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Bomber Boys...WWII Flight Jacket Art Coffee Table Book

42605

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$129.99

Benefits

Connect Directly with History: Experience WWII aviation like never before through stunning, high-resolution photos that make the art, texture, and stories of each jacket feel tangible and immediate.
Gain a Deep Personal Connection: Go beyond dates and battles by reading the personal accounts and seeing the portraits of the veterans who wore these jackets, giving you a profound appreciation for the human experience of the war.
Enrich Your Knowledge: Receive more than just a photo book with expert guides on the jacket's fashion impact, collecting tips from an Antiques Roadshow appraiser, and proper care for these historic items.
Own an Award-Winning Centerpiece: Display a beautiful, internationally acclaimed hardcover book that serves as a captivating piece of art for your home or office, sparking conversations and sharing history with guests.
Find What You're Looking For: Use the comprehensive index to easily locate specific military units, names, or aircraft, making this book both a beautiful visual gallery and a valuable reference tool.

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30-Day Return Window: Most items may be returned within 30 days of purchase for a refund of the purchase price. [Read Full Policy]
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A Visual History of Courage and Creativity on Wearable Canvases

Step back in time to the golden age of aviation and witness a unique intersection of military history, art, and personal storytelling. Bomber Boys: WWII Flight Jacket Art is a breathtaking coffee table book that chronicles the service of the US Army Air Forces through the iconic, hand-painted A-2 leather flight jackets they wore. These jackets served as wearable diaries, each one a unique testament to the bravery, humor, and identity of the airman who wore it.

A Meticulously Documented Masterpiece

Over an eight-year journey, commercial photographer John Slemp visited 12 museums and private collections to capture the soul of these historic artifacts. The book features 104 original WWII-era jackets, presented in stunning, high-resolution detail that brings the texture of the leather and the vibrancy of the paint to life with a true "WOW" factor. From the European to the Pacific theaters, the collection showcases the incredible diversity of designs and symbols that tell each crew member's story.

More Than Just a Photo Book

Beyond the incredible imagery, Bomber Boys connects you with the human experience of the war. The jacket photographs are accompanied by moving personal accounts, stories of sacrifice, and contemporary portraits of the veterans themselves, including the famed Tuskegee Airmen and the trailblazing Women Airforce Service Pilots (WASPs). You won’t just see the art; you’ll feel the history behind it.

Award-Winning Content and Expert Contributions

Garnering international acclaim, Bomber Boys has won two silver medals in prestigious design competitions and was named the "Fashion Book of the Year" in 2024. This large, 398-page hardcover volume is enriched with contributions from leading experts, including:

A chapter on the jacket's global fashion impact by historian Laura McLaws Helms.
A guide to collecting and valuation by Antiques Roadshow appraiser Jeff Shrader.
An essential FAQ section on the proper care and preservation of vintage leather jackets.

The Perfect Gift for the Historian, Aviator, or Art Lover

This book is a powerful tribute to the courage and creativity of the Greatest Generation. Suitable for readers from middle school and up, it’s an unforgettable gift for the aviator, historian, artist, or patriot in your life, and a must-have addition to any library.

Key Features:

Format: Large, 398-page hardcover coffee table book.
Content: Features 104 unique, WWII-era painted A-2 flight jackets.
Photography: Stunning, high-resolution images with incredible detail.
Stories: Includes personal accounts and portraits of veterans, including Tuskegee Airmen and WASPs.
Expert Chapters: In-depth sections on fashion history, collecting tips from an Antiques Roadshow expert, and jacket care.
Award-Winning: An internationally recognized, award-winning publication.

Bomber Boys...WWII Flight Jacket Art Coffee Table Book

$129.99

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Bomber Boys: WWII Flight Jacket Art about?

It is a coffee table book that chronicles the US Army Air Forces in World War II through the hand-painted A-2 leather flight jackets airmen wore. It pairs high-resolution photography of the jackets with personal accounts, stories of sacrifice, and contemporary portraits of veterans, treating each jacket as a wearable diary of one airman's service.

Who created the book and what expert content does it include?

Commercial photographer John Slemp created Bomber Boys over an eight-year journey, visiting 12 museums and private collections to photograph these historic artifacts. The book is enriched with contributions from leading experts, including a fashion-history chapter by Laura McLaws Helms, a collecting and valuation guide by Antiques Roadshow appraiser Jeff Shrader, and a care section for vintage leather jackets.

How many pages is the book and how many jackets does it feature?

Bomber Boys is a large hardcover coffee table volume with 398 pages, featuring 104 unique, original WWII-era painted A-2 flight jackets. The collection spans both the European and Pacific theaters and showcases the incredible diversity of designs and symbols, with each jacket telling the personal story of the crew member who wore it.

Is the book hardcover, and what is its format?

Bomber Boys is a large-format hardcover coffee table book. The substantial hardcover construction is designed to display the high-resolution jacket photography at its best and to hold up to repeated viewing across its 398 pages. It suits its role as both a visual gallery and a lasting reference work on WWII A-2 flight jacket art.

Does it include the Tuskegee Airmen and the WASPs?

Yes. Beyond the imagery, the book connects you with the human experience of the war through moving personal accounts, stories of sacrifice, and contemporary portraits of the veterans, including the famed Tuskegee Airmen and the trailblazing Women Airforce Service Pilots, known as the WASPs.

Why were WWII A-2 flight jackets hand-painted?

Airmen turned their A-2 leather jackets into wearable diaries, personalizing them as unique testaments to the bravery, humor, and identity of the man who wore each one. The designs and symbols varied widely from crew to crew, and Bomber Boys documents this art alongside the personal stories behind it.

How many A-2 jackets did John Slemp photograph for the project?

Over his eight-year journey, John Slemp photographed historic A-2 jackets across 12 museums and private collections. From that work, the book presents 104 unique, original WWII-era painted jackets, chosen to showcase the diversity of designs and symbols across both the European and Pacific theaters of the war.

Does the book cover how to care for and value vintage leather flight jackets?

Yes. Alongside the photography, the book includes expert guidance for collectors. There is a collecting and valuation guide by Antiques Roadshow appraiser Jeff Shrader and a dedicated section on the proper care and preservation of vintage leather flight jackets, helping owners protect and understand the value of these historic artifacts.

Does the book include an index to look up units, names, or aircraft?

Yes. Bomber Boys includes a comprehensive index, so you can quickly locate specific military units, individual names, or aircraft referenced throughout the volume. This makes the book function as both a beautiful visual gallery of flight jacket art and a practical reference tool for researchers, collectors, and family historians.

What is the ISBN or product number for this book?

The product number for Bomber Boys: WWII Flight Jacket Art is 9798986516905, which also serves as its ISBN. You can use this number to confirm you are ordering the correct edition of John Slemp's award-winning hardcover volume rather than a different title or printing about WWII flight jackets.

Who is the book a good gift for, and what reading age is it suitable for?

Bomber Boys is written to be accessible to readers from middle school and up, so no aviation background is needed to appreciate it. Award-winning and named Fashion Book of the Year in 2024, it makes a meaningful gift for the aviator, historian, artist, student, or patriot, and a tribute to the Greatest Generation.