January 2, 20215 yr #4 You are one lucky guy for finding all those. Thanks for sharing the pictures with us. Something you surely don't see everyday. Dave
January 2, 20215 yr Author #6 Bob, Rich, Dave & Kevin. Thank you for your kind comments. Glad you liked them.
January 3, 20215 yr #8 I second that. You would be lucky to find one of these hats in a lifetime, let alone this grouping. It is truly amazing. Dave
July 12, 20215 yr Author #9 I have been very fortunate to add a few more Chinese headgear pieces to the collection. The sun helmet has a Shanghai hatter label. The blue cap is typical of some Chinese workers caps, very similar to a vintage US seaman's cap. The visor fatigue cap and the workers cap are attributed to the same American pilot. Hope you enjoy these additions.
January 24, 20224 yr #15 Paul- I think the guys here have just about said it all; amazing pieces of headgear! Where do I sign up for the one I want?!
March 26, 20224 yr Author #18 Was able recently to add one more piece of Chinese headgear. Very salty and seen good use. More than likely this was worn by an American as the name J.R. Francis came associated with it. Have not done any research as of yet.
March 29, 20224 yr #21 On 3/26/2022 at 3:55 PM, Scarecrow said: Was able recently to add one more piece of Chinese headgear. Very salty and seen good use. More than likely this was worn by an American as the name J.R. Francis came associated with it. Have not done any research as of yet. That last one with the big air force cap badge looks silly, but both items are from the 1950s with the hat dated 1954. 民國四十三年。is ROC 43rd year, or 1954. I don't think it ever had that type of hat badge and it would have something smaller. The hat does specifically say 空軍 or air force. Thank you for the great evidence showing ski caps being used all the way into the very early 1950s. From the mid 1950s and to the mid 60s, they used continued the use of ski caps, but with faux ear/neck flaps, no buttons, and a chin strap. Not all ski caps date to WWII, as they also continued using them from 1946-1949 during the heavy fighting of the Chinese Civil War. On 7/12/2021 at 6:21 PM, Scarecrow said: I have been very fortunate to add a few more Chinese headgear pieces to the collection. The sun helmet has a Shanghai hatter label. The blue cap is typical of some Chinese workers caps, very similar to a vintage US seaman's cap. The visor fatigue cap and the workers cap are attributed to the same American pilot. Hope you enjoy these additions. As discussed with Scarecrow in a separate message, the tiny badge on that ski cap is from the 1950s era. Somebody may have placed it on to a WWII hat to dress it up. By the 1950s, insignias all used screwcaps and any items that have it should date post war, at least the Chinese Civil War, to Taiwan, and up to the late 1970s or so. After, Taiwan insignias use clutch back. So far, I have never seen this type of small air force badge used during WWII. These small badges would have been worn on the overseas or service caps, which were more prevalent on post Taiwan uniforms which were based of the US style. Unless somebody have a WWII picture showing a Chinese pilot wearing one, let me know. The other two I am not sure about the authenticity. I avoid pith hats because any type of insignias can be added. As shown in the picture, it seems that two holes were there for some other type of insignias.
April 9, 20224 yr Author #22 Hsin, Thank you for your translation of the cap spec tag, providing further proof that these caps were used by the Nationalist Forces right into the 1950's. Because this cap is later than WWII I have amended my thread title, eliminating the "WWII".
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