A WWII USAAF 8th Air Force B-17 (42-3329) A-2 bomber jacket belonging to Corporal Bernard J. Jensen, tailgunner on ‘Skippy’ (390th Bombardment Group, 570th Bomb Squadron), a Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress whose crew were forced to bale out when the aircraft’s number one engine caught fire en route to Romilly-sur-Seine, France, on February 5, 1944; the ‘Skippy’ crashed in Salehurst, East Sussex, England. This handsome dark brown leather, issue jacket with russet-brown elastique hem and cuffs has a single, original Talon front zipper with collar snaps, and a hook and eye fastener at the throat. The jacket, size 36, was made by J. A. Dubow Mfg. Co. of Chicago, IL, and has the one-piece label peculiar to Dubow jackets made under the W33-038 AC-1755 (11631) contract. The inner collar is stamped and the left chest bears hand-painted calligraphic script, “B. J. Jensen.” The back is prominently embellished with the aircraft name in blue and white paint, “SKIPPY,” and a cluster of 30 yellow bombs and a single white parachutist, signifying his 30 flown missions and his safe and successful bale out. The condition of the exterior leather is a blend of being both supple and slightly rigid, with scattered marks, fading, and some flaking to front, back, and sleeves; the cuffs and hem feature some tears, small holes, and fraying; and the inner liner contains tears to collar section and right armpit; the paint to front and back is worn but still quite colorful and presentable.
