CNAC China Aviation Corporation Pilot Bush Jacket & Cap

A very impressive “Bush” jacket that was tailored in Calcutta, India, and worn by a pilot of the China National aviation Corporation, or “CNAC”. The jacket is accompanied by the pilot’s “Flight Weight” crusher cap. During the war the CNAC was based in India and flew supplies into China over the Himalayan “hump” route. A number of the CNAC pilots had previously flown with the American Volunteer Group, the famed “Flying Tigers”.

The jacket is superbly tailored in tropical weight khaki colored wool, with belt, four pockets, and the distinctive domed Bakelite buttons that are characteristic of this type of World War II garment. Over the left breast pocket is the embroidered wing of a CNAC pilot. Over the right breast pocket is the clutch back wing of a pilot of the Chinese air force, the same wing worn by members of the American Volunteer Group. The wing has Chinese characters on the reverse and is serial numbered “565”. Each collar displays brass, pin back, “CNAC” insignia. Each shoulder carries theater-made pin back rank insignia of a Captain. The interior neck has the label of the Calcutta tailor which produced the jacket. There is also a name in the neck which was inked over.

The cap is a “Flight Weight” officer’s visor cap in khaki wool. The front of the cap carries a metal screw back badge with the insignia of the CNAC. The exterior of the cap looks like it spent quite a bit of time in a cockpit, with a number of spots. There are several small holes scattered about the wool exterior. The interior sweat shield has darkened with age and there are remnants of newspaper inside that was likely stuffed into the interior to either adjust the size or to provide padding, or both.

An exceptionally rare and compelling uniform set from one of the most noted aviation units of the Second World War.