Spring Military Aviation and Militaria Auction
Lot 331:
Description
Offered here is an exceptional and highly personal WWII U.S. Army Air Forces grouping attributed to 1st Lieutenant Roderick T. French, pilot with the 379th Bombardment Group, one of the most distinguished B-17 Flying Fortress units of the Eighth Air Force. Centered around his original Type A-2 leather flight jacket?bearing a beautifully hand-painted squadron-style chest insignia, ?Mose? nickname, and personalized name strip?the jacket displays extensive, honest combat wear with a richly patinated finish, period Talon zipper, and heavily distressed knits, all consistent with active service use. The grouping is further enhanced by a remarkable array of associated artifacts, including French?s officer?s visor cap, AN6530 goggles, A-10A oxygen mask, flight helmet with receiver headset, and a significant collection of insignia and wings. His medals and decorations are present, highlighted by a Distinguished Flying Cross named in period documentation, along with ribbons, devices, and a wristwatch. A substantial archive of original paperwork accompanies the lot, including orders awarding the Distinguished Flying Cross dated August 1944, pilot training and service records, maps, identification, and ephemera, as well as pilot logbooks and base yearbooks such as ?Eagle?s Log, ? providing a comprehensive view of his wartime career. The grouping also includes photographs and printed material directly tying French to his service, creating a cohesive and research-rich ensemble. Evocative of the bravery and sacrifice depicted in HBO?s Masters of the Air, this is a rare opportunity to acquire a complete, named Eighth Air Force pilot grouping with outstanding visual appeal, historical depth, and unquestionable authenticity. An extensive personal archive and flight equipment grouping belonging to 1st Lt. Roderick T. French, who served as a B-17 Flying Fortress pilot with the 526th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Group (H), 8th Air Force. The centerpiece is a regulation Type A-2 leather flight jacket manufactured by Aero Leather Clothing Co. of Beacon, NY, under contract AC-21996, size 40. The jacket is fitted with a Crown brand metal zipper and features hand-painted personalization on the left chest, including a yellow eagle insignia within a white circular border, a leather name tape embossed R. T. FRENCH, and the nickname MIDGE in white bubble letters. Flight gear includes a Type A-11 leather flight helmet by Mondl Mfg. Co. (size medium, order 44-6549), a pair of AN-6530 flying goggles with metal frames, and a Type A-10A demand oxygen mask by Acushnet with corrugated hose. Headgear includes an olive drab wool officer service cap, identified as the Flighter model by Bancroft, featuring a leather visor and gold-tone US officer eagle insignia. The collection includes a cased Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC), an Air Medal with multiple Oak Leaf Clusters, a WWII Victory Medal, an American Campaign Medal, and a European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal. Insignia consists of multiple sets of sterling silver wings including Pilot, Senior Pilot, and Aircrew patterns, silver-tone 1st Lieutenant rank bars, and propeller-and-wings collar brass. A military-style wristwatch with a black dial and Arabic numerals is housed in the DFC case. The documentary archive contains an original restricted extract of General Orders No. 229 dated 9 August 1944 awarding the DFC to Lt. French for extraordinary achievement. Also included are three bound pilot logbooks (The Bobcat and two Eagle’s Log volumes), aeronautical charts of the Bay of Biscay and Spain, a pilot identification card with photograph, an Aviation Cadet pass, and various official service records and photographs.
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