50-mission Officer's Crusher

I found this excellent, near-mint WWII-era officer's crusher cap at Deseret Industries for $5.00 last week. The officer's crusher was so named because it could be 'crushed'. The stiffener was removed from the top of the hat so that the wearer could fit the ear phones over the top in flight. The flight model had a single-layer leather bill that allowed the hat to be literally folded in two and carried in a pocket, though few did so. The officer's model is different from the enlisted man's model. The main difference, other than quality, is that the officer model has a cloth knit band around the base of the hat, and also has a larger eagle device.

My hat was manufactured by Knox, New York. It is named to Jay M. Strong and has his Army serial number as well. Haven't found out anything about this gentleman yet. The hat is near-mint, appears to have been worn only a few times. The ear phones on the hat did not come with the hat.

More on Yesterday's Story

L-R: Eighth Air Force flag;Photo album filled with interesting photos, none of which are captioned; lapel pin;classified pilot information file; Brooks Field, Texas Aircraft Identification book (also restricted); 1 Jan. 1944 Instrument Flying Techniques in Weather manual; Instrument Flying handbook, 339th Fighter Group 1987 San Diego Reunion Banquet Program.

Yesterday I wrote about running across an estate sale in Idaho Falls where the possessions of a former 8th Air Force P-51 Mustang pilot of the 339th Fighter Group were being sold along with everything else in the house that the man and his wife had lived in for over forty years. It was a sad experience, but I did try to find everything related to this man's WWII flight experience and buy it so it can be preserved.

Photos, a single pilot lapel pin, an Eighth Air Force flag, and some old training manuals were all that were left to testify to the distinguished record of this airman.

Research on this individual shows him to have gotten two kills in combat during 1944, and that he reached the rank of captain. I am adding some photos of the priceless pieces of this man's war experiences today.

Photos taken at San Antonio, Texas during pilot training. These are all aerial shots taken from the aircraft.

Thrift Store Find-- A Piece of Aviation History

Found in a thrift store today for less than a dollar, here is a piece of aviation history--one of the Champion Spark Plugs from the record-setting modified P-51 Mustang that broke the world record for speed for a piston-powered aircraft in 1979 flown by Steve Hinton.

One of the fun things about visiting thrift stores is you just never know what you're going to find.

Take today, for example. At one place, I found three Rolling Stones albums, including a first-pressing of Beggar's Banquet, plus The Who's 'Tommy' double-LP and Volume Two of 'The Best of Cream--LIVE".

But that's not likely to interest many aviation readers.

However, I also found this unique item--an original Champion Spark Plug from the specialized P-51 Mustang, actually called an RB-51, that was flown by legendary film stunt pilot and air racer Steve Hinton in 1979 to set the World's Record for piston-driven aircraft. Steve flew the modifed Mustang at 499.046 miles per hour in 1979 at Tonopah, Nevada.

This little plaque has one of the original spark plugs from the plane, called 'Red Baron', and a metal plaque that tells about the exploit.

I paid fifty cents for it.

A photo of Hinton and the modified Mustang setting the world speed record for piston aircraft in 1979.

A neat computer-simulated shot of the RB-51 setting the record.

You can see it on eBay at http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=280158219605&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT&ih=018.