ORIGINAL & RARE USN Mark I Life Preserver Vest (\"Mae West\") From Air Group 3
![ORIGINAL & RARE USN Mark I Life Preserver Vest (\](img-large/g/VLIAAOSwwE5WV3jP/s-l1600/ORIGINAL-RARE-USN-Mark-I-Life-Preserver-Vest-Mae-W.jpg "ORIGINAL & RARE USN Mark I Life Preserver Vest (\")
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ORIGINAL & RARE USN Mark I Life Preserver Vest (\"Mae West\") From Air Group 3:
$1250.00
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Click Here. Double your traffic. Get Vendio Gallery - Now FREE! ORIGINAL & RARE USN Mark I Life Preserver Vest (\"Mae West\") From Air Group 3!
This isan ORIGINAL and RARE USN Mark Ilife vest (or \"Mae West\" as they were humorously called by airmen)most famously worn bycarrier pilots of the USN and USMC pilots, such as Jimmy Thach and Pappy Boyington. I purchased this vest in March, 1997 from a now defunct aviation militaria store, long before the advent of the numerous replicas of this now very rare life vest.
The vest is made of rubberized yellow canvas, which is lightly soiled from usage. And used it was! The vest carries the stenciled marking of Air Group 3 (\"AG 3\"), which first served on the carrier USS Saratoga and after it wastorpedoed in January 1942 while en route to a rendezvous with the USS Enterprise, the Air Group transferred to the USS Yorktown,where its squadrons (VB-3, VT-3 and \"Fighting 3\")saw action in thedecisive Battle of Midway and were instrumental in the sinking of the Japanese carrier Soryu.
The vest is in very good used condition, with all straps and parts present (see image below). The vest isvery flexible and shows noevidence of the stiffness and cracking that characterizes many of these rubberized canvas life vests. The vest is marked with a faint stenciled \"USN\"at theneck of the vest (on both sides) and \"New York Rubber Company Corp./ Beacon, N.Y./Navy Contract N-288s-2883\" on the lower right \"wing\" of the vest (see images below). The vest has both of the CO2 cartridge tubes intact with the pull cords and knobs present. In addition, the manual inflation tubes are also intact and show no signs of deterioration from age and ozone. This vest was ultimately replaced by the AN6519 life vests later in the War and the remaining Mk. I vests were declared limited standard and either discarded or relegated to use by surface sailors. Few remain today as a result.
Here\'s an opportunityfor the advanced naval aviation collector to obtain a rare life vest from a storied naval aviation unit. If only it could talk! The buyer will have my usual unconditional guarantee of authenticity and a five-day right of inspection and return privilege.
Condition: Used
andale andalesell Click Images to Enlarge
Payment Options: PayPal Shipping Options: Domestic shipping: Weight based Shipping Charges.
Domestic Carriers are: Usps Priority International shipping: Weight based Shipping Charges.
International Carriers are: Usps Priority Intl I will ship to: United States, Worldwide [Weight]: 10 lbs. Shipping and Handling: Payment Policy: PayPal:PayPal is gladly accepted and is accommodated through the checkout or may be made directly from PayPal\'s website at www.paypal.com. Your item will be mailed the next business/mailing day after your Payapl payment is received, unless I happen to be out of my office.
Stan Wolcott Hello! I\'m a militaria collector like you and I do this as a sideline to my own collecting. Nonetheless, I\'ll try to serve you in a businesslike fashion. Thanks for your purchase! Vendio Images: More than just
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ORIGINAL & RARE USN Mark I Life Preserver Vest (\"Mae West\") From Air Group 3:
$1250.00