Gear Up!: Flight Clothing & Equipment of Usaaf Airmen in WWII

By Jon A. Maguire

This new work form Jon A. Maguire provides an in-depth examination of personal flight clothing and equipment used by United States Army Air Force flyers in World War II. Included are: flight helmets, oxygen masks, goggles, clothing, boots, gloves, flak armor, paper items and emergency equipment such as parachutes and "Mae Wests." In addition to U.S. issue items, the book also covers R.A.F. gear used by American airmen. The original items are presented in full color photographs, including detail shots and labels. Also included are hundreds of World War II era photographs showing the items in use, as they were worn. Portions of actual USAAF instructional manuals are provided as well. This book is a valuable reference to historians, collectors, and modelers. It is also a source of memories and reflection for the many USAAF veterans. Jon Maguire has been collecting and researching the uniforms and flight gear of the USAAF for more than twenty years. He is also the author of Silver Wings, Pinks & Greens: Uniforms, Wings & Insignia of USAAF Airmen in World War II, and American Flight Jackets, Airmen & Aircraft: A History of U.S. Flyers' Jackets from World War I to Desert Storm (with John Conway). Both books are available from Schiffer Publishing Ltd. Jon lives in Oklahoma City, OK.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0887407447
• ISBN13: 9780887407444
• Release Date: January 1997
• Publisher: Schiffer Publishing
• Length: 184 Pages
• Weight: 2.65 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 8.5" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

USAAF Gear

Wonderful reference on U.S. Military Air Corps Uniforms and Insignia. Very informative, great photos. A must have for any collector or historian. Very well worth the money. Another hit!

Awesome read!

Great book! Tons of pictures! Which is very nice since the book is about WWII.... Information is just right and I would recommend this book to anyone with an interest with regard to WWII flight gear and clothing.

Great book

This is a great book. It contains many high-quality photographs, and provides a good overview of the many types and variations of gear the AAF used. An excellent value.

Alladins cave for flight gear buffs.

A great collectors guide. Plenty of clear pictures giving a good coverage of WW2 aviation items. Additional text isn't extensive or going into much detail. No stich counting as such on A-2 jackets, that kind of information must be found in other books like "Hell bent for leather" or other flight gear books. The wonderfull photo's are the strong point of this book and personaly I was waiting for such a book for a long time.

An invaluable reference of WWII aerial warfare.

There are at least a couple of books devoted to the subject of WWII combat flight gear. Taking nothing away from the others, Gear Up! is a superb reference. Every page is crammed with excellent quality photographs, both period and recent, most in full color depicting the authentic gear in use and on display. The depth of coverage obviously reflects the author's enthusiasm for the subject: sixty pages on head gear alone--from helmets to sunglasses, fortyfive pages on jackets and trousers, chapters on gloves, footwear, paper items, flak armor, ground crew gear...very little is overlooked.This is a pictorial history. The text is limited and is not intended to be an exhaustive treatise on the innumerable variations of individual items of gear. But, anyone with an interest in WWII aerial warfare will not be disappointed with this fine reference.