SALEABLE ITEM TAG
€132£110.00 WITH TAXES & DUTY PAID
£110.00
Bomber Boys: WWII Flight Jacket Art
The Real McCoy's BOMBER-BOYS
About
John Slemp served as an armor officer in the U.S. Army for over a decade, with deployments across the United States and Germany.
With more than 25 years of experience as an award-winning photographer, Slemp is now an exhibiting artist who has recently completed his first book on World War II flight jackets, Bomber Boys.
Bomber Boys: WWII Flight Jacket Art, written and photographed by Slemp, provides an in-depth exploration of the military folk art on flight jackets and the stories of the men who wore them. This comprehensive project documents over 150 Type A-2 jackets, including museum pieces and those from personal collections, accompanied by personal artifacts, journal entries, and firsthand accounts from WWII pilots.
The book includes a detailed guide on the construction of the A-2 jacket, featuring images of a jacket worn by Charles Mueller, a commercial pilot enlisted in October 1942. Slemp further examines the artistic narrative and symbolism behind these jackets and discusses the materials used to create them.
Other features include essays on the renowned Flying Tigers of the American Volunteer Group, as well as practical guides for collectors and archivists by conservator Rachel Waters, detailing how to locate, care for, and preserve vintage A-2 jackets. Jeff Shrader of Antiques Roadshow provides insights on verifying jacket provenance, while fashion historian Laura McLaws Helms offers commentary on the influence of these jackets on fashion.
"It was a real honor to have met and photographed over 20 WWII veterans for the book, and to share their stories. The jackets are definitely a unique record of that era, and their iconic design is now embedded in the lexicon of worldwide fashion."
- Written and photographed by John Slemp
- 370 pages, including comprehensive index
- Printed in the USA