Fall 2026 Militaria and Aviation Auction
Lot 176:
Description
WWII USAAF AN-R-2A Life Raft Para Pack w/ Rare C-2 Mast. WWII US Army Air Forces AN-R-2A One-Man Life Raft Carrying Pack with its original telescoping aluminum C-2 mast, stenciled "A.A.F.-PC-A-689 MAST FOR TYPE C-2 LIFE RAFT / MFD. BY FILM CRAFTS ENGINEERING CO. N.Y.C., " circa 1943-1945. This lot presents a stenciled AN-R-2A one-man life raft carrying pack together with its scarce telescoping aluminum mast – a survival component almost universally lost when these packs were later opened and their contents stripped for surplus resale. No individual recipient or unit history accompanies the piece, and the photographs do not establish that a pneumatic raft or the contents named on the interior pouches are present; the significance here rests in the completeness and originality of the surviving pack-and-mast assembly itself. The AN-R-2A raft and its associated C-2-type mast were standard-issue emergency equipment for Army Air Forces aircrew flying over water in the Pacific, Atlantic, and Mediterranean theaters, where a forced landing or bailout could leave an airman adrift far from land. Strapped to the parachute harness, the pack placed the folded pneumatic raft within immediate reach upon water entry, while the collapsible aluminum mast allowed a downed flier to rig a signal sail or, more critically, support the wire aerial of a Gibson Girl (SCR-578) emergency transmitter – the difference, in many documented Air-Sea Rescue accounts, between eventual recovery and being lost at sea for days. The heavy olive-drab canvas pack is of stitched construction secured by a full complement of nickel-finish snap fasteners, with a rope grab-handle, lashing cord, and canvas carry strap. The front panel retains legible black stenciling reading "LIFE RAFT AN-R-2A / RIP OPEN COVER / PULL OUT LOCK PIN / TURN VALVE TO LEFT, " along with a depot inspection stamp, "TESTED MO. A.S.C., " and a hand-applied "A10" marking. Internally, two snap-closed accessory pouches are stenciled "SEA MARKER" and "LEAK PLUGS AND REPAIR KIT, " both intact and correctly positioned, their stenciled legends identifying the compartments rather than confirming contents. The telescoping aluminum mast nests into a compact collapsed length with a circular base fitting, its shaft retaining clear factory-applied nomenclature and maker stenciling. Condition is very good for a heavily used field-issue survival item: the canvas shows light surface soiling, scattered staining, and expected fading, with a small area of fraying at one corner but no significant tears; the snap fasteners show only minor surface oxidation; the pack stenciling, while lightly worn, remains fully legible. The mast shows light handling scuffs and scratches but no dents or corrosion affecting its telescoping action. A scarce and largely complete USAAF emergency survival ensemble, uniting a well-marked AN-R-2A raft pack with its elusive original C-2 signaling mast – the very component most often lost to time.
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