eastman or E bay , I only do custom order work .
SIGGY
I can make you the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, Pursuit Sqd's they AVG flew under, I don't do the Blood chit's sorry , but I don't have paypal or credit card set up , but have a person who can work the $ exchange if you decide to order from me .

Ok, I'll bear that in mind, thanks!

 

[B-24J]

Almost forgot Aero!

http://www.aeroleatherclothing.com/product-detail.php?id=189

John

 

[Edward]

Thanks, another good option.... right enough I have a goat Aero A2, picked up used on eBay, that has a very nice 77th Fighter Group patch on it. Quality of that is good.

Can anyone point me in the right direction for a book or website with good pictures of AVG jackets, or an article with good information on patch placement and types, please? Amazing hard to find good photos online of AVG bits - most photos are much later 'tribute' jackets, or period photos that don't show anything much of jacket details....

 

[Otter]

Now Ken is back at Aero it might be an idea to have a chat with him. A few years back he had some very nice one offs and odd bits related to the AVG, I had a set of Nationalist Chinese pilot wings in chenile and a very nice layered leather unofficial version AVG patch.

 

[B-24J]

Here is a photo of the 3rd Pursuit's "Hells Angles" - obviously painted on.

http://flyingtigersus.ning.com/photo/avg-pilots-at-yunnanyi-1942?context=featured

and a Gibson & Barnes video on the AVG.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Riatvco0tKg

Doing a search on the AVG's aces, most of the jacket photos having patches look like 14th AF which is post AVG.

John

 

[jbmilart]

You might want to check out Sean "a2jacketpatches" on his eBay store. He does layered leather patches... his specialty is the AVG and anything CBI theater... including leather blood-chits. You can also check out the website www.jbmilart.com under the layered patch page, to see more of his work. Leather name tags done in actual period 1940's Chinese symbols... (which is no longer used since 1947)... your name, translated by our own translator in China. Just check it out... ask him questions. You can contact a2jacketpatches through the jbmilart website contact page or by: a2jacketpatches@gmail.com, either way you should at least check it out...

Jim

 

[Stearmen]

This should keep you going for a while! http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/sets/72157624587561232/

 

[Stearmen]

AVG Book

This book has the most photos of uniforms. Pictorial History of the Flying Tigers by Larry M. Pistole. It's out of print, but you may find a copy at a library.

 

[jbmilart]

Holy smokes... Those are great photos... Stearmen! Very good reference material, to be sure... Oh, buy the way... Sean "a2jacketpatches" has just told me he has a 40% off sale in his eBay store... right now... of all his AVG patches and I think he has a blood-chit also at 40% off. Check it out fellas...http://stores.ebay.com/a2jacketpatches?_trksid=p2047675.l2563

Jim

 

[Otter]

Thanks for the link Stearman, loved the photos. I realy impressed by the shot of Rita Hayworth in the B-25, you could real see where the muzzle blast of the .50's was damaging the fuselage skin!:eeek:

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Hey guys, I'm Sean from a2jacketpatches, first day on this forum and second post. I just put a bunch of my personal favorites in a Squadron Patch thread here.

Anyway, to shed some light on this subject, I have the Pistole book. It's got a lot of cool pics of original items showing a few jackets and patches. Most of the original jackets were very limited as to decoration, maybe a painted on Angel or something. Plenty of chits were used and there was only one shoulder patch that I'm aware of. It was of a crudely rendered Disney flying tiger on a blue disk with the V, this was a silk embroidered patch. So if trying to create an accurate replica, go light on the patches.

Most of my AAF unit patches are accurate reproductions, but I've taken things a step further with the AVG / Flying Tigers, to a point where I can say my method is accurate and my designs were possible. Reason being, multi-piece leather construction was widely used in the theater of operations and personal preference was key. They are more of a tribute than reproductions because of the limits.

 

[Edward]

Now Ken is back at Aero it might be an idea to have a chat with him. A few years back he had some very nice one offs and odd bits related to the AVG, I had a set of Nationalist Chinese pilot wings in chenile and a very nice layered leather unofficial version AVG patch.

Thanks. Have you done an AVG jacket yourself? I do like the CBI jacket in youe avatar - you posted pictures of that a while back, didn't you?

Here is a photo of the 3rd Pursuit's "Hells Angles" - obviously painted on.

http://flyingtigersus.ning.com/photo/avg-pilots-at-yunnanyi-1942?context=featured

and a Gibson & Barnes video on the AVG.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Riatvco0tKg

Doing a search on the AVG's aces, most of the jacket photos having patches look like 14th AF which is post AVG.

John

Yes, I've noticed that having a look.... The impression I get is that it was much like the ETO, really - the heavily decorated jackets being very much the exception rather than the norm. Also stands to reason that with the AVG being operational for such a short time, they didn't have much chance to get into decorating the jackets more.

You might want to check out Sean "a2jacketpatches" on his eBay store. He does layered leather patches... his specialty is the AVG and anything CBI theater... including leather blood-chits. You can also check out the website www.jbmilart.com under the layered patch page, to see more of his work. Leather name tags done in actual period 1940's Chinese symbols... (which is no longer used since 1947)... your name, translated by our own translator in China. Just check it out... ask him questions. You can contact a2jacketpatches through the jbmilart website contact page or by: a2jacketpatches@gmail.com, either way you should at least check it out...

Jim

Thanks!

This should keep you going for a while! http://www.flickr.com/photos/sdasmarchives/sets/72157624587561232/

Great stuff, thank-you.

This book has the most photos of uniforms. Pictorial History of the Flying Tigers by Larry M. Pistole. It's out of print, but you may find a copy at a library.

Just found and ordered one of these on Amazon, apparently new (possibly old stock?). Looking forward to it arriving.

Hey guys, I'm Sean from a2jacketpatches, first day on this forum and second post. I just put a bunch of my personal favorites in a Squadron Patch thread here.

Anyway, to shed some light on this subject, I have the Pistole book. It's got a lot of cool pics of original items showing a few jackets and patches. Most of the original jackets were very limited as to decoration, maybe a painted on Angel or something. Plenty of chits were used and there was only one shoulder patch that I'm aware of. It was of a crudely rendered Disney flying tiger on a blue disk with the V, this was a silk embroidered patch. So if trying to create an accurate replica, go light on the patches.

Thanks, Sean.

 

[Otter]

Hi Edward,
My avatar is a jacket with what Aero use to do as the Burma Bridge Busters patch set: 10th AF and CBI shoulder shields, 490th Bomb Squaron patch, external Burmese layered leather blood chit, internal Chinese silk blood chit as a large pocket. They probably still do it if you ask. My older Aero was a very slim contract in russet jerky horse which became too tight across the shoulders, it had the internal Chinese silk chit, external layered leather Chinese blood chit, Nationalist Chinese Pilot wings in chenile and a layered unofficial AVG patch which Ken chose for me. That is the only jacket where I have been followed down the road in, a Chinese lassie followed me while reading what was on the back blood chit!

 

[a2jacketpatches]

Any chance of seeing the Burmese chit? I've got a couple going right now, one custom ordered and the other for me since I'm already making one. Here's an M422 by Gibson & Barnes I did last week. It's based on an original AVG jacket but I fine tuned the angel a bit.