{"product_id":"original-u-s-wwii-usaaf-named-mae-west-pneumatic-life-vest-with-usnr-named-an-6530-goggles-and-unissued-type-a9-flight-helmet","title":"Original U.S. WWII USAAF Named Mae West Pneumatic Life Vest With USNR Named AN-6530 Goggles and Unissued Type A9 Flight Helmet","description":"\u003cp\u003eOriginal Item: Only One Set Available. During World War II the U.S. aviators and the Royal Air Force servicemen had available to them a vital piece of American-made equipment for emergencies that had only been in use for a few years: an inflatable (Mae West) life preserver.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis very good example is complete and marked (partly faded):\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp style=\"text-align: center;\"\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eJUL 1943\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eVEST; LIFE-PRESERVER, TYPE B-4\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eSPECIFICATION NO. 3135\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCONTRACT NO. W585 29901\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eNEW YORK RUBBER CORP\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePROPERTY AIR FORCE, U.S. ARMY\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis example is in good display condition, and is complete. It is the USAAF version, in a yellow-tan color. It has all of the original tie down straps, and the original C02 inflation valves and retainers are present, with the original pull cords intact. Both manual inflation tubes are still present, as well as the original spring-loaded twist valves. We have not tested for inflation due to sanitary concerns.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe name \u003cstrong\u003eLT. J. J. TOROK\u003c\/strong\u003e is stenciled on the front in black. We have not been able to locate service information for this pilot, making this a wonderful research opportunity.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eAlso included in this grouping are:\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBoxed Set AN-6530 Goggles:\u003c\/strong\u003e The top of the original cardboard box features the name \u003cstrong\u003eELDER, J. W. USNR\u003c\/strong\u003e stamped in black on the top. The goggles show signs of definite use and wear. The rubber is dried out, rotted and sweat stained. The strap still retains a little of the original elasticity and the lenses are still clear. Inside the box is the original packaging as well as a set of amber lenses.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eUnissued Type A-9 Summer Flight Helmet In Original Box:\u003c\/strong\u003e USAAF flying helmet, type A-9, summer, size \u003cstrong\u003eMedium\u003c\/strong\u003e in \u003cstrong\u003eUNISSUED\u003c\/strong\u003e condition, still in the original box with the stock label. The helmet was made by the \u003cstrong\u003eBATES SHOE COMPANY\u003c\/strong\u003e. The A-9 is a simple unlined summer flying helmet constructed from four segments of heavy cotton. It features hooks to fit the harness of either the type A-9 or type A-10 Standard oxygen masks, tie strings (forehead and neck) for adjustment and a fleece-covered leather chin strap. Nice QM tag sewn on the inside. Early WWII era cloth helmet with 1942 contract date.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThis is a very nice set of items, two of which are named! All would display wonderfully together and comes more than ready for research and display.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eHistory of the \"Mae West\" Life Preserver:\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe Mae West design is courtesy of a man named Peter Markus (1885-1973). Markus developed his invention in the 1920s and received a patent on it in 1928; in 1930 and 1931 he patented some minor changes to the vest.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMarkus came up with the invention when he was living in Minnesota.  He was a merchant in the area who loved to boat and fish, and he was attuned to the fact that boaters and fishermen sometimes went overboard and drowned because they refused to wear the life vests in use at that time.  The vests were cork-filled and bulky; sportsmen didn’t like to wear them because they hindered arm movement.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eLooking for an Answer\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMarkus started experimenting to find an acceptable alternative.  He eventually created a device that was patterned after a man’s vest.  The rubberized cloth was made with air pockets; when deflated it weighed under two pounds.  It was designed to slip over a person’s head and straps were sewn onto the front panels and could be secured behind.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eTo inflate the vest, two cords with knots on the ends were connected to small cartridges of fluid carbon dioxide.  When the wearer needs to inflate the vest, he or she pulled the cords which triggered the carbon dioxide and caused gas to instantly fill up the vest’s air pockets.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eBecause the front air pockets filled quite completely, the wearer than had the look of a buxom woman. The World War II men who wore these began to call them the Mae West. (In the 1970s some thought the term should be updated, and they called the vest the Dolly Parton.)\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eShortly after perfecting the invention, Peter Markus began marketing the device at sports equipment shows. At one he was attending, a Navy captain saw him demonstrating the life vest and  realized the value the preserver could have to the military.  Markus was invited to come to Washington to demonstrate the device.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eGovernment Puts Vest to Use\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe life vest was accepted quickly and the U.S. government began purchasing them, asking for only one change–that of color.  One of the people at the early meetings with Markus noted that a bright yellow-gold color would be more practical if a plane or ship was lost and rescue teams were searching for the crew.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe first demonstration of the value of the vest came shortly after the Navy began purchasing them.  A Hawaiian aviator was flying just off the shore of Honolulu when the plane stalled; both the pilot and passenger were forced to jump before the plane crashed.  Only the pilot was wearing a life vest; only the pilot was saved. That was a powerful message and the vests soon became regulation equipment for Navy fliers; soon more branches of the service began using them.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe vests soon made headlines. In 1935, the dirigible, the “Macon,” went down in the Pacific, 98 of the craft’s crew of 100 were saved.  Those who died had gotten trapped under the wreckage.  Shortly thereafter Markus began receiving letters from appreciative airmen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIn Laura Hillenbrand’s recent book, Unbroken, the story of Louis Zamperini, an airman in the Pacific during World War II, the Mae West vest is noted for its value to the aviators. According to the author, the only times the vests failed the men was when some of them had tampered with the carbon dioxide cartridges, occasionally removing them to carbonate their drinks. Any soldier will say that wars are terrifying—and boring. Clearly, this is one of the things they did during the boring parts, unfortunately.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eStill Saving Lives\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBefore World War II, the life vest was a profit-making venture for the rubber companies to which Markus had licensed the rights to make the vests, and Markus earned royalties on the units sold and did quite nicely with his invention.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eDuring the war, Congress passed an “Excess Profits” tax on earnings from sales to the military during wartime, and in support of the government, Markus cancelled his patent rights for war time and the future. From that date forward, the vests were available to the government royalty-free.  According to the inventor’s son, Alvin A. Markus, his father “was happy his ingenuity contributed to saving lives.”\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eToday the military still uses a form of this life vest, and the basic model provided for all commercial airline travelers is based on this “Mae West” model.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Original Items","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":40176694820933,"sku":"ONSV22WKC244","price":595.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1524\/1342\/products\/ONSV22WKC244__08.jpg?v=1657128824","url":"https:\/\/www.ima-usa.com\/products\/original-u-s-wwii-usaaf-named-mae-west-pneumatic-life-vest-with-usnr-named-an-6530-goggles-and-unissued-type-a9-flight-helmet","provider":"International Military Antiques","version":"1.0","type":"link"}