Bomber Boys - WWII Flight Jacket Art Blends Photography With History

Those interested in the history of the European bomber campaign, military surplus collecting, or never-before-published anecdotes from WWII can pick up a recently published book, Bomber Boys - WWII Flight Jacket Art by John Slemp.

The coffee table book hits all the right bases, focusing on the most visible, unusual piece of issue gear for the guys in the ETO: Their now classic pilot's jackets. As pilots soldiered on in theater, they began to decorate their uniforms with homespun art, pinups, and designs that have remained a pop culture icon to this day. Slemp goes through a bevy of those still intact enough to study today, recreating their details in full color, sumptuous photography accompanied by testimonials from the men who wore them.

It's a nifty guide that doesn't just touch on the history and the use of the infamous model, but includes a guide on finding a good wartime survivor to add to the home collection - and how to care for it too. The book runs nearly 400 pages, in 12-by-12 inch size.

The cover girl for the project is Lewis Herron's "Heaven Sent" design, a piece he wore throughout 33 missions in the 100th Bomb Group of the 8th Air Force. "The first thing we did when we landed the airplane was get out and count how many holes we had in it, either from fighters or flak," Herron's interview reads. "One day we counted 103 holes in our airplane!"

FMI: www.wwiibomberboys.com