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SALES October 2019

(click on pictures to enlarge)

RCAF first style "Type B" flying helmet with Air Ministry marked zip ear receiver housings.

 

This is without doubt the most beautiful example of the RCAF Type B helmet I have ever seen. It is the much more scarce first pattern - which means it is cut to the exact same pattern as the RAF issue Type B (later Canadian made helmets had less panels).  It is made from light chestnut brown leather which is butter soft and lined with chamois. It is fitted with British made Air Ministry marked zipped receiver housings and RCAF marked cushions. I first encountered this helmet over 30 years ago when I photographed it for my book Vintage Flying Helmets - and it had been in the same collection for many years at that time. It is 100% original wartime. Well marked with the broad arrow in a "C" and maker stamped "Buffalo Cap, Winnipeg" and size 2. Helmet is in outstanding condition. Priced a little higher than a run-of-the-mill RCAF B type, but it would be impossible to upgrade. 

SOLD

RARE Regia Aeronautica PDT radio-telephone flying helmet complete in excellent condition.

 

Made by Microteknica and issued in 1944, this style summer flying helmet was based on the Luftwaffe style with slim, metal covered receivers, fully wired with built-in throat microphones, long cord and plug.  Tan cotton with brown satin lining. A rare flying helmet in great condition.

SOLD

RAF officer's service dress gloves.

Often worn while flying, especially in the early day of the war and during the Battle of Britain - contrary to regulations (and highly frowned upon), these lovely quality short gloves rarely turn up these days. High quality brown leather with a knit lining and Newey style snap fastening at the wrist. used but very good condition.

SOLD

RAF water sterilizing outfit for use with the survival kit, Beadon suit etc.

Issued in the Tropical survival kits and with the Beadon suit and backpack, this water sterilizing outfit is complete with bot bottles and a full compliment of pills for rendering brackish water safe for drinking. A difficult item to source - no Beadon suit back pack, nor tropical survival kit, is complete without it. Tin is in excellent condition and cardboard liner is still present with both bottles in unsued condition.

SOLD

WWII RAF Type D oxygen mask blank end cap.

 

For use when the Type D mask was used without the need for communications, this alloy end cap was hinged, exactly like the microphone, covered in chamois for insulation and enabled the mask to be worn for oxygen use only. Very good condition. Would fit the above Type D mask.

SOLD

Complete Battle of Britain period RAF MK IVB Goggles in box of issue with all accessories including flip down polarizing screen.

 

As complete as you can get and in exceptionally good condition, these Mk IVB goggles include a complete set of accessories, very rarely found these days. First announced in AMOs July 1940, Mk IVB goggles were issued and used during the Battle of Britain, and outlived their companion Mk IV and IVA , being of a sturdier design and easier to produce. The goggles are in excellent condition, with no damage to the brass frames, retaining 99% of their paint, good springs to the loops, good strap with great markings and showing on light delamination to the lenses. The sponge cushions have hardened but are not stickly or badly deformed. Included in the box is the leather case containing extra lenses still wrapped in paper, leather brow extension for the Type B helmet, a stick of Everclear demisting agnet and the take down tool. Aso in the box are the guide plates for affixing to the helmet (with the extremely hard to find small brass clips for attaching the goggles loops to the plates) and a complete set of copper rivets for securing the guide plates in place (note: the lower guide plates are not a perfect match, but are both correct). Also included, and still wrapped in paper, is the polarizing sun shield which attaches to the goggles to enable pilots to see the "Hun in the sun." This set appears to be unissued and makes a fabulous display, with or without a helmet. Getting very difficult to find this complete and in this condition.

SOLD

RAAF Mk IIIA Flying Goggles dated 11/40.

Outstanding Royal Australian Air Force Mk IIIA Flying Goggles. Unlike others have seen, these are identical to the British made types; hinge and stoppers are constructed the same way. Show very light use, but excellent condition. Springs are perfect, straight frames with both stoppers and trumpet vents intact, velvet pads, clear lenses with very light surface scratches. Great markings on the strap, including the maker P.J.K. over M, crowned RAAF and RAAF Mk IIIA, IDENT. 11/40. Strap appears to have been shortened for a better fit but does not affect display in any way. Great and scarce item.

SOLD

RAF silk glove liners for 1933 and 1941 pattern flying gauntlets.

 

White silk glove liners intended for wear inside the 1933 and 1941 pattern gauntlets, but often worn alone for warmth yet still enabling a "feel" for the controls (and also by navigators who could wear these and still draw on their maps and charts). Show use and minor wear, with small period repairs to a couple of fingertips, but very neatly done. I can make out extremely faint remnants of markings but nothing legible - however these are the early silk production - not rayon which was used for late war production gloves. These are getting quite difficult to find.

SOLD

AAF T-30-V throat microphone - unissued.

 

T-30-V throat mic. by Shure Brothers of Chicago in unissued, unused condition. Very clean and elastic strap still has plenty of stretch.  One of several throat microphones currently offered but this example is in exceptional condition.

SOLD

Miniature WWII RAF mess dress pilot wing.

 

Beautifully made gold and silver wire embroidered on air force blue melton with a paper backing.  An excellent example.

SOLD

 

Very scarce RNZAF suits aircrew / war service dress (battledress) set of jacket and trousers to a Sgt. Pilot.

 

Commonwealth uniform items are very difficult to find. This is a lovely well used but by no means abused set comprising the battledress jacket and trousers. Very similar to the RAF suits, aircrew type with the addition of a button collar instead of hooks, and internal pockets similar to the RCAF pattern. Jacket has excellent NZ shoulder eagles and a superb set of original RNZAF pilot wings showing wear from being pressed by a mae west and parachute harness. Sergeant's stripes are correctly added on one sleeve (right). Maker's label indicates date of 1944. Buttons were replaced (period) as needed with, in most cases, standard uniform issue but non-matching and waist buckle is partially missing but not too much of a detraction (see pictures). Trousers are a very close, if not quite perfect match to the jacket. Similar to early RAF issue, with a flap front pocket and 2 flap rear pockets, plus 2 vertical side entry pockets. Button down belt loops (2 remain - it looks as though 2 have been removed). A couple of buttons missing but fly buttons are present except the top one. Makers label again indicates 1944 manufacture. Both items show wear but no damage and no insect attacks, overall very good condition. A very scarce find.

SOLD​

RCAF Service Dress tunic with history to a "Yank in the RCAF".

 

Lovely RCAF SD tunic in great condition which came via the estate of Squadron Leader Wellington "Bill" Burt Hay Jr.  He was born May 25, 1917, in Oyster Bay, N.Y. His family moved to London when he was 3, and he attended St. Alban's School and Stowe School. Hay moved back to the United States and graduated from Yale University in 1940. Before the United States entered into World War II, he attempted to return to England to enlist in Britain’s Royal Air Force. He was unable to make the crossing and instead joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He served from 1941 to 1945 as a fighter pilot and squadron leader, seeing action in England, Africa, Malta, Sicily and Italy. He survived being shot down over the Mediterranean and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The tunic has a superb padded RCAF wing and full ribbon bar as well as RCAF buttons. There is no label nor any sign of one. Comes with a poor quality copy photo.

SOLD

Very good set of AAF B-8 flying goggles with pouch of extra lenses.

 

Excellent pair of WWII AAF B-8 goggles fitted with a grey/green non-polarising lens. Green elastic strap still has good stretch, rubber is completely pliable and chamois is very clean. Cotton pouch containing 3 green and 3 amber lenses. Lenses are slightly misshapen but can be straightened out easily (heat with a hair dryer and leave under a stack of heavy books). 

SOLD

Excellent pair of WWI era aviator's goggles by Triplex.

 

The earlier style goggles, with circular, laminated glass lenses in lightweight metal frames, silk eye-cups trimmed with fur and elastic strap with clasp. These were the preferred choice of  RFC pilots, as well as motorists, prior to the introduction of Triplex goggle masks Mk I and Mk II and continued in use long afterwards. The safety lenses show only minor delamination and even the strap still has a little bit of stretch left. Overall a nice set that would display well with the Roold helmet elsewhere on this site.

 

SOLD

RAF trouser braces (suspenders) dated 1942.

Superb, unissued and unworn pair of RAF standard issue trouser suspenders, worn with service dress trousers and battle dress (suits, aircrew). Leather buttonhole tabs and canvas straps with beautiful clear Air Ministry mark and 1942 date. One of those illusive accessory items.

SOLD

"Some of the Few" compiled by John Reid and featuring the original sketches of Battle of Britain pilots by Cuthbert Orde.

 

One of the more noted portrait artists of the war, Cuthbert Orde ​was commissioned to draw portraits of RAF pilots engaged in the Battle of Britain. His original book was published in 1942 and now sells for many hundreds of pounds. This abridged reprint was published in 1960 to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Battle and it too is now long out of print and difficult to obtain. It features 25 of Order's original charcoal sketches accompanied by short biographies. Excellent condition 60 pages, 5" x 8".

SOLD

Extremely rare MI9 shaving brush with concealed compass.

 

Another of those incredibly rare escape items that comes along once in a blue moon. Contrived by Clayton Hutton  at MI9 for smuggling into POW camps via care packages, this standard issue shaving brush is broad arrow marked and dated 1945. Made of Bakelite with natural bristles, the base of the handle unscrews to reveal a small compass of the standard issue type. Excellent condition, never used.

SOLD

RAF Type G oxygen mask complete with full external wiring loom (Type Q), receivers and scarce hose painted with white band for high altitude/cold weather use.

 

Sold complete, rather than breaking it into its component parts. The G mask is in very good used condition; rubber is excellent with no splits, cracks, hardening or brittle areas, no soft or melting parts. Rubber is totally pliable just slightly grubby from use. Hose has slight cracking in the folds but is solid. Rare type hose is painted with a white band indicating it is thicker and wider rubber for exposed crew positions such as gunners and high altitude flight to avoid freezing. Includes bayonet connector and clip. Wiring loom is in great shape with correct Type 16 receivers, Type 26 microphone and jack plug. Getting very difficult to find complete like this.

SOLD

Incredible signed and matted photo of a WWII Lancaster, completely covered with legendary signatures.

 

This is a fantastic presentation of a RAF Lancaster featuring an original b/w photograph signed by Sir Arthur Harris and Barnes Wallis (among others). The mat is signed by dozens of Lancaster pilots and aircrew including numerous legends, collected over many years of reunions, gatherings etc. Please study the photographs carefully to see the names - far too many for me to list. This is a one-of and could never be repeated. Size including burlap mat is 24" x 18" (610mm x 460mm).

SOLD

Nicely used Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm first pattern Type C flying helmet.

 

A lovely example of this now quite scarce flying helmet, based on the RAF Type C but with the older, zipped receiver housings as found on the Type B, to allow provision for both electronic and Gosport speaking tube communications. Helmet is made from chestnut brown leather associated with early production runs, and is in very good condition overall; there is a small area of wear and a small nick at the edge of the brow on the right hand side, but it doesn't affect the integrity of the helmet which displays well. Size 2 (medium) so fits a display head perfectly. Zipped ear covers work perfectly and contain the rubber cups for installing tubes and telephone receivers (metal tubes for attaching Gosports have been removed). Rubber is now quite stiff but undamaged. Zipped housings are padded with correct but NOS sponge rubber pads to maintain shape.  Chamois lining is remarkably clean and soft and has name C.S. Smith in typical Royal Navy block printing (as per K-Regs). Another name and address has been printed in as well. Beautiful, crisply embossed RN crowned-anchor acceptance mark on the chin flap - never seen better. Overall a very nice used flying helmet of a type that is getting more and more difficult to source.

SOLD

Lovely WWII AAF officer's OD wool uniform shirt with insignia.

Very nice example of an officer's wool shirt, privately purchased and custom-tailored to fit, complete with his 2" aircrew wing, Lieutenant's rank bar to collar and embroidered AAF patch to left shoulder. Excellent condition with no mothing I can see and showing very little use or wear. Pinback 2" shirt wing appears sterling but isn't marked. 

SOLD​

RARE WWI RFC /RAF Sidcot flying suit with re-issue marks.

 

Nice example of the extremely rare WWI Sidcot suit - named after the RFC serviceman who invented it, Sidney Cotton, though manufactured by Robinson and Cleaver. Suit was made from heavy khaki canvas, well padded / insulated and fur lined, which map pocket to chest and large thigh pockets, half belt in back. Button- up cross-over/plastron front and buttons at the cuffs and ankles, double buckle at collar to make it cover the neck and face. WD and broad arrow mark indicating 1918 issue but an additional, later Air Ministry mark and 1931 date perhaps indicating re-issue but more likely for inventory. Initials on back of collar most likely from original owner (they have been crossed out) are intriguing and worthy of research W.N. E-J suggest a double-barrel surname. Overall condition is good. Two main buttons missing, some of the ankle and cuff buttons are missing but enough remain to fasten the suit. Belt and buckle are good. There are a few snags, small tears, slight staining, paint splatters etc. all of which are commensurate with its original intended use. Suit displays well, retains its colour and the fabric is solid. Fur lining is very clean with no sign of moulting.  The rarity of these early flying suits cannot be overstated. 

SOLD

RAF Type C flying helmet made in in India under contract to the Air Ministry.

 

Excellent example of the first pattern unwired Type C flying helmet, made by Phelps and Co. in India under licensed contract to the Air Ministry. Shipping items overseas consumed space, took time and posed a risk of loss, so wherever possible patterns were sent and flying clothing, uniforms etc. were produced locally throughout the Empire. The quality of equipment made in India was comparable to that made in the UK and this helmet is superbly made and very high quality. Leather is glove soft and lining is excellent, rubber ear cups still pliable enough to accept receivers. Very clean throughout. Retains Bennett buckle and metal "V"-tip to chin strap. Small size but actually fits a male feature display head very well. Has had extra press stud fasteners fitted to side for mask and across the nape, presumably for the gunner's hood. As well as being worn by RAF and RAAF pilots based in the Far East, these helmets were also popular with the USAAF and Flying Tiger "Tex" Hill famously wore an Indian made Type C. 

SOLD

RARE RAF Type D oxygen mask fitted with Type 21 Microphone.

 

Extremely rare early Type D oxygen mask, of the type used in the Battle of Britain. Green melton wool lined with chamois, with metal retaining ring for attaching one of 3 types of microphone. Mask is used and has slight damage but this is limited to areas not seen when displayed. There is a small piece of fabric missing from the top right edge near the stud, with a piece of the chamois inside also also missing, exposing the cardboard stiffener. There are three small holes along the bottom edge. There is some separation to the wool near the studs on the left hand side. The nose and facial area, usually the most affected, are not damaged at all. Overall far better than most, and could be restored with care, or displayed just fine as is. I will supply a small piece of similar wool material, if desired for restoration. Early type, with chamois lining ending past the horseshoe pad and remaining lining of linen. Studs applied directly through fabric. Type 21 microphone had had loom cut but could be rewired with complete cord. Some paint loss but good condition. These are becoming extremely rare. 

SOLD

RARE RAF uniform tunic button escape compass with ID.

 

One of the rarest and most sought after RAF escape items: a uniform service dress tunic button with concealed compass inside. Ingenious concealment by Clayton Hutton's MI9. Standard right hand thread (they were made with both left and right hand threads to confuse the enemy). Standard small compass is hidden inside the button and the threading is so precise that when closed, no seam can be seen. This example was worn by Leslie W. Macaulay who flew Albermarles with 296 Squadron based at Earls Colve. A copy of his pass when training at Gunter Field Alabama is included. Guaranteed genuine and original, this is from a very old collection where it was obtained from the family.

SOLD

RAF Type B flying helmet in very good condition, maker's label dated 1938.

 

The classic RAF Battle of Britain flying helmet in very good condition, showing light use but no abuse. The leather is in excellent condition, as is the chamois lining, if lightly soiled from use. It has all features complete, including early bakelite telephone receiver holders in both ears, both leather zip pullers, metal "V" tip on chin strap, Bennet buckles retaining their full covering. Even the stud fasteners for the Type D mask still have their brown coating.  Size 1 (fighter pilots were mostly small!) but Type B's were generously cut and it fits comfortably and displays well on a standard male feature styrofoam head as shown. Great label inside, made by Frank Bryan and dated 1938, also crisp A-crown-M stamped on both ear cups. A lovely example.

SOLD

RAF 1933 pattern  gauntlets.

 

Very good used pair of 1933 pattern flying gauntlets. As usual with British made flying gloves, an unmatched pair, though the same size and showing an equal amount of light wear. Soft leather, the gauntlet part lined with cream leather and marked with the Air Ministry crown. Matching Lightning zips work smoothly. Though they show use there is no excessive wear and no damage. A clear date of 1940 is stamped in one glove. the other is not quite as clear. This was the most expensive item of flying clothing pilots with which aircrews were issued and were highly coveted. A lovely used example.

SOLD

RAF Mk IIIa Flying Goggles with tinted lenses, 1935.

 

Quite simply the finest pair of Mk IIIa flying goggles I have ever seen. These are magnificent. They are also the only set I have ever seen with the dark tinted lenses. The strap is clearly marked and dated 1935 making them the earliest pair I have seen as well. Condition is A+++ with the springs in the strap intact, lenses and frames with minimal wear and almost no scratching; trumpets and stoppers intact, pads clean with only very slight stiffening. This pair would be very difficult to upgrade.

SOLD

RAF pair of lower guide plates for B helmet / Mk IV goggles.

 

Unused pair of lower guide plates for attaching to the Type B flying helmet for fitting Mk IV, IVA and IVB goggles. Mat black painted brass.

SOLD

Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force aircrew photo album from

a flight mechanic of the 46th IJN aircraft mechanic's training class.

 

This is a truly spectacular Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force photo album, formerly the property of a member of the 46th IJN aircraft Mechanic’s training class. The album contains 88 pictures in total, including 2 fantastic, large  (0ver 8" x 10") graduation class photographs which indicate the owner of the album graduated in Showa 14 (February 1939) and may have served in China prior to the declaration of war with the Allies. He was almost certainly on active duty at the time of the attack on Pearl harbor. An early war photo album featuring great pictures of uniforms and  flying clothing and equipment. A few of the pictures appear to be post war reunion photos taken at a major Japanese car manufacturer, suggesting he survived the war and went to serve in the auto industry.

 

IJN flight photo albums are extremely rare and almost never come on to the collecting market: far more rare than German or allied photo albums.

SOLD

Imperial Japanese Navy Air Force aircrew photo album from a seaplane pilot or crew member.

 

Heavy leatherette cover with hand painted scene on front of Mount Fuji. The photographs indicate that the owner was a crew member on float planes but no further details, nor the name of the crewman, are known. Worthy of deeper research and it may be possible to identify him from aircraft and personnel pictured. 78 pictures in total, all but 2 are miltary content (one family group and one wife / girlfriend) plus a lovely hand painted watercolour of a young girl mounted to a sheet of paper and pasted in. Most pictures are postcard size with a few smaller ones (see sample pages shown). Note: photos show reflections and silver content of orginals much worse than they really are!  Album measures 12.5" x 9.5" / 32 x 24 cm and is in very good condition with some wear to cover but solid and tight binding. Great pictures of flying clothing and equipment.

 

IJN flight photo albums are extremely rare and almost never come on to the collecting market: far more rare than German or allied photo albums.

SOLD

Luftwaffe emergency ration box carried in the Channel trousers.

 

Empty ration container with locking hinged lid, approximately 5" x 4" x 1.5" (13cm x 10cm x 4cm) and finished with a grey green mat paint. Minor dings and light surface rust on the lid, but overall very good condition and well marked on the base with code and Fl number. A very scarce item.

 

SOLD

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