Original Item: One-of-a-kind. This is a fantastic British made Officer Field Ike Style Jacket. British-made ETO jackets are highly collectible and increasingly hard. This style of jacket was custom made in the UK during the war at specific request by an officer in the United States Army. The pattern was not really an official Army approved pattern but it so closely resembled the IKE jacket that it was accepted in the ETO during the war. This short jacket is constructed of fine wool shell with no interior lining The exterior features a single breasted 5 button front with two chest pockets. The interior bears the original British broad arrow stamp.

Jacket features captains rank insignia bars, pilot collar device and a very nice 9th Air Force embroidered patch to the left shoulder. Offered in overall excellent condition and ready for display and research!

Measurements
Collar to shoulder: 9.5”
Shoulder to sleeve: 24”
Shoulder to shoulder: 16”
Chest width: 20”
Waist width: 17”
Hip width: N/A”
Front length: 22"

In the summer of 1941 General Headquarters Air Force (GHQ AF) decided to establish commands to direct its air support mission in each of its numbered air forces, plus one additional command that would report directly to GHQ AF. These commands were manned from inactivating wings, and would initially control only observation squadrons, which would be transferred from the control of the corps and divisions, although they would remain attached to these ground units. GHQ AF organized 5th Air Support Command at Bowman Field, Kentucky in September 1941, drawing its personnel and equipment from the 16th Bombardment Wing, which was simultaneously inactivated. New observation groups were formed, with a cadre drawn from National Guard squadrons that had been mobilized in 1940 and 1941.[8] 5th Air Support Command was redesignated as 9th Air Force in April 1942. It moved to Bolling Field, DC on 22 July and transferred without personnel or equipment to Cairo, Egypt on 12 November 1942.